The Truth about the HCG Diet

carl1738 · December 2010

This is from Men's Health, concerning the HCG diet:

December 28th, 2010 The Truth about the hCG Diet1By Kiera Aaron

Sure, The Cookie Diet is a little odd. But when it comes to weird diets, it doesn’t get much weirder than The hCG Diet.

This Internet fad advocates that people can drop their extra pounds by taking hCG—a hormone that’s found naturally in the placenta—via injections or oral drops.

According to some sources, the diet was originally invented by Dr. A.T.W. Simeons, an endocrinologist who conducted research on the approach during the 1950s. (No word on why they haven’t updated their findings from six decades.) Now it’s being marketed as the latest quick-fix diet all over the Web.

The hCG hormone is found in all women in low doses, but it gradually skyrockets over the course of a pregnancy, beginning at 3 weeks, explains LeeAnn Weintraub, M.P.H., R.D., and expert on diets. Its job is to tell the body’s fat cells to release stored fat, which then is used to nourish the fetus and placenta.

The hypothesis: Without a fetus, hCG causes the fat to simply be released into your blood stream where it can be used as energy. So the idea is that you can live off of your own fat instead of relying on food. This why the dieters can supposedly eat only 500 calories per day and still be satisfied. But here’s a news flash: You can live off your own fat even if you don’t take hCG! And reducing your calorie intake to 500 a day is a sure way to get your body to dip into its fat reserves for fuel. It’s known as being in a state of starvation.

There’s another big flaw in this plan: Pregnant women experience a major hormonal shift. As a result, most experts are skeptical that the same chemicals would have the same effects when removed from their environment (which in this case, is a pregnant woman).

Plus, there haven’t been any studies that prove that injecting hCG can help you lose weight. To be fair, the absence of research doesn’t prove that the injections don’t work. Nevertheless, we won’t be recommending this diet plan any time soon. Here are some other hCG diet claims, debunked:

The claim: “Most hCG dieters report a loss of 1 to 2 lbs a day. At the very least, .5 pound a day, and at the most, 3 + lbs a day.”
The reality: Anyone can lose weight by eating a potentially unsafe 500 calories day. “There’s no evidence that any of this weight loss can be attributed to the hormone,” states Weintraub.

The claim: “While you are only consuming 500 calories, your hypothalamus is continually releasing the fat stored in your body. Because of this, your body is actually operating on thousands of calories a day.”
The reality: “Even if the hormone works properly, the body isn’t receiving any vitamins, nutrients, or fiber,” warns Weintraub. “Symptoms like nausea, weakness and constipation can occur after just a few days.” Dieters are also at risk for gallstone formation and heart problems further down the road.

The claim: “hCG Dieters lose an average of 1 to 3 lbs per day while modifying their metabolism and eating habits for long term results.”
The reality: We don’t know what type of “modification” they’re promising, but the only adjustment Weintraub predicts is a slower metabolism. “Even when you begin to eat a normal amount again, your body will store even more fat because it’s been in starvation mode.”

NightOwl1 · December 2010

There is no way that shooting your body up with hormones would ever be an effective or healthy weight loss solution.

nsueflorence · December 2010

Thank you for posting

JillTwiss · December 2010

Makes sense to me. Anything that claims to be a short-term easy fix throws red flags up for me.

KeepOnMoving · December 2010

I know people who successfully loss weight with the HCG diet. The problem is - only a temporary fix. Unless they devoted the rest of their lives to healthy eating and exercising - they gain some weight again. The HCG also made them look unhealthy. We eat for a reason - to live. Not in excess, but not to deprive either.

Thanks for sharing the info!

dancer77 · December 2010

I have a friend who tried the HCG diet.....and I thought it was nonsense because as you said, consuming only 500cals a day of mostly protein will do that weight loss for you. Plus hormones tend to make your emotions go wack. I am not sure that the HCG hormone is the one responsible or co-responsible for that, but I wouldn't chance it.

NoAdditives · December 2010

I knew this diet sounded completely crazy!

blueymo · December 2010

I think in all fairness I should write and say that I have been on the diet and KNOW that it did work for me. I'll admit, it might not be for everyone, but I was NOT in starvation mode (trust me I thought about becoming anorexic once when I was young and I love food too much! LOL). I was satisfied, had more energy than ever, and even got rid of an "addiction" to Dr. Pepper by being on it (don't even want one anymore). Also, I think it would be great if people reading this would read the original findings of Dr. Simeon (he even did not claim their authority, he just documented that it worked! And he has some interesting stuff to say about the whole "starvation mode" thing as well.) It is a pretty in-depth reading of 95 pages but well-worth the time before dismissing someone's life work http://hcgdietinfo.com/HCG_Diet_Dr_Simeons_Manuscript.htm.

