Developed more than 60 years ago, the HCG diet is actually a treatment program using human chorionic gonadotropin, or hCG, a hormone commonly produced by women during pregnancy. Administration of the medication is combined with a low-calorie diet to encourage weight loss. The program is believed by some to reduce body fat while preventing the accompanying hunger pains typical of restrictive caloric intake.
History
Researchers first identified human chorionic gonadotropin in 1927 in the urine of pregnant women. The presence of hCG in urine became the foundation for pregnancy tests, and testing for hCG is still used today to determine if a woman is pregnant. The hormone also triggers sexual development and has been used to treat children with delayed maturation problems. While researching hCG's effects, Dr. A.T.W. Simeons noticed that boys treated with hCG were losing significant amounts of weight by calorie reduction without the subsequent associated hunger. Dr. Simeons' focus turned to using hCG as a treatment for obesity, and he soon developed a diet plan and treatment regimen.
Treatment
The average treatment using hCG lasts around 30 days. During that time, the patient receives daily injections of 125 units of hCG. Recently, a form of hCG that can be taken orally has been gaining in acceptance and use. Treatment with hCG for weight loss usually will not last beyond 40 days, as research by Dr. Simeons indicated that the body becomes immune to the effects of hCG after that time.
Dietary Changes
Patients are also placed on a very low-calorie diet, once hCG blood levels have risen sufficiently. The diet is high in protein and low in carbohydrates and fat. The diet provides 500 calories per day and is structured to deliver enough food to maintain the body while staving off any hunger pains that the hCG does not prevent. Once the weight is lost or the time limit for hCG treatment has elapsed, the diet is ended.
Side Effects
For women, the possibility of increased fertility is a known side effect of the HCG diet; in fact, hCG was initially offered as a fertility drug. Most side effects are mild and usually present as headaches and restlessness. Patients may also experience symptoms similar to those of pregnancy, including swollen and tender breasts and water retention. Using hCG can also increase the risk of blood clots and may trigger a condition in women known as ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome, which can be fatal.
Considerations
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved hCG only as a fertility drug, and its use for weight loss is not approved or sanctioned by the organization. Study results of the HCG diet are mixed, with some showing the diet as effective, and others finding that hCG was no more effective than a placebo.
Availability
Author Kevin Trudeau's recently published book "The Weight Loss Cure They Don't Want You to Know About" has helped spawn a renewed interest in this 60-year-old diet. Now, clinics are widely available to provide the hCG necessary for the diet, both in-office and online. The medication is often self-administered at home either as an injection or orally.
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