Have you heard of the HCG diet? It’s been around for over 60 years. I first heard of this diet in 2007 in a book called “The Weight Loss Cure They Don’t Want You to Know About”. What I would like to do here is review the scientific studies that have been performed on the HCG diet protocol and let you draw your own conclusions about whether HCG injections help weight loss or not. This review will focus on the original version of HCG diet – the version that uses injections of the hormone HCG. I’ve also written a review of homeopathic HCG (HCG drops). I suggest you read this review of the original HCG diet protocol first and then check out the info on HCG drops for a more full picture.
What is the HCG diet?
HCG stands for human chorionic gonadotropin. This is a hormone that women make when they are pregnant. In fact the most natural way to raise HCG levels is to get pregnant.
The HCG diet dates back to about 1954 when a doctor named Albert Simeons started giving HCG injections to obese people. He published his study in the Lancet, a well known medical journal.
The HCG diet basically consists of daily HCG injections coupled with a 500 calorie diet. In addition people are also told to refrain from using hardly any fat. Even the fats in cosmetics are to be avoided during the HCG diet. There are many HCG diet books to help people with the food portion of the program.
According to Simeons, giving HCG along with the 500 calorie diet was better for weight loss than just giving them 500 calories. He claimed that his technique achieved fast weight loss without people being hungry. This he said was because HCG suppressed the appetite and enhanced people’s moods.
HCG injections also were alleged to burn fat from specific areas of the body. Today we would call this claim “spot reduction” – ridding fat from only certain locations like troublesome areas of the thighs for example.
It’s my understandings that in Kevin Trudeau’s weight loss book, he speculated that HCG stimulated the hypothalamus of the brain to get the body to start burning fat. Whether that’s true or not doesn’t matter.
What matters is that Dr. Simeons claimed that the HCG diet could result in weight loss of between ½ lb and almost 2 lbs per day on average.
HCG Diet Research
There is HCG diet research. From what I can discover, scientists have looked this diet several times since the early 1960s. I want to summarize this diet research because the HCG diet books probably won’t tell you about it.
Where possible I have also linked to the actual scientific studies so you can read them for yourself if you like. Let’s now briefly summarize the HCG research:
In 1963 Craig and associates tested the Simeons diet in 20 overweight women. The study lasted 45 days. Women were split into 2 groups:
- one group received daily shots of HCG (125 units)
- the other received shots of a placebo
All women ate only 550 calories a day contained in 2 meals. Women could drink as much water, tea or coffee they liked (no sugar in tea or coffee).
Results: Women getting HCG injections did not lose more weight.
In 1973, Asher and Harper tested the HCG diet in 40 overweight women for 6 weeks. The study was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Women either received either
- daily HCG injections (125 units)
- or a saline placebo.
All women consumed a 500 calorie diet.
Results. Asher and Harper found that women getting HCG injections lost more weight than those who received a placebo.
In the study, it was stated that Harper, who did the “clinical work” also “has an active practice using HCG for weight reduction”. In science, this is technically a no no. Some might see this as possible bias (even unconscious bias) on the part of the researcher.
However, the connection of the researcher to the HCG diet was clearly disclosed at the beginning of the study. They were not trying to hide this and I will call this study a “win” for the HCG diet.
It was because of the findings by Asher and Harper that in 1976, Stein and colleagues decided to test the HCG diet. In their investigation, they used a similar protocol as Asher and Harper (Asher provided Stein with their research design).
They tested the HCG diet in 51 young women (ave age 33). The study lasted 32 days. Women were split into 2 groups:
- One group received daily injections of HGC (125 units)
- The other group received injections of a saline placebo
All women were put on the identical 500 calorie diet as in the Asher and Harper study. Women were also instructed to drink 8-10 glasses of water per day.
Results. This study found that the HCG diet did not help weight loss.
Women getting HCG did not lose any more weight than those getting the placebo. In addition, women getting HCG injections did not lose more weight in specific areas of the body (as the HCG diet proponents often say will happen).
Also in 1976, another HCG study was performed by Young and colleagues. In this study, there were 202 people.
For 6 days a week, people received either
- injections of HCG (125 units a day)
- or saline injections (placebo)
In addition people also ate 500 calories a day and received lectures on diet and behavior modification twice a week for the length of the study.
