There’s a lot of promise around HCG —a natural hormone the body makes during pregnancy and how it can help one lose weight. These promises have led to what is now known as the “HCG Diet,” and this craze is not showing any signs of stopping soon.
The HCG diet also claims that it can help “reset your metabolism” if you’re on an ultra-low-calorie diet to help you lose as much as a pound daily without feeling weak or hungry.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), on the other hand, has only approved HCG prescription drugs for the treatment of female fertility issues. This means that no HCG supplements are legally sold in the U.S for weight loss.
The FDS has also issued a stern warning on their safety and what they term as “fraudulent weight-loss claims.”
Let’s take a deeper look into the HCG diet and understand how this hormone can lead to rapid and extreme weight loss.
What is the HCG diet?
Albert T.W. Simeons, MD, came up with the HCG diet, and it was based on his research on obesity and extensive experience in successfully using the hormone. HCG, or human chorionic gonadotropin, is a hormone produced by the placenta during pregnancy.
It’s the same hormone used to detect pregnancy in home pregnancy test kits. One of its functions is to support fetal development by ensuring energy is available to the growing fetus.
It does this by affecting the diencephalon— a part of the primitive brain responsible for automatic functions in the body, such as fat metabolism and storage.
Among the many theories of obesity is that the diencephalon can be overwhelmed by imbalances or stressors like sedentary lifestyles, hormonal imbalances, overeating, psychological or emotional stress. This results in it becoming less effective at metabolizing and storing fat in the body.
This may lead to weight gain, especially if one is between your 30s and 40s when the caloric intake doesn’t change, but the level of daily exercise goes down. This imbalance in the diencephalon can also happen due to a change in the hormone level.
Dr. Simeon’s HCG diet promotes weight loss by addressing all these imbalances in a certain way. The first was by having patients stick to an ultra-low calorie diet—about 500 calories daily, and the second way is administering HCG injections Canada daily.
The science behind this suggests that HCG injections complement the low-calorie diet by lowering feelings of hunger and giving the individual the ability to hold a low caloric intake for a long time successfully.
Does the HCG Diet For Weight Loss Work?
The mechanics around the HCG diet sound great in theory, but several studies have concluded that weight loss is achieved in the HCG diet because of the ultra-low-calorie diet. Weight loss with the HCG diet varies from person to person and is usually based on several factors. This includes your muscle mass, activity level, and the phase you are currently in.
The HCG diet is considered a very low-calorie diet, and you will likely lose weight if you combine that and the HCG hormone injections. The injections will help lower your metabolism and reduce your hunger intensity while on a diet.
If you’re looking to begin the HCG diet, you can buy HCG online, and since the FDA doesn’t allow the sale of HCG diet supplements, you can get HCG injections from international vendors and have them deliver them to you.
Is the HCG Diet a Healthy Choice?
If you happen to be an adult woman or man, unsatisfied with your current weight and looking for a straightforward way that’s intensive enough to allow you to shed off some pounds, then HCG dieting may be ideal for you.
The ideal candidate has to be generally healthy and not significantly overweight. They have to be committed to following the ultra-low-calorie diet and making long-term lifestyle changes to their nutrition needs. HCG diet is a healthy weight loss option, but you have to be realistic and have informed expectations on the possible outcome.
If you’re pregnant or nursing, this weight loss option is not for you. Additionally, any patients with dietary requirements or restrictions or diabetes may not be the ideal candidates because of the strict nature of the HCG diet.
Advantages of the HCG Diet for weight loss
Rapid Weight Loss
Going on the HCG diet will most likely help you lose weight rapidly, and it can be an effective remedy if you want to cut down excess weight in a short period.
Easy to Follow
The HCG diet’s structure is quite simple to follow. It usually has three phases and calorie targets for you to follow. The number of hormonal injections and calories don’t vary too.
Disadvantages of the HCG Diet for weight loss
HCG Supplements Are Illegal
In the U.S., at least HCG supplements and injections are only prescribed for females’ fertility issues. The FDA has also banned any over-the-counter HCG products, and it’s illegal to sell HCG for weight loss.
Causes Extreme Hunger In Others
Avoiding food for short periods can lead to powerful hunger pangs. Because the HCG diet works on the principle of calorie deprivation, this may lead to some unpleasant side effects such as fatigue, dizziness, brain fog, and headaches.
It’s an Expensive Program
The HCG diet may help you save some money on groceries thanks to reducing calories, but the hormonal injections are not cheap. The HCG injections kits may cost anywhere between $ 225 and $ 400, and that’s only a four-to-eight-week supply!
Conclusion
The HCG diet’s promise of rapid weight loss appeals to many people who want to lose weight. But it’s essential to remember that though it may be effective, there are some serious dangers, such as extreme calorie restriction and the fact that it’s an illegal treatment. So, it’s your responsibility to decide if you’re going to take the risk.
While there are a lot of fad diet trends and unsustainable weight loss programs out there, we hope that the facts we have presented above will help you make an informed decision that works best for you and your genetic blueprints, goal, budget, and nutritional needs.
If you want to lose weight, remember that losing weight doesn’t mean the same as being healthy, and there are several ways you can achieve a healthy lifestyle. Sleep, exercising, and other lifestyle factors also contribute in a significant way to your overall health, and the best diet will be a balanced one that suits your needs.
References:
https://www.webmd.com/diet/hcg-and-weight-loss
https://www.tamparejuvenation.com/healthtips/hcg-diet-works/