Human chorionic gonadotropin, also called HCG, is a type of hormone that some people try to use to lose weight. Normally, HCG is produced by the placenta among pregnant women and is often measured to confirm pregnancy. Alternatively, some programs use oral HCG, taken as a supplement and combined with a very low calorie diet to stimulate weight loss, but the method may not be successful.
How it Works
HCG may work to treat obesity by acting upon fat tissue within the body by moving fat cells from fat deposits. Additionally, HCG may stimulate other tissues to utilize these fat cells, potentially leading to a decrease in the total amount of fat tissue. HCG may have an effect on the hypothalamus, a portion of the brain that influences appetite and weight. If HCG has the potential to build up in the hypothalamus after administration, it could then correlate with weight loss.
Benefits
HCG is often administered through injections, whether it is used for fertility or weight loss treatments. The advantage of oral HCG is minimizing these injections, which may be easier to take and involves less pain. Additionally, the treatment claims to improve sleep and prevent feelings of irritability and weakness associated with eating very few calories each day. The treatment may help to support mood while decreasing overall body weight and circumference.
Thyrotoxicosis
According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, HCG may work in the same manner as thyroid stimulating hormone, or TSH. Too much TSH can cause a condition known as thyrotoxicosis, in which metabolism increases, accelerating weight loss, but also inducing abnormal heart rhythms, irritability and sweating. Too much HCG could also cause similar symptoms to thyrotoxicosis, which could be life-threatening.
Considerations
Because oral HCG treatment is combined with a very low calorie diet, weight loss may occur as a result of calorie deprivation, not necessarily because of the hormone. If you want to lose weight, talk with your doctor before starting on a diet such as the oral HCG treatment, so you can find a safe method of losing weight. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has declared that HCG is ineffective as a weight loss method.
References
- The Oral hCG Research Clinic; The hCG Method for the Treatment of Obesity: Overcoming the "Test of Time"; Daniel Oscar Belluscio, MD
- Oral hCG Method: Frequently Asked Questions
- University of Maryland Medical Center; Controversial Weight Loss Method May Have Contributed to the Early Death of 1950s Film and Recording Star Mario Lanza; January 2010
