Not surprisingly, a diet that promises safe and healthful weight loss of one to three pounds per day has sparked the curiosity of many people who want to lose weight. If you are skeptical, you should be; safe weight loss should be around one to two pound per week, according to Health Services at the University of Michigan. If you are trying to lose weight and have been unsuccessful, please discuss your fitness goals with your doctor.
HCG Is Not Approved for Weight Loss
Despite the enormous amount of marketing for the HCG diet and increasing amount of "HCG weight loss clinics" popping up all over the country, it may come as a surprise that HCG is not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, FDA, for weight loss. The FDA only approves HCG as fertility treatment and protocols of hormone replacement therapy. The University of Maryland Medical Center confirms this and reports that FDA requires HCG diet advertising to include the disclaimer that there is no substantial evidence supporting the use of HCG for weight loss.
HCG Diet is Unsafe
A quick look at the HCG diet that is used in conjunction with daily administrations of HCG raises red flags about the safety of the diet. First, the diet is extremely restricted, allowing only 500 calories a day. Regardless of the food sources that are consumed, according to the University of Idaho in Coeur d' Alene, a diet of 500 calories is too limited to support proper brain function, physical or thyroid function. Secondly, even with the majority of 500 calories coming from protein, the Arizona State College of Nursing and Health Innovation claims that the diet is likely to result in a deficiency of protein and other essential nutrients. Additional side effects include extreme fatigue, headache, mood swings and gallstones.
Side Effects of HCG
Aside from the extreme malnutrition resulting from the caloric restrictions, HCG can produce other side effects. HCG is a fertility treatment that can raise testosterone and estrogen levels in men, according to San Diego State University. Raising estrogen levels can result in male breast enlargement, or gynecomastia, according to the Mayo Clinic. Gynecomastia is breast tissue that is only removable by a surgical procedure. The University of Maryland Medical Center notes that the chemical structure of HCG closely resembles your natural thyroid stimulating hormone, or TSH. Your body may confuse HCG for TSH, which could result in hyperthyroidism.
HCG Does Not Promote Weight Loss
Mayo Clinic explains that any weight loss you experience while on the HCG diet is solely the result of the enormous caloric deficiency, and not the HCG. You will most likely regain all of your lost weight once you discontinue the HCG diet and begin eating normally again. A study in the "South African Medical Journal" from researchers at University of Stellenbosch concluded that there is "no rationale for the use of HCG injections in the treatment of obesity." Additionally, a study in the "British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology" also concluded that there is "no scientific evidence that HCG is effective in the treatment of obesity." The bottom line is that HCG is neither safe nor effective for producing sustainable weight loss.
References
- University of Michigan: Weight Reduction
- Brigham Young University: Pregnancy Hormone Used in Lastest Diet
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Human Chorionic Gonadotropin
- Arizona State University: The Newest Diet Fad is.... A Hormone?
- San Diego State University: Drugs in Sport
- University of Idaho: Thinking About Slimming Down for the Holiday Season on HCG - Think Again
Member Comments