All fat was excluded from the diet except for the fat that was associated with the protein that people ate from food.
This study also tested whether HCG treatment helped people maintain their weight loss better. This was accomplished by giving people 6 weeks of no HCG injections coupled with education about how to eat properly.
Results. At the end of the study, researchers found that HCG injections did not lead to any greater weight loss or weight maintenance than those who did not get HCG injections. In the words of the researchers:
“… we could not demonstrate by any objective indicator that HCG was beneficial in promoting weight loss, nor was there any significant difference in fat loss or body circumference measurements”
In 1977, Shetty and Kalkhoff did a small study of HCG in 6 hospitalized obese women. The women were only given 500 calories a day and injected daily with 125 unites of HCG for 30 days. Another 5 women were given the exact same diet yet injected with a placebo.
Results. According to the authors, weight loss between groups was “nearly identical”. Measurements of the circumferences of the chest, waist, hips or thighs also showed no differences between the HCG and placebo groups. Any changes observed, the authors noted, was consistent with “semi starvation” and weight loss”.
Also in 1977 Greenway and associates, tested the HCG diet for 6 weeks in 40 healthy women (age 20-40) who were randomly divided into 2 groups:
- One group received HCG
- The other group got a placebo
Both groups received injections 6 days a week for 6 weeks. Greenway did not specify how much HCG women received in their investigation (I’ll assume it was 125 units but I cannot prove this).
Results. People getting daily HCG injections did not lose any more weight than women who received a placebo. Likewise, there were no differences in body circumferences or mood in those who received HCG injections. The Greenway study was concluded with these words (note these words were written in 1977):
“We feel that the 20 year history of the use of HCG in the treatment of obesity should come to an end because injections of placebo appear to be equally effective in all respects.”
In 1983 Birmingham and Smith reviewed 6 of double blind studies of the HCG diet conducted at that time.
Results. They concluded that only one study (the Asher and Harper study mentioned above) found that HCG injections caused weight loss more than placebo. The other 5 studies found that HCG injections do not cause weight loss.
In 1990, Venter and associates tested the HCG diet in 40 obese women for 6 weeks. In this double blind placebo controlled study, women were either given daily HCG injections or injections of a placebo. All women were put on the same diet that supplied 1200 calories a day.
Before and after the study, they tested body weight body circumferences and hunger level.
Results. The HCG diet “showed no advantages over those on placebo in respect any of the variables recorded”. So HCG didn’t work.
In 1995, Lijesen and colleagues performed a meta-analysis of 24 previously published HCG diet studies.
A meta analysis basically means that the researchers added together the results of a bunch of studies, to see if they could find “the big picture”.
Results. They concluded that “there is no scientific evidence that HCG is effective in the treatment of obesity”
and that
“it [HCG] does not bring about weigh loss or fat redistribution nor does it reduce hunger or induce a feeling of well being.”
Summaries of HCG weight loss studies
| Study | People in study | Study design | Results |
| Craig (1963) | 20 | Double blind placebo controlled | HCG doesn’t work |
| Asher/Harper (1973) | 40 | Randomized double blind | HCG works |
| Stein (1976) | 51 | Randomized double blind | HCG doesn’t work |
| Young (1976) | 202 | Randomized double blind cross over | HCG doesn’t work |
| Sheety (1977) | 6 | Randomized double blind | HCG doesn’t work |
| Greenway (1977) | 40 | Randomized double blind | HCG doesn’t work |
| Birmingham (1983) | 358 | Meta analysis of 6 HCG studies | HCG doesn’t work |
| Lijesen (1995) | ? | Meta analysis of 24 HCG studies | HCG doesn’t work |
Note. This is just a sample of the HCG weight loss studies. There are several others.
My friend and colleague, Dr. Bill Sukala, has written good science based review of the HCG diet research if you want additional info on the science of the HCG diet plan.
HCG Diet and the thyroid
Some ask if the HCG diet can help the metabolism or thyroid or improve hypothyroidism. I am not aware of any research that looked at the HCG diet protocol and checked to see if it altered the level of thyroid hormone or altered TSH levels. As people lose weight -though any diet – metabolism does tends to decrease. This is why its often easier to lose the first 50 pounds than the last 10 pounds of weight. Whether or not HCG can alter this is something I feel needs some research.
