hcg is a sham - federal agencies act to remove hcg products

This really has nothing to do with the dangers of hcg and the low calorie diet. It has to do with big $$ drug companies. Educate yourself on the facts.

I have educated myself, using sources like universities and medical professionals, and not sites that sell HCG or an old PDF copy of quack "doctor" Simeons' protocol. I invite you to do the same: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/390151-should-i-do-the-hcg-diet

Not once, in the scores of HCG threads here, has anyone provided a reputable source saying that HCG can help in weight loss, or that a Very Low Calorie Diet is healthy or sustainable for anyone that is not morbidly obese.

there will always be a phony study to support these wild claims - as if this gives all 'homeopathic' medicine leverage of some kind.

all you can do is, run them underground where they can treat one another like the rats they are.

Ignorance is bliss, I guess.

Yeah, i heard from someone that you shouldn't waste money on birth control while taking this, because it completely voids the BC.

Who says it's a scam? If I was drinking pregnant lady pee every day it would certainly damp down my appetite. :sick:

Nobody replies because their are maybe 10 of you that hop on every single HCG thread you see ( so do I if I see them ) and you do nothing but beat your theory in to the ground about something you know very little about. Read on and have your opinion, that is cool, but in the "world" I live in, it is "each to their own" and to date, I see no laws saying that any of you have the right to tell me or anyone else how they are allowed to diet. I know very little about such banns but I do know this much, the companies that have been scolded on this has to do with some "wording" on their labels. I am thinking that maybe it has to do with the "fake" HCG out there like at Wal~Mart that has no HCG in it or something real close to that. To me, I would think that if they were banning HCG, they would ban ALL of the sites that sell them, not just what, 7??? They didn't ban ALL of them... sorry. After I hit this little green button below, I am leaving this thread and NOT coming back so all of you can save your attacks for someone else. I know all too well how you all work.

There are a lot of us that go into the HCG threads and post factual information (with sited sources). I know I do this, as well as provide the math to back the claims, to provide people another view people and one more piece of information to make an informative decision.

it is just something that many of us have a passion about. In the end of the day, I don't care what people do with their lives. And if they do a program and it screws up their system, I will always help them get back on board as I have never held a grudge against anyone one HCG.

Just some ranting...

Nobody replies because their are maybe 10 of you that hop on every single HCG thread you see ( so do I if I see them ) and you do nothing but beat your theory in to the ground about something you know very little about. Read on and have your opinion, that is cool, but in the "world" I live in, it is "each to their own" and to date, I see no laws saying that any of you have the right to tell me or anyone else how they are allowed to diet. I know very little about such banns but I do know this much, the companies that have been scolded on this has to do with some "wording" on their labels. I am thinking that maybe it has to do with the "fake" HCG out there like at Wal~Mart that has no HCG in it or something real close to that. To me, I would think that if they were banning HCG, they would ban ALL of the sites that sell them, not just what, 7??? They didn't ban ALL of them... sorry. After I hit this little green button below, I am leaving this thread and NOT coming back so all of you can save your attacks for someone else. I know all too well how you all work.

Allow me to quote you from another thread....

I think anything outside of just watching our calories and exercising is taking a risk of diet yo~yoing. But, we do it anyway!!!

I rest my case.:smokin:

This really has nothing to do with the dangers of hcg and the low calorie diet. It has to do with big $$ drug companies. Educate yourself on the facts.

I have educated myself, using sources like universities and medical professionals, and not sites that sell HCG or an old PDF copy of quack "doctor" Simeons' protocol. I invite you to do the same: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/390151-should-i-do-the-hcg-diet

Not once, in the scores of HCG threads here, has anyone provided a reputable source saying that HCG can help in weight loss, or that a Very Low Calorie Diet is healthy or sustainable for anyone that is not morbidly obese.

Granted, this wasn't in any of the HCG threads that I've looked at but it's posted in the HCG User's group (which has kindly been linked through this very thread we're in right now. Someone else even shared the link to the topic in the HCG User's group that has this very link [below] in it. So, you obviously haven't been "educating" yourself very well.)

http://thediabetesclub.com/quick-weight-loss-diets-can-reverse-diabetes-type-2/

Granted, this wasn't in any of the HCG threads that I've looked at but it's posted in the HCG User's group (which has kindly been linked through this very thread we're in right now. Someone else even shared the link to the topic in the HCG User's group that has this very link [below] in it. So, you obviously haven't been "educating" yourself very well.)

http://thediabetesclub.com/quick-weight-loss-diets-can-reverse-diabetes-type-2/

Nice try, attempting to discredit a mountain of facts with one article from a site that is not scholarly and that does mention of HCG anywhere. Here's some reputable information. Let me know, then, who hasn't been "educating" themselves very well.

Reputable Data on HCG

"We conclude that there is no scientific evidence that HCG causes weight-loss, a redistribution of fat, staves off hunger or induces a feeling of well-being. Therefore, the use of HCG should be regarded as an inappropriate therapy for weight reduction, particularly because HCG is obtained from the urine of pregnant women who donate their urine idealistically in the belief that it will be used to treat an entirely different condition, namely infertility."

- British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1365103/)

"Numerous clinical trials have shown HCG to be ineffectual in producing weight loss. HCG injections can induce a slight increase in muscle mass in androgen-deficient males. The diet used in the Simeons method provides a lower protein intake than is advisable in view of current knowledge and practice. There are few medical literature reports favorable to the Simeons method; the overwhelming majority of medical reports are critical of it. Physicians employing either the HCG or the diet recommended by Simeons may expose themselves to criticism from other physicians, from insurers, or from government bodies."

