What is the  HCG Weight Loss Diet?

By now, we are sure you've heard about the hCG diet or know of people using hCG injections for weight loss. We've had many people come in to our clinic in Portland Oregon having been injecting themselves with HCG or thinking about doing it.  It is very important to understand all of the risks and benefits of HCG and a Very Low Calorie (VLC) for weight loss as well as the medication involved before considering using this program.  

Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is a hormone released by the embryo and placenta in pregnant women. During pregnancy, hCG helps to maintain the uterine lining by increasing progesterone production. This hormone can be used to induce ovulation in the ovaries, and also increases testosterone production. 

Why then are people using hCG for weight loss? 

Human chorionic gonadotropin was first promoted as a weight loss aid in the 1950s by Dr. Albert T. Simeons. Simeons stated that hCG would help to mobilize and burn stored fat, when combined with a 500 calorie-per-day diet. This very low calorie (VLC) diet is very restrictive, and includes a set number of calories from protein per meal, to help burn fat while attempting to protect muscle.

Since Simeons first introduced the concept of using hCG injections for weight loss, there have been approximately 50 years of extensive, double-blind research studies performed to test its efficacy.  

Although there are a few positive studies (mostly from HCG clinics following Simmeons protocol) most double blind placebo controlled trials where patients received either HCG injections or placebo and followed identical VLC diets, show no difference in amount of weight lost, type of weight lost, hunger level, or mood.   

For a Portland Oregon doctors review of the actual HCG research, please  click here   

More importantly, no study has looked at long-term maintenance of weight lost with the HCG protocol. Simeons claims patients who follow his protocol maintain weight loss 60-70% of the time, though he never published data to back up this claim.

Additionally, randomized controlled trials of very low calorie (VLC) diets show a large variation in regain of initial weight loss percentage. Participants in these trials regained up to 122% of initial weight lost by one year, and 26-121% by 5 years. 

Are we suggesting that you not use HCG and a Very Low Calorie Diet for Weight Loss?

NO. We cannot make that decision for you nor would we advise you one way or another.  That decision should be made between you and your doctor (Naturopathic Doctor, DO, or MD) weighing your individual risks and benefits. Many people have lost a lot of weight following a Very Low Calorie Diet while injecting HCG. Some have had long term success yet, based on our clinical experience, many more have gained some or all of it back.

What then, are we suggesting? 

Many fad diets promise fast weight loss with little effort. However, any program that offers quick and easy results without long term behavior modification must be viewed with suspicion. 

More often than not, people fall for these promises and pay enormous sums of money to lose weight but because they have never dealt with the underlying reasons they were overweight in the first place they gain almost all of the lost weight back... plus some more.  

What works?

Only programs that include long term behavior modification, nutritional education, exercise and accountability are effective at helping you lose  as well as maintain a healthy weight.

Ideal Weight Naturally ^tm IS such a program.

A few more things to consider about HCG

• Real HCG requires a prescription from a licensed healthcare professional with prescribing authority (Licensed Naturopathic Doctor, DO, or MD). Please beware of any HCG Clinics that do not have licensed physicians on staff or that don't require you to meet with one personally.    Several HCG Clinics in Oregon are currently under investigation by the Oregon Department of Justice . 
• Make sure your physician is aware of your current health status before you follow any VLC diet, and that causes of abnormal weight gain (e.g., neurotransmitter imbalance, hypothyroidism, hypogonadism, Cushing's, or other endocrine problems) have been ruled out. 
• An (8) week supply of injectable   HCG only costs a physician between $25 and $60. Most HCG Clinics will charge you $800 - $1200 for a 6-8 week program.
• Homeopathic "HCG" drops don't contain ANY HCG (or you would need a prescription) 
• To date, science hasn’t been able to produce a way to deliver the intact HCG hormone into the blood stream in any way except by injection. There are no published reports that have been able to demonstrate a measurable amount of HCG in a person’s blood when given in either oral or sublingual forms. 

Drugs.com Injectable HCG Precautions 

WebMD Injectable HCG Precautions states the following:

"This medication is a hormone used in boys (before puberty) to cause the normal dropping of the testicles into the scrotum. It is also used in certain boys to help with normal sexual development. It works by causing the testes to release male sex hormones (e.g., testosterone).

This medication is also used in women to treat fertility problems. It is given after finishing another medication (menotropins) to cause the release of an egg (ovulation). It should not be used in women whose ovaries no longer make eggs properly (primary ovarian failure).

This medication has not been shown to be effective for weight loss and should not be used for this purpose."