Related to this, people to advocate the HCG diet protocol often say that HCG injections (and HCG drops) help people preserve muscle during weight loss. Again, I have not seen any scientiif proof that HCG injections or oral HCG drops reduces muscle loos when dieting. Theoretically eating only 500 calories per day would eventually cause the body to start cannibalizing itself to maintain adequate energy. Whether HCG injections can reduce/reverse this process is unknown as far as I can tell and is likewise deserving of research. These 2 aspects of the HCG diet would make for very interesting grad student research…
HCG Diet Research: So where does this leave us?
Some say that HCG needs to be used soon after being prepared or it becomes useless. Could this be why all the other HCG studies show it doesn’t work? Could all the other researchers have made a critical mistake?
Maybe. In theory there may be something to this- if HCG really does break down as fast as they say.
Could there be a conspiracy by the medical community to prevent people from knowing the truth about HCG? I don’t think so. Here’s why.
Covering up proof that the HCG diet works would be very difficult because EVERYBODY can read the HCG diet studies. ANYBODY can replicate the studies today using the very same procedures and see if it works.
So why don’t the sellers of the HCG diet protocol – instead of invoking the name of Alebert Simeons– do their own HCG diet research, publish that research and prove to the world that the HCG diet really works?
What do you think?
{ 51 comments… read them below or add one }
I tried My Fat Cure now known as Ketomist. The first time I used the oral spray for 40 days and a 500 calorie diet, I lost 20#. The second time I did it for 30 days and lost #11#. I felt that anybody eating only a 500 calorie diet is bound to lose weight! The spray is a mind game!
Sandi, I’m starting to research oral HCG products now. I’m skeptical but I have an open mind. I do appreciate you sharing what happened when you tried ketomist (My Fat Cure).
Hi Joe,
Thanks for the interesting article. I agree with your conclusion. I feel that the best way to lose weight is to make small but consistent lifestyle changes. I’ve written an article about it here:
http://www.suite101.com/content/lose-weight-easily-and-permanently-using-six-simple-strategies-a266013
Rohi, thanks I appreciate the feedback and I enjoyed your weight loss review as well
Anyone eating a 500cal/day diet is going to lose weight but a good portion of that weight will be lost in muscle, which you obviously don’t want. I haven’t been able to find any HCG studies where the body composition of the subjects was measured before and after the study. Why is that? That would seem to be a crucial component of the research as the point of HCG isn’t just to lose scale weight but to lose stored body fat. I don’t understand why it’s ignored.
Karen you ask a very good question and I I also wish the doctors researching the HCG diet would measure muscle loss and not just weight loss. I can only guess it didn’t occur to them. This would be an EXCELLENT MS thesis or PhD dissertation for a college student to do.
I would be curious to know who sponsored the researches that proved HCG does not work. Its interesting how this article mentions the sponsors of the successful outcomes but not the unsuccessful ones. Research reporting can be so subjective. Just be responsible and transparent with your “truth”. That’s my comment.
Phyl, when I wrote my HCG review I dont remember seeing any conflicts of interest in the research that showed HCG did not work. Is there a specific organization you are referring to? Are you aware of any studies that I missed that showed the HCG diet worked? if yes, please do let me know.
I will search for the research studies again this week and see if I missed anything. I will let you know here.
I was as skeptical about the claim as anyone. Who wouldn’t be? 30lbs in 30 days? I decided to try it, sort of do my own “study.” After 2 load / 10 VLCD days, I’ve lost almost 16lbs, about 12lbs when you exclude the load “gain.” The typical BMR formula says I should have only lost 4.5 lbs. I keep a running calculation of projected loss given my caloric intake, age, weight, and activities, versus actual scale loss. I logged all of my daily data, food journals, charts, photos, and so on my web page (http://hcg-review-weight-loss-diet.blogspot.com/p/about-me.html). I keep thinking it has to be a fluke – maybe it’s the HCG, maybe it’s not. But if it’s not HCG, then DO THIS: LOOK AT MY DATA, and then you tell me what it is.
Project me, that’s an interesting study you did. did you try eating only 500 calories with out the HCG to see if it worked any differently? One of the things I personally would like to see with HCG diets is a more recent study of it. as you saw in my review most of the research was done decades ago. I think this would be an excellent Masters Thesis project for a college student.
