hCG diet

So summer is around the corner and if you live in southern california, well- let's just say its spring/summer practically year round. This is time when clothes come off and we show off just what we've been working for all year... or do we? If you happen to be one of those folks who have not been putting in the hours to fine-tune your physique, well, don't you worry... I'm sure you (or someone you know) will be one of the millions of americans to try a quick fix. Why not? They ALL claim to work... don't they?

The HCG diet is the new rage and it really has people talking about its success... but what about its risks? But before I get ahead of myself, let me give you a quick background of our friend hCG. hCG stands for human chorionic gonadotropin and it is a hormone produced by women early in their pregnancy. Actually, hCG levels peak at week 14 and decrease thereafter. hCG has many roles, but its primary purpose is to make sure the fetus receives the nutrients and calories needed to grow, even if the mother is malnourished. With the presence of hCG in the body, adipocytes (fat cells) are broken down and utilized as energy stores for the fetus. So if there is a chance that the mother is not eating enough nutrients and calories, hCG is there to make sure the fetus does not suffer from malnutrition.

So HOW did this become a fat loss drug? Well, in the early 1950's it was utilized in a study to help adolescent boys who were suffering from a delay in genital development- hence the name gonadotropin (gonadotrophic means genital development). But this study showed another response variable- participants were able to lose excess weight, maintain a low calorie diet and not suffer from hunger pains. And like that- the birth of hCG (no pun intended) became a weight loss tool.

According to creator Dr. Simeons, hCG is the only way to go if you want to lose weight and supposedly,  keep it off. Without getting into the nitty-gritty details of it, Dr. Simeone recommends that the patient take hcg injections daily (in cycles of no more than 23 days straight and with no more than 40 pounds lost) IN ADDITION to  maintaining a 500 calorie diet. THERE'S YOUR RED FLAG LADIES AND GENTS. 

In my book, this diet is FICTION. Yes, you lose weight, but its a crash diet. Most people lose weight on a crash diet. If you do not learn how to transform the way that you eat, you will gain it back.  If you are someone who is taking a holistic hcg approach (using drops or drink mixes), you are being DUPED. hCG MUST be given in injectable forms (if you're wanting to get the real thing). Living this way (maintaining 500 calorie diet) will cause major physiological issues down the line. No serious health practitioner would ever prescribe someone to eat 500kcals a day.
DON'T FORGET: hCG was initially used as a fertility drug (and it still is- for those of your who have done IVF are usually taking hCG injections as well). A major risk for you females who are taking hCG for weight loss: pregnancy might be a side effect! 

If you're really concerned with losing weight, contact a registered dietician for all of your dietary needs. Always consult a professional before trying the newest fad on the market. Remember- they only pull it off the shelves when someone gets seriously hurt... don't take the chance of that person being you...