- American Society of Bariatric Physicians (http://www.asbp.org/resources/uploads/files/HCG Position Statement.pdf)

In 1976, the FTC ordered the Simeon Management Corporation, Simeon Weight Clinics Foundation, Bariatrics Management Corporation, C.M. Norcal, Inc., and HCG Weight Clinics Foundation and their officers to stop claiming that their HCG-based programs were safe, effective, and/or approved by the FDA for weight-control. Although the order did not stop the clinics from using HCG, it required that patients who contract for the treatment be informed in writing that:

THESE WEIGHT REDUCTION TREATMENTS INCLUDE THE INJECTION OF HCG, A DRUG WHICH HAS NOT BEEN APPROVED BY THE FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION AS SAFE AND EFFECTIVE IN THE TREATMENT OF OBSITY OR WEIGHT CONTROL. THERE IS NO SUBSTANTIAL EVIDENCE THAT HCG INCEASES WEIGHT LOSS BEYOND THAT RESULTING FROM CALORIC RESTRICTION, THAT IT CAUSES A MORE ATTRACTIVE OR "NORMAL" DISTRIBUTION OF FAT, OR THAT IT DECREASES THE HUNGER AND DISCOMFORT ASSOCIATED WITH CALORIE-RESTRICTIVE DIETS (Federal Trade Commission Decisions. Complaint in the matter of Simeon Management Corporation et al. Order, opinion etc., in regard to alleged violation of Secs. 5 and 12 of the Federal Trade Commission Act. Docket 8996. Complaint, Oct 15, 1974. Final Order April 29, 1976.).

Since 1975, the FDA has required labeling and advertising of HCG to state:

HCG has not been demonstrated to be effective adjunctive therapy in the treatment of obesity. There is no substantial evidence that it increases weight loss beyond that resulting from caloric restriction, that it causes a more attractive or "normal" distribution of fat, or that it decreases the hunger and discomfort associated with calorie-restricted diets.

Reputable Data on Very Low Calorie Diets

UCLA (http://rfoweightloss.med.ucla.edu/body.cfm?id=32)

"A VLCD is primarily for severely or morbidly obese individuals who must lose or wish to lose large amounts of weight as rapidly as possible in a safe manner. "

National Institutes of Health (http://win.niddk.nih.gov/publications/low_calorie.htm)

"VLCDs are designed to produce rapid weight loss at the start of a weight-loss program in patients with a body mass index (BMI) greater than 30 and significant comorbidities."

"Use of VLCDs in patients with a BMI of 27 to 30 should be reserved for those who have medical conditions due to overweight, such as high blood pressure."

"Many patients on a VLCD for 4 to 16 weeks report minor side effects such as fatigue, constipation, nausea, or diarrhea. These conditions usually improve within a few weeks and rarely prevent patients from completing the program. The most common serious side effect is gallstone formation. Gallstones, which often develop in people who are obese, especially women, are even more common during rapid weight loss. Research indicates that rapid weight loss may increase cholesterol levels in the gallbladder and decrease its ability to contract and expel bile. Some medicines can prevent gallstone formation during rapid weight loss. Your health care provider can determine if these medicines are appropriate for you"

"Studies show that the long-term results of VLCDs vary widely, but weight regain is common."

"In addition, VLCDs may be no more effective than less severe dietary restrictions in the long run. Studies have shown that following a diet of approximately 800 to 1,000 calories produces weight loss similar to that seen with VLCDs."

"For most people who are obese, their condition is long-term and requires a lifetime of attention even after formal weight-loss treatment ends. Therefore, health care providers should encourage patients who are obese to commit to permanent changes of healthier eating, regular physical activity, and an improved outlook about food"

WebMD (http://www.webmd.com/diet/guide/low-calorie-diets)

"Very low-calorie diets are generally safe when used under proper medical supervision in people with a body mass index (BMI) greater than 30. Use of VLCDs in people with a BMI of 27 to 30 should be reserved for those who have medical complications resulting from their obesity."

"To be healthy, we need a balance of foods from different food groups. It's quite difficult to get good nutrition in as few as 800 calories (even a dietitian would have trouble doing this), especially if one eats the same foods day after day."

"Also, once you go off the diet, you will likely regain your weight unless you change your lifestyle and commit to healthy eating, regular physical activity, and an improved outlook about food. By sticking to a long-term commitment, you can prevent your weight from drifting back up the scale."

Ball's in your court, sister.

El Ex Gordo, you know they're just going to dismiss all that as 'hate' now, don't you? How dare you get in the way of ignorance with all those pesky facts? Pah!

Dear Posters,

MyFitnessPal strongly recommends that our users follow the calorie guidelines automatically assigned by our site, unless they are under the direct supervision of a doctor. We are currently reviewing the medical literature on the HCG/500 calorie diet and reserve the right to moderate against discussions of this diet at any time in the future.

For the time being, HCG discussions remain an option for members in the Groups section. Please remember that even in Groups, all site wide rules must be correctly moderated, or the Group runs the risk of deletion. Specifically, endorsement of purchasing prescription supplements or medications without a prescription is in violation of the MyFitnessPal posting guidelines, which can be reviewed here: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/welcome/guidelines

Thank you all for your concern. We're definitely looking closely at this issue.

Regards,
Steven
MyFitnessPal Staff