I must admit utter incredulity when I first read about it, but I am now a firm believer in its ability to work for me. I am proof that it was an amazing experience. As I said, I was not hungry throughout this time (I think I would have been hungry if I had actually started starving my body), and even after I finished. I now eat a diet of roughly 2,000 calories after exercising (netting around 1800 a day), and I have not gained back anything more than maybe 1 pound of the weight lost.

I am not supporting everyone running out and becoming believers in HCG, but I would love to see (on MFP) people who are willing to at least suspend judgment on things like this. Each person will find their way to get healthy and making one way seem bad physically without substantial proof seems a poor way to encourage each person.

I don't mean to come across as critical myself. I understand the first reaction to the idea of eating so little, but I have now experienced it and I would ask anyone to read the research by Dr. Simeon and come to your own conclusions. Thanks!

HealthyChanges2010 · December 2010

As I said, I was not hungry throughout this time (I think I would have been hungry if I had actually started starving my body), and even after I finished.

Starvation mode is not always known by the a person experiencing it. When one begins to eat too few cals for their body to function properly often times they no longer feel the sensation of hungry.

arb75 · December 2010

I successfully dropped 15 lbs on the HCG diet last Spring, and maintained 13 of those pounds (off). The idea of only consuming 500 calories a day concerned me at first, but there's a process. Day 1 and 2 you fat load, consume high fatty foods then you start your injections, drop, or nasal mist (I choose the mist) The purpose of fat load is to keep you from getting hungry in the 28 day window, day 3 you start you 500 calories, and believe it or not you do not feel hungry the entire time you are on the diet, when you take the HCG your body releases 1500-2000 calories, you consume 500. You body is eating the fat, which is making you drop it forever, it never comes back unless when you are done the diet you go back to a fatty diet again and put it back on. There is not exercise involved, unrecommended actually. Also, it's not only a internet diet (fad) it is something you do thru a doctor, with his/her guidance. There are specific foods to eat and avoid, and of course specific proportions of these foods. Criticize if you like, like it or not, it works, and to each their own. I was going to start my HCG diet again (which you can now get in GNC for about $30) but since I got on here a few days ago I've dropped 6 lbs on my own so I'm not positive I'm going to do it again, but I would in a heartbeat, it's a great diet, but that's only 'my opinion'

HealthyChanges2010 · December 2010

There is not exercise involved, unrecommended actually.

That's a bit scary when a 'diet' plan actually tells you not to exercise.. red flag!:noway:

arb75 · December 2010

They did not tell me I could not, just that it was not recommended or required to loose the weight, mostly cardio, toning was best.

raindancer · December 2010

I tried it for a while in the 80's. I did lose but it made me mean:explode: I guess it was because of only 500 cal a day. My hubby made me stop. I turned into a b****H.:happy:

debbyrae3 · December 2010

There is not exercise involved, unrecommended actually.

The reason for that is because you're not even eating enough calories to sustain life when you do absolutely nothing but sit and breathe, much less while exercising.

CarolHudson11 · December 2010

I can't imagine doing anything like that. It might work - I don't know - but 500 cals a day just SOUNDS unhealthy. And coming from a girl who likes to eat (okay, I'll be real for a minute - I LOVE TO EAT! lol!), I don't see myself ever doing anything that restricts my daily caloric intake to 500. I can put that away in one meal now if I'm not careful. JMO.

bethvandenberg · December 2010

First off I'd like to say to each his own. Now with that said it's not for me and I worry about my daughters friend who's on it. I just don't think that you should put stuff in your body chemical wise that it's not producing unless you need it medically.

To me this whole weight loss thing is about learning to survive in the real world, parties, lunches, dinners, etc. even booze while maintaining some sort of balance with calories in and calories out!