Hi Joe. Thanks for your response!
About 15 years ago, I was on a medically supervised weight loss program where we ate 500 CUs/day via protein shakes only. After the initial first week loss of about 7lbs, I lost roughly 1.5lbs a week. And that was when I was 27. Five years before that, I did something similar, eating 500 CUs/day of protein instead of taking it through shakes. Same results. The only advantage to having has such a lifelong struggle with weight is that I have data that predates this experience. I can say definitively that my outcomes under HCG are unparalleled. All the more interesting.
ProjectMe, very interesting. My hope is that some researcher reads your comment and decides to do a large scale investigation. I think this is long over due. I still skeptical of the HCG diet but in the end, the important thing is that you found something that works for you – and that’s all that really matters
Hi All,
My Doctor just told me about this yesterday and I was intrigued so I have been trying to find info regarding it.
I talked to her about what the program entailed and she gave me a detailed 600 calorie/day plan and also some rules. I was surprised by the fact that I can’t wear lotion or body oil of any type. After reading some other sites it says that fat of any type can mess with the loss. Also, normally on such a calorie restrictive diet, you would go into starvation mode but while getting the hCG injections, apparently you don’t and your body burns fat.
I am thinking about trying it. She is charging $400 for a month. That includes 8 boxes of shakes, 2 lipo-shots (administered by a nurse) 4 weeks worth of the hCG injections (self-administered), 4 doctors visit (no additional co-pay) and a colon cleanse at the end of the month.
I am still researching and looking for any feedback. I have been overweight my entire life pretty much, I’m 33 now. My metabolism is nearly non-existent and I just want to jump start weight loss so I can comfortably exercise and be more active. If I decide to do it I will post results.
Hi Nicole, when you said your metabolism is almost non existent, how do you know this? Have you ever had your metabolic rate checked? What kind of doctor – MD, DO, chiropractor ect – recommended the diet? I’m just curious. Has a doctor ever checked your “TSH” levels? This test tells how well your thyroid is working and hence how well your metabolic rate is working.
I’ve recently heard from my doctor that there is a LOT of hypothyroidism on the East coast of the US -nobody seems to know why. Since I’m guessing you go / went to PSU, I thought Id mention this. If your thyroid is low this may help partially explain why its hard to lose weight.
Hi Joe,
Yes I live have had a metabolic test done, not sure what it’s called but I breathed through my mouth into a machine for about 12 minutes. My metabolism came back below normal for my age/height/weight/sex. I have also had my thyroid checked twice and my levels were found to be ‘normal’. Not sure if this tested my TSH levels or something else but I have had blood work and its all been in the ok range.
I have been doing a lot of research myself on how to do the HCG stuff on my own instead of doing it through my Dr. She is a General Practitioner but she seems to specialize in bariatrics. She is nice and knowledgeable but I sometimes feel like she is doing it for the money. Her shakes/lo-carb stuff is all packaged w/her name and info on it. I think people prefer to buy from her because she is a Dr and its convenient but I have found similar items to those she sells for MUCH less.
Also, her meal plan for the HCG diet is different than what protocol is. It pretty much says to not stray from it so I really don’t want to pay the $400 for the superfluous shakes and thinks I won’t use. I am also finding I can get enough HCG powder for two cycles for about $85 including shipping and a kit w/the syringes, vials, etc for about $35.
I did go to PSU and I live in Pittsburgh. Odd about that concentration of hypothyroidism around here but not surprising. I know a lot of people who have had thyroid issues around here.
Nicole, the thing you breathed in, Ive heard of it but am not convinced at how accurate it is. Yes it does sound like you had your “TSH” levels tested. thats usually what doctors test first when they are looking at your thyroid function.
Its a common practice to have your name on supplements. Companies do it for the doctor. Ive had people approach me to do the same thing. It just sounds like a low calorie shake. Before you shell out 400 or even $85 a month on HCG, try this. go to vitamin shoppe and get yourself some cans of “RTD 51″ protein shakes. Each shake has 51 grams of protein and about 230 calories.
Pour the shake in a class and add 8 oz of water to it. Drink 2-3 of these a day and then eat a regular dinner. try not to snack but if you have to, have something light that has some protein, like 20 almonds. Do this for a week if you can. Weigh yourself before you start – in the AM, naked, after you go to the bathroom. Then weigh yourself 5 days later and see if your weight decreased.
