Type 2 diabetes is a condition in which the body's signaling system fails to communicate to the cells when glucose, or blood sugar, is available in the bloodstream. Type 2 diabetes is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, blood clots and strokes. The hCG diet combines injections of the pregnancy hormone hCG with a low-carb diet restricted to 500 calories per day. There is no solid evidence that hCG promotes weight loss, but there is evidence that it increases the risk of blood clots. So, the hCG diet could be particularly dangerous for type 2 diabetics, who are already at risk for blood clots.
Type 2 Diabetes
When glucose enters the bloodstream from the intestinal tract, the pancreas secretes insulin, a hormone that helps signal to the cells when glucose is present. Insulin binds to insulin receptors, which normally triggers the cells to absorb glucose. In type 2 diabetes, the insulin receptors do not transfer the signal from insulin to the cells' interior. As a result, glucose builds up in the bloodstream.
Complications of Type 2 Diabetes
When the malfunctioning insulin receptors are restricted to particular cell types, such as the skeletal muscles, the cells with the healthy receptors can convert excess glucose to fat, which can cause weight gain. The excess blood sugar can also lead to plaque formation in the blood vessels and is linked to high cholesterol levels and high blood pressure. This collection of conditions is also known as metabolic syndrome.
The hCG Diet
Human chorionic gonadotrophin, or hCG, is a pregnancy hormone that helps maintain the uterine lining while the embryo grows. hCG is also a fertility drug that can help facilitate ovulation in women and increase testosterone production in men. In the 1950s, the British endocrinologist A.T.W. Simeons observed that patients who received regular doses of hCG and followed a near-starvation diet lost fat quickly. Since 2008, Simeons' diet regimen has increased in popularity, and there is anecdotal evidence that the diet helps people lose weight. However, the weight loss may be solely a result of the low-calorie content of the diet.
Risk Factors
hCG is linked to a number of side effects, including blood clots, leg cramps, temporary hair thinning, breast tenderness, constipation and headaches. According to "U.S. News and World Report," there is one reported case of a blood clot formation in the lungs of a hCG dieter. Only time can tell how risky the diet is. However, given the strong association between hCG and blood clots and between type 2 diabetes and blood clots, there is good reason to believe that the diet could be unsafe for type 2 diabetics.
References
- American Diabetes Association: Diabetes Basics
- "PNAS"; The Role of Skeletal Muscle Insulin Resistance in the Pathogenesis of the Metabolic Syndrome; Kitt Falk Petersen, et al.; July 2007
- "U.S. News and World Report"; HCG Diet Dangers: Is Fast Weight Loss Worth the Risk?; Angela Haupt; March 2011
- City of Hope; Sugar's Bitter Toll on Blood Vessels; Darrin S. Joy; June 2010
- "Circulation"; Diagnosis and Management of the Metabolic Syndrome; Scott M. Grundy, et al.; September 2005
- University of Minnesota Medical Center: Choriogonadotropin Alfa Solution for injection
