The HCG Diet Makes An Big Time Comeback

The HCG diet plan has gained incredible popularity over the past few years due to its effectiveness shedding pounds. However, a lot of critics exist. Researchers discredited the HCG diet in the 1970′s.

HCG is the short term for human chorionic gonadotropin, and pregnant females have high levels. Most of the HCG utilized for the diet comes from the urine of pregnant females. It allows hunger pangs to be curbed, making it easier to maintain sticking to the calorie restricted diet. This is important because for 6 weeks individuals are not permitted intake of over 500 hundred calories daily (800-900 on the modified diet). Diet advocates say that HCG releases body fat from problem areas such as the hips, belly, and thighs.

Only minimal evidence exists showing HCG to be effective versus placebo, and unfortunately no long term safety data exists. While there is increasing internet popularity selling the HCG diet and naturopathic doctors utilizing it more and more, there are also more medical doctors becoming proponents. It is increasingly being offered as part of a “physician supervised” weight loss plan.

It can be rather easy to find success stories for HCG on talk shows, medical practice websites, and all over the internet. Impressive weight loss from the diet is seen and occurs quickly. Ignoring these reports completely might be inappropriate considering the significant success rate to this point.

The weight loss can feed on itself. The results start quickly, and patients just “feed off it” and become super motivated. With evidence lacking, the FDA requires a label to say that the hormone is “not an effective adjunctive therapy” for weight loss.

Potential side effects of the HCG diet include headaches, fatigue, hair loss, irritability, and increased risk of blood clots. Some beginning evidence exists that HCG stimulates the ovaries, insulin, and cortisol.

HCG stimulates testosterone in males, which is the reason HCG is classified as a performance enhancing substance. The FDA has approved the injected version to treat endocrine disorders and fertility issues. The diet comes in a variety of forms including injections, nose spray, or oral drops (under the tongue). The non-injection versions are over the counter products considered supplements and are not tightly regulated. How much HCG is actually in these products is not standard.

The largest struggle with the HCG diet, similar to any diet, is keeping the weight off. That’s the reason that physician supervision is recommended along with vitamin supplementation to prevent malnutrition.

At this point, the HCG diet continues to gain in popularity. It will be interesting to see if it stays its course.

Want to find out more about Phoenix weight loss, then visit Phoenix Integrative Medicine’s site on how to choose the best HCG Phoenix doctor for your needs.