I’m just wondering if there is an easier and much cheaper alternative to HCG for you. The idea of needles also gives me willies.
Hi Joe,
If I do this, what are the expectations? I’m not a lazy fat person. I have a husky Shepard that I walk about 2 miles a day and I work two jobs, one of which is 25 hours a week at starbucks. So I’m not sedentary. I am 5’11 and 302lbs. I have fluctuated between 270 and 310 for the past 3 years. I am pretty well proportioned, not one part is really bigger or more pronounced that the other, if you know what I mean. I would say I’m pear shaped.
I have done the shake thing w/my current dr – three of her low-cal, low-carb shakes per day w/light meals of low carb/high protein/low fat proportions.
When I talked to her about the HCG she said that she thinks it would be good for me because I would lose ALOT of weight which would keep me motivated to keep it off – which I agree with her on. If I lose 15-20 lbs, even though you can tell, it’s not such a huge loss that I really notice if I am gaining again unless I step on the scale. My clothes still fit.
Anyway, just curious. I am not afraid of needles and have read so many positive things about the HCG, it does seem interesting to me that when dropping your caloric intake down so low, my body would kinda start to digest its own fat. Sounds like a horror movie, lol.
I don’t just jump into things like HCG w/o researching though, so again, no decision made yet. I might pick up some of this shake stuff you are talking about this weekend and see – even if I decide to do HCG it will take a few weeks to get the supplies that I need.
Ok done rambling. Thanks
Hi Nicole, I’m just trying to get an idea that if you did do a restricted weight loss program, would it help you lose weight? While I was intrigued with the comments of “Project Me” who said HCG worked for her, I still believe the HCG diet works because its a very low calorie diet.
The doctor who you spoke to has weight loss shakes in her program -yet if you looked at the original HCG research, they never used weight loss shakes. The shakes are just a profit center for the doctor. I know you know this already
we all have to find a program that works for us and if this works for you, I’m really happy. I just am trying to look at this in a logical way, and try to save you some money. Have you ever tried doing something like I suggested? Did it work?
If you do try the HCG diet I do hope you will keep me posted on your progress. feel free to write as much as you like. My hope is that if it really does work, that some researcher reading this site will be inspired by what people have written and to take a good look at this diet.
Joe,
The site that I have gotten a lot of info from is http://hcgdietinfo.com/. There is a huge community there and the forums are great. I am not fooled into thinking that HCG is a miracle. I know that the VLCD is a huge sacrifice and I will never be able to just go back to eating anything. I know that it takes work and I am committed to losing. I just feel like once I can get about 30-40 lbs off I will feel SO much better and be able to be even more active that I am and will want to make better choices instead of ignoring them and eating what I want.
I have never done any kind of liquid diet/slim fast or anything like that. I looked at your ‘about me’ section and you seem to be pretty smart and know what you are talking about. I will stop at my local store tonight and give your idea a go just to see what happens. Are there any restrictions on my ‘evening meal’ as far as fat or carbs? I mean, are we thinking more of a ‘sensible meal’ like weight watchers advises or a low carb/high protein meal?
As far as the shakes being a profit center, I do know that. I have gotten the low-carb ultramet shakes at supplement central as a replacement for what she advises. I think she is a nice lady, smart, of course, but she wants to make money. She offers all kinds of stuff at her office now, treatment for veins, biodentical hormones, the various weight loss methods……etc. The one nurse always laughs at me because I ask her if I can get a pedicure while I’m there. I think she got into it because she wanted to help but once you see what a cash cow fat people can be (no puns intended), how could you not look into how you could offer more and make more?
Check out the site I gave you if you want some real stories from real people. You can tell the way the site is set up that the people are sharing real stories – whether good or bad, it seems to be a good group of people offering help and support.
Ok back to work…
Nicole, yes for the snack, something that is high in protein but still has some carbs (we need carbs to live and stay healthy). the carbs actually help us absorb protein too. Its really about calories more than protein or carbs but since protein makes you feel fuller longer and stabilizes blood sugar thats why Im recommending it. If you do try this, do let me know if it worked for you.
