An HCG diet is a calorie-restricted protocol combined with hormone injections or supplements. A.T.W. Simeons, a British endocrinologist who conceived of the regimen in the 1950s, asserted that human chorionic gonadotropin eliminates the appetite and redistributes fat in areas that are most difficult to slim down, such as the hips, abdomen, thighs, upper arms and chin. HCG is prescribed, in part, to correct hormonal abnormalities. When hormones are naturally in flux during menstruation, Simeons suggests foregoing HCG.
About HCG
HCG was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of descended testes in males and to facilitate pregnancy in females. While it is produced during pregnancy, it is not a sex hormone. The only way it can trigger changes in the body is if the person is already hormonally deficient. Simeons cautions that patients should never be allowed to take HCG beyond normal hormone levels, he notes in his book, "Pounds and Inches."
Menstruation
Simeons suggests stopping HCG injections and supplements during menstruation. The best time to start the diet for women is immediately after a period and never to coincide with the onset of menstruation. If a woman misses her period while on an HCG diet, she should stop taking HCG at least five days prior to taking a pregnancy test because the hormone, which is a main pregnancy marker, can give a false positive.
Amenorrhea
Amenorrhea is a condition in which the onset of a girl's first period is delayed past the age of 16, known as primary amenorrhea. Secondary amenorrhea occurs when a woman's period stops abruptly. While HCG has a variety of side effects, from cardiovascular risk to causing headaches and tender breasts, there's no reason to believe that the hormone interferes with menstruation. In fact, due to its ability to improve chances of fertility, the hormone is more likely to regulate a woman's cycle. Delayed menses onset and missed periods are attributed to consuming a very low calorie diet, being extremely under- or overweight.
Calories
One of the main components of an HCG diet is restriction of calories. The original diet called for consuming 500 calories per day. Some diets are slightly more liberal, allowing 550 to 700 calories, which is still extraordinarily low. According to the National Institutes of Health, a healthy, active woman should consume no fewer than 1,200 calories a day. The lowest number of calories for a man is 1,500. Malnutrition can cause amenorrhea.
Member Comments