The hCG diet has been popular for many years. Proponents claim that it causes fast weight loss of up to 1–2 pounds (0.5–1 kilogram) per day. What’s more, you’re not supposed to feel hungry in the process. However, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has deemed this diet dangerous, illegal, and fraudulent.
What Is HCG Diet?
The hormone hCG, or human chorionic gonadotropin, is present at high levels in early pregnancy. In fact, this hormone is used as a marker in home pregnancy tests. It’s also been used to help treat fertility issues in both men and women. However, elevated blood levels of hCG may also be a symptom of several types of cancer, including placental, ovarian, and testicular cancer.
A British doctor named Albert Simeons first proposed hCG as a weight loss tool in 1954. His diet consisted of two main components:
- an ultra-low-calorie diet of around 500 calories per day
- hCG hormone injections
How Can A HCG Diet Help You Lose Weight?
Proponents of this diet claim that it boots metabolism and helps you lose large amounts of fat all without you feeling hungry. Various theories attempt to explain hCG’s weight loss mechanisms.
However, multiple studies throughout the years have concluded that weight loss achieved by the hCG diet is due to ultra-low-calorie intake alone. It has nothing to do with the hCG hormone. Several studies indicate that weight loss on the hCG diet is due only to drastic calorie restrictions.
Also Read: All About Ketogenic Diet: A Detailed Guide On Keto Diet For Beginners!
How HCG Diet Is Helpful For Diabetes And Prediabetic?
The HCG Diet has a positive impact on blood sugar stabilization. Over time, with weight loss, blood sugar stabilization, proper dietary habits and non-negotiable exercise habits, these patients turn this disease process around. We help coach them every step of the way. Their lives change for the better all around. This does not happen overnight but you will be amazed at what a commitment of 6 months to 1 year can do for this deadly disease.
Other Health Benefits Of The HCG Diet
Improved Metabolic Function:
The most effective weight loss programs feature low – or very-low-calorie diets. The downside to these programs is that cutting back on calories increases hunger, which can cause a diet to fail. Furthermore, low- and very-low-calorie diets slow down metabolic functions, which can have the unintended consequences of storing, rather than burning, fat.
Energy Boost:
Lack of energy is a common problem, especially among dieters. Low- and very-low-calorie diets can compound feelings of fatigue, exhaustion, hunger, and even irritability. HCG injections stimulate the metabolism of adipose tissue for valuable energy, thereby significantly increasing energy levels within days of injection.
Lower Cholesterol:
When combined with a healthy, low-calorie diet, HCG can reduce blood cholesterol. Using short courses of HCG can help dieters adopt healthier eating habits that provide long-term health benefits, such as reducing heart disease.
Whole-Body Weight Loss:
It burns adipose tissue from all over the body, including the waist, arms, neck, buttocks, and thighs. Injections of HCG also targets stubborn fat stores, often untouched by normal dieting.
Foods That You Can Eat In The HCG Diet:
The diet approves eating one cup of vegetables per meal for a total of two cups per day. Although vegetables are always healthier than snack foods, some are especially useful for losing weight with HCG.
Vegetables:
- Asparagus.
- Beet greens.
- Broccoli.
- Cabbage.
- Cauliflower.
- Celery.
- Chard.
- Cucumber
HCG Diet And Tricks
- Loading phase. Start taking hCG and eat plenty of high fat, high calorie foods for 2 days.
- Weight loss phase. Continue taking hCG and eat only 500 calories per day for 3 to 6 weeks.
- Maintenance phase. Stop taking hCG. Gradually increase your food intake but avoid sugar and starch for 3 weeks.
Side Effects Of HCG Diet
The FDA hasn’t approved hCG as a weight loss aid. On the contrary, the FDA has questioned the safety of this diet as well as OTC hCG products. These products are unregulated, and they contain unknown ingredients. As a result, they should be avoided. (Source) There are also a number of side effects associated with the hCG diet, such as:
- Headache
- Depression
- fatigue
Risk Of HCG Diet
Side effects have also been reported with the HCG diet and include fatigue, irritability, restlessness, depression, fluid buildup (edema), and swelling of the breasts in boys and men (gynecomastia). Another serious concern is the risk of blood clots forming and blocking blood vessels (thromboembolism).
Also Read: All About Mediterranean Diet: A Detailed Guide On Mediterranean Diet For Beginners!!!
Conclusion
The hCG diet limits calorie intake to around 500 calories per day for weeks at a time, making it an extreme weight loss diet. Any diet that’s this low in calories will make you lose weight. However, numerous studies have found that the hCG hormone has no effect on weight loss and doesn’t reduce your appetite.