Speaking of weight watchers, have you ever tried it? if yes, did it work? Again, Im just trying to offer cheaper alternatives. Its a tough economy as you know.
Enjoy work
Joe,
I did do weight watchers, several times.
Failure was a combination of two things I think. 1) I would weigh in and either lose .3 lbs or gain 2 lbs – either way I was discouraged. 2) I think the meetings are a key to weight loss and going to a meeting and getting weighed is like, $13 or something and the locations around me are at a church or strip mall where the reps aren’t there all the time.
Needless to say, the most I ever lost doing WW was about 18lbs. I had talked to my dr about this and she said that people who need to lose a lot of weight and have had trouble in the past need to do a high protein/low carb plan – protein is the fuel that feeds our fat burning fire! Thats what she says anyway…..
I dont think the HCG is expensive really. I was looking at doing 2 full cycles and based on my calculations of how much I would need – including shipping – $85 – plus $35 for a kit that has the needles, mixing stuff, etc.
I just made some monk fish for the first time – ever had it? It tastes kinda like lobster – YUM!
Nicole, thats interesting about weight watchers. if the reps didn’t show up to meetings all the time I would call the weight watchers org and tell them.
oh ok, 85 + 35 is less than the $400 the doctor was charging. Well, if you try HCG keep me posted as Im definitely curious what happens.
I don’t think Ive ever had Monk fish. I just had salmon at some restaurant in Baltimore. Salmon I like
Hi Joe,
I didn’t mean that the reps wouldn’t show up but that they had scheduled meeting times that were not good for me as I work 2 jobs.
So you live in Baltimore? I have a friend that lives in Parkville – she is from Pittsburgh though. She is a school teacher and LOOOOOOOVES to wear her black and gold loud and proud on game days, haha.
hey Nicole, actually I live outside of Philly. I was lecturing at a fitness convention in Baltimore last weekend. I have a couple of jobs too so I can empathize
Hi Joe,
So – I ordered my HCG the other day – when I get it and start I’ll let you know. I have been doing high protein/low carb and I am not really hungry – ever – which is weird….but I eat because I have to. I will let you know what progress looks like. I plan on following Dr. S’s protocol strictly and doing a 40 day round.
I spent a lot of time outside of Philly after college, Gulph Mills, KOP is my mall! haha I also have a friend who lives in Boothwyn and I visit her every few months.
Ok hope you had a good week!
Hi Nicole, Im guessing that the protein is stabilizing your blood sugar and slowing digestion. that might explain why your not too hungry. Yes keep me posted on your HCG progress. Yep, those places are in my neck of the woods. You have a great week also!
Yo…Joe…:)
So my HCG was shipped – i am pretty excited.
I watched 2 interesting films this weekend – Fat, sick and nearly dead – and – Forks over Knives. Both were ‘on demand’ on netflix. I’m not about to start a 60 day juice fast but am interested in juicing to get more micro nutrients. I know that I will never say that I dont want to eat ice cream again but I am interested in starting to eat cleaner. I know how crappy I feel after i eat things that are loaded w/chemicals or yucky additives.
Hi Nicole, glad it came so fast! I have not seen those documentaries, Ill have to take a look at them sometime. Juicing is fine but juicing does take out pulp (fiber) of the food. I often recommend people just toss fruits/veggies in a blender. that way you get the whole food. Any blender will work. My niece uses the “magic bullet”. I use a big gizmo called the “VitaMix”. You dont have to give up ice cream etc forever. All food can be “health food”, in moderation
HI, I have used HCG successfully a few times.
I find that I am NOT hungry on 500 cals when I take it. I have tried limiting my cals without it and I feel so hungry. It could be the placebo affect, but I have lost 45 lbs with HCG, I couldn’t do it on Weight Watchers. So I don’t know, I am not a scientist. But I know it works for me. and I always feel fantastic when I am on this protocol.
I would love to be part of one of the studies.
Kimberly, just curious, you said you’ve tried the HCG a few times. Were there relapses after you stopped doing it?
I’m curious about the claims of satiety. What does the empirical evidence show in terms of dieters complaining about being hungery or not during the 500 calorie/day diet? Did the people on the HCG treatment in the double-blind trials show any difference in how well sated they felt compared to the dieters on placebo? To me this is critically important and one possible reason why dieting fails.
