hCG diet fad has experts worrying about risks
hCG diet is getting lots of buzz - and some concern from doctors
/ istockphoto(CBS) Does it work? Is it safe? Those are the sorts of questions being asked about the so-called hCG diet that's been getting lots of attention in recent weeks.
The hCG diet combines extreme calorie restriction - typically 500 calories a day of unprocessed organic foods - with daily doses of a pregnancy-related hormone called human chorionic gondatropin, a.k.a. hCG. The hormone is typically administered via injections or under-the-tongue drops.
The diet isn't approved by the FDA, and it doesn't come cheap. One month of syringes and hormone can run more than a thousand dollars, the New York Times reported.
Proponents of the diet say patients can lose up to a pound a day without feeling tired or hungry. And, they insist, people on the diet can lose fat in typically diet-resistant places, like the belly, upper arms, and thighs.
Opponents say those claims are largely unproven and say the injections can be risky. They insist that any weight loss comes primarily from the near-starvation eating plan.
But try telling that to the doctors who claim to have seen the diet in action.
"Physicians all around the country have seen people losing a tremendous amount of weight with this stuff, and you cannot afford to ignore that." Dr. Lionel Bissoon, a New York City-based weight-loss specialist, told the Times.
Other experts find that kind of anecdotal evidence less than compelling.
"I would not suggest taking that to help people lose weight," Dr. Sam Klein, professor of medicine and nutritional science at Washington University in St. Louis, told St. Louis' KSDK news. "Of course if you eat 500 calories a day, you'll lose weight. The question is does hCG allow you to stick to that diet more effectively than not taking hCG, and the randomized controlled trials - all the scientific data - suggests that's not the case."
Decades of research seem to suggest that people who diet by consuming only 500 calories a day typically regain most or all of the weight once the diet ends. And some experts are also leery of the hCG diet's potential to cause health problems. Eating less than 500 calories a day can make it hard to meet daily nutritional goals, forcing the body to burn muscle tissue instead of fat, according to WebMD. And Dr. Oz says on his website that people on the diet can experience hair loss and constipation and develop gallstones - a painful condition that often requires surgery.
But there's widespread agreement among doctors as to which diet out there is best:
The one you stick with.
Popular in Health
- Shocking study: Math skills improved by electric stimulus
- Flesh-eating disease victim gets bionic hands
- Controversial update to psychiatry manual, DSM-5, arrives
- Skin cancer self-exam: What to look for (PHOTOS)
- Handbags may contain more germs than average toilet flush
- Doctor: Gel manicures a potential skin cancer risk
- CDC: One in five U.S. kids has mental health disorder
- Depression may double stroke risk for middle-aged women
I work for a FDA regulated company so I did know what to look for when deciding which manufacturer to purchase from. Not all of the manufacturers are reputable. I have posted a hyperlink to the company I brought from at the bottom of this post.
I am a true believer that it can work for everyone! HCG works by helping your body to release stored fat for energy. As a result of burning this excess fat, you can lose 1-2 pounds of fat per day. It helps reset metabolism and fat regulation so the body no longer is triggered into storing unneeded fat after you are off the diet.
I honestly believe this will be the last diet anyone would ever have to do!
Copy and paste the following into your browser:
http://www.hcg1234.com/204.html
[url=http://www.HCGDietuniverse.com]HCG Diet[/url]
Human chorionic gonadotropin a hormone in men and women, this hormone is elevated in women during pregnancy, it tells her body to burn extra fat to feed the baby and mother if her calorie intake is too little. This protects the mother and child during pregnancy to keep them both nourished and healthy. This is the key signalling tool used in Homeopathic HCG. -from www.elementhcg.com
The bottom line is when using a safe homeopathic trace of Human chorionic gonadotropin, we can trick the body into thinking its in a pregnant state. This works for men and women, then by reducing the calorie intake, our bodies respond to the signals accordingly and start burning fat, turning the excess fat into food and energy you need. Its simple and effective, I've lose 67 lbs.
I've seen people lose up to 4 pounds a day at times during this process and tremendous reshaping of their bodies. I feel great and I'm looking younger and thinner, its like turning the clock back.
This process is short, safe and simple to do, you will either complete a 21 or 45 day protocol, the even better news is the people who have completed our system have been able to keep the weight off long term.
This process seems to balance your body's control center, the hypatholimus and pituitary glands. Your body tends to not crave the types of foods that led you down the path of eating too many calories that your body could not process and eventually turned into fat to be stored for starvation.
Thats the real information and power to put a science and system together for losing fat and pounds the way nature intended.
I used www.elementhcg.com for my supply and would recommend their products to everyone.
Homeopathic HCG contains ZERO HCG. You can keep your energy signal BS, HCG is a prescription drug.
On homeopathic HCG, your taking expensive water and starving yourself.
Why else would the FDA call it fraudulent and illegal. Why do the bottles now say "Hormone Free"? Because of the law suites, thats why. Its not HCG!
I respect you as a business person, but the homeopathic HCG scam is exactly that, a scam.
To all, google "Homeopathic HCG Scam" and educate yourself first, before listening to others.
Full USA Today Article here:
http://www.usatoday.com/yourlife/fitness/weight-loss-challenge/2011-01-24-hcgdiet24_ST_N.htm
Obtain medical information from Nu Image Medical. A physician run company since 2006.
It works 100% when done properly.
The internet is filled with 99% garbage concerning this protocol, including multiple scams, fake updated revisions with no clinical background.
Whomever you deal with, make sure they have done their proper research and are not just trying to take your money.