I think the article confirmed for me that I'd not do it. But then again I never really was considering it. I have friends who've done the HCG thing and it worked wonders for them and I'm glad for them. I choose to do things differently. And isn't that what life is all about? Wouldn't it be boring if we all had the same views and acted the same?

misslizz6958 · December 2010

Plain and simple. This diet works for some people, you need a dr for the rx so you're being monitored. If you don't like the diet then don't do it.

autismblogger · December 2010

I don't doubt that there are plenty of people who've lost weight while they were on the HCG Diet. But the scientific question remains, "What role did the HCG play, if any?". The probability, as demonstrated by some of the available medical literature on the subject, suggests that the calorie restriction is the factor, not the HCG.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/786001

There was no statistically significant difference in the means of the two groups in number of injections received, weight loss, percent of weight loss, hip and waist circumference, weight loss per injections, or in hunger ratings. HCG does not appear to enhance the effectiveness of a rigidly imposed regimen for weight reduction.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2405506

Furthermore, weight loss on our diet was similar to that on severely restricted intake. We conclude that there is no rationale for the use of HCG injections in the treatment of obesity.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3609673

Four out of 10 studies with negative results were controlled studies (hCG vs. control without hCG), whereas 6 were double-blind studies. These studies showed a significant weight reduction during dieting, but no differences between treatment groups in respect of body weight, body proportions and feeling of hunger.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/595585

Weight loss was identical between the two groups, and there was no evidence for differential effects on hunger, mood or localized body measurements. Placebo injections, therefore, appear to be as effective as HCG in the treatment of obesity.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/792477

There was no statistically significant difference between those receiving HCG vs placebo during any phase of this study (P greater than .1).

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/836112

These results indicate that HCG has no effects on chemical and hormonal parameters measured and offers no advantage over calorie restriction in promoting weight loss.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8527285

We conclude that there is no scientific evidence that HCG is effective in the treatment of obesity; it does not bring about weight-loss of fat-redistribution, nor does it reduce hunger or induce a feeling of well-being.

For background understanding, it makes sense to take a look at the original writing's of Dr. Simeons, but it would only be doing half of your homework to read about the hypothesis and not its scientific testing. The point is that many found his 1954 hypothesis quite interesting, even the scientific community. However, under the careful scrutiny of scientific methodology (randomized, placebo-controlled trials, etc.) it didn't hold up. While I certainly don't disagree with the suggestion to go back and read the original work, it is incomplete approach at understanding compared to reading it, and all the relevant, and much more current science on the subject.

No one person is scientific proof of the efficacy of any drug. Adequate methodology (randomization, proper blinding, and placebo control), sufficient study size and appropriate methodology for the statistics, and replicability of the results all play a critical role in scientifically determining whether or not a drug actually works. None of these things can even possibly be determined with an N=1 or anecdotal accounts or testimonials.

While I understand a call for "suspension of judgment on things like this" in the interest of a cordial or even supportive discussion atmosphere, suspension of judgment should be reserved for people - not claims related to science, physiology, medicine, etc. In my opinion, weight-loss claims often fall into this category, and subsequent calls for reservation of criticism only serve to support existing beliefs or discourage discussion of science that might not hold support for any particular weight-loss claim.

I do suggest witholding judgment on people. It's simply not required or particularly relevant. But there should be ample discussion of "things like this", and ample access to all the available information. At the end of the day, any weight-loss claim or medical hypothesis that has verifiable supporting scientific evidence, will withstand criticism and discussion.

The HCG diet does seem interesting. I would encourage everyone to read the writings of Dr. Simeons for background on the hypothesis. Then, read all the published medical research that has taken place in 50 years that followed. For other interesting points, one might consider reading the FTC lawsuits related to Kevin Trudeau and "Weight Loss Cures They Don't Want You To Know About".

If found this part of the manuscript by Simeons concerning:

"Any doctor who starts using the HCG method for the first time will have considerable difficulty, particularly if he himself is not fully convinced, in making patients believe that they will not feel hungry on 500 calories and that their face will not collapse. New patients always anticipate the phenomena they know so well from previous treatments and diets and are incredulous when told that these will not occur. We overcome all this by letting new patients spend a little time in the waiting room with older hands, who can always be relied upon to allay these fears with evangelistic zeal, often demonstrating the finer points on their own body."

Why do the doctors need to be "fully convinced", and why would they need to make patients "believe" they will not feel hungry? If it really works, this shouldn't be necessary, should it? Communal support and evangelical zeal seems out of place for a use of a drug that's supposed to have a scientific basis.

The Truth about the HCG Diet

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