Joe, I also have the same question but that’s what people report.
Just wanted to get my two cents in. I have been on HCG drops for 8 days and lost 12 lbs. I have NO problem following this protocol and never feel hungry and also wonder if that is the catch. I think also a slight paranoia of taking a hormone makes me follow the protocol 100% so as not to interfere with other hormones.
An apple or orange is optional to take as a snack and I very rarely use or need this. If lunch/dinner is delayed I might take it and sometimes force myself just for the nutrients. I feel great. I run clinical trials for a living and am fully aware of placebo effect but if this works who cares? Lol
Amy, thanks for sharing and thanks for letting us know about your knowledge of the Placebo effect. Very interesting. Please keep me posted
Hi to all! I am 20lbs over my pre pregnancy weight which was 160. My daughter will be 2 next month so Im well over due on the weight loss lol. Im 5’8, and I carry most of my weight or all, in my tummy:-( What type of weight loss can I expect from hcg? I actually would like to hit 150 so hopefully I have NO stomach because although I was fine at 160 I still had a tummy. I kinda got use to it because I cant remember when I DIDNT have one. I want to be a new me by my b-day which is 3/17/2012!!!
Sorry, but I had to laugh when I saw this article. The HCG diet is sustainable for long term weight loss. I did the diet and several of my friends & family have too. All of us have had major success on it. I have been off the diet for almost a year and have not gained one pound back.
I went from a size 12 to a size 4 in 3 weeks and have maintained it!
Of course, this diet isn’t for everyone. You have to have discipline and will power and truly want to lose weight. Without that, you will surely fail. I have seen others fail on this diet because they lack the will power to say no to soda or junk food. I have never been much into soda or junk food so I cannot relate to these people.
It is absolutely ridiculous to keep hearing that there is no scientific evidence that this diet works. If that is the case then why have I see so many of my family & friends succeed on it? There are success stories all over the internet. How much more proof does anyone need to see that it is bs to keep saying there is no scientific evidence?
I have read that people would lose weight just by doing a low calorie diet without the hcg. NO, you cannot lose weight just by eating a 500 calorie diet. You body would eventually go into starvation mode and hold onto every ounce of fat it had. It is the combination of the 2, hcg and the low calorie diet that make this diet successful. Also, you do not have to do the 500 calories. You can do a 800 or 1200 calorie diet with the hcg and still see success just not as quickly as a 500 calorie diet.
Why does the medical community want to keep people from losing weight? I am sure it is due to a financial advantage because overweight people have many more health issues and go to the doctor more often. If people were not overweight, they would be healthier and live a much happier and productive life! Why are you trying to deny people of this?
“Speaking of weight watchers, have you ever tried it? if yes, did it work? Again, Im just trying to offer cheaper alternatives. Its a tough economy as you know.”
btw….weight watchers sux. i was on weight watchers for 6 months and felt like i was starving myself to death. i only lost 10 lbs in 6 months and gained it all back once off the diet!
Deanna, I’m really glad you have lost weight with the HCG diet but you said yourself that will power counts. Most people do not have the will power to stick to the hcg diet long and its even harder to maintain any weight that was lost. If this was not the case then why do so many people gain weight after trying all those other diets.
I would also respectively disagree about eating only 500 calories per day. If you only ate 500 calories per day you would lose weight.
I share your frustration with the medical community and hcg research. The studies I reviewed were from decades ago and while the majority of them find it does not work any better than eating just lower calories, Id like to see new research on this topic. There are doctors who use HCG diet protocols. Why have none of them ever done a study and published it to show the world that they are right and all the other previous studies are wrong? Why has NOBODY who markets hcg diet products ever done a study?
We both agree that the weight loss money is in the “medicine” – selling bogus diet books, pills potions etc – and not in the cure. Testimonials and success stories don’t cut it with doctors. They want facts. So, if you really want the medical community to take the hcg diet seriously, put the pressure on those in the hcg diet industry to fund a study. I would accept a well done study that is funded by the hcg diet industry. if its done well, Id have no problems with it.
BTW, Merry Christmas!
Deanna, I have known people who have lost 40 pounds on weight watchers. the issue is that when they stop going to weight watchers meetings and watching what they eat, the weight comes back. This is a problem with many diet eating programs.
Joe,
I have had zero trouble with maintaining my weight loss. I actually can eat and drink anything without worrying at all. I am going on one year since going off the hcg diet. I only had to do the diet once. I know others have had to do it multiple times to get to their goal.
Yes, I do believe some people will have problems sticking to the hcg diet. You need to be disciplined. I looked at it as only being 3 weeks of my life. I believe a lot of people do not have will power. I am a very disciplined person. I can do anything I make up my mind to do!
Yep, that is weight watchers for you. Stop the diet….and go back to where you were. Not my idea of fun. I was starving for 6 months for 10 lbs of weight lose, just to gain it back. hcg…I didn’t starve at all. And….I have not gain one pound back!
BTW….look at what company I work for. Baxa.com I work as a Regulatory Affairs Professional (FDA Regs) at a medical device company. So many of my coworkers have had success on this diet and we all know medical very well!
I really don’t understand why someone in the hcg diet industry doesn’t do a study. It really upsets me that they don’t!
And…BTW, merry Christmas to you too hun!
Deanna, It sounds like you looked at it in a realistic way – just 3 weeks out of your life. I did look at your website
maybe somebody over there may know somebody who wants to do such a study?
Have a great day!!
My company was just bought by Baxter International. They are a pharma, biologics, and medical device company. Baxa was just a medical device. Who knows…maybe I can convenience someone at Baxter to help!
Take care Joe.
Deanna,
There have been a ton of studies on the so-called HCG diet. In short, all have concluded that HCG has NOTHING to do with the weight loss, and does NOTHING to control the feelings of hunger. All weight loss was due to the caloric restriction, and there were no differences between HCG and placebo. Do a little research, and you’ll find the studies, including a meta-analysis from 1996.
If you lose weight from the diet, great. But it’s not from HCG, so save your money.
btw…you can call me Brae. all my friends do!
Thanks Brae
I respect your comments Joe. All I know is that I certainly would have never been able to maintain a 500 calorie diet for 3 weeks without the hcg. Maybe it was all in my head…but I have to say that it worked for me. I have not had to worry about what I eat or drink since I went off the diet. I have maintained my weight loss for almost a year.
Happy New Year Joe!
Regards,
Brae
Brae, in the end, that is what is important. Happy 2012 to you too!!
Okay- Just heard the FDA taking this off the market- does anyone know why?
Sure, it’s a drug being sold for uses for which is has no proof of efficacy. That’s illegal in this country.
http://consumerist.com/2011/01/hcg-diet-products-are-fraudulent-says-fda.html
In fact, the American College of Bariatric Physicians recommends against the HCG diet because there is zero evidence HCG adds anything to the caloric restriction and, in fact, there is a lot of evidence that the HCG component is no more effective than a placebo treatment.
I had not read any studies when I first tried oral HCG drops and only did so because of a friend who had great success with it. After doing two (43 day) cycles of HCG oral drops I have lost an impressive amount of weight. Male, 5″8, 31 yrs old. Beginning weight 274 lbs. Current weight 195 lbs. That’s 79 lbs for those keeping track! I don’t know the science involved, but I had tried a great many “diets” in the past and none were good enough to loose much weight at all, let alone 80 lbs. Including a period of time where I was being near annorexic with my food intake, I have never lost this much weight at all, not to mention this quickly. Could all be mental I guess, but either way I’m happy with the results. Definitely need more studies on this HCG and whether it affects muscle mass etc… during weight loss.
I did the injections of hcg for 25 days. Here are the before and after numbers. I am a 57 year old male in pretty good shape before i started. I worked out with functional strength exercises, push ups, pull ups, dips, kettle bells, 3x a week while on the diet. Did not count calories, but did 2x 6 oz of lean protein a day. 4 cups of the recommended veggies a day. 2 servings of the recommended fruit a day. 4 egg whites a day and 1 protein shake a day.
The numbers;
Before- weight 193, body fat 22.5%, waist 39 inches, chest 44 inches, muscle % 56%. measurements were taken on a omeron body fat scale.
After- weight 180, body fat 18.5%, waist 36″, chest 43″, muscle % 59%.
I am happy with the results. 13 lbs lost, apparently most of it fat and no muscle loss.
Jim
PS: Biggest downside is peeing all the time from the water intake!
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