HCG Diet Drops and Fertility
Overview
HCG diet followers combine supplements or injections of HCG — a hormone produced by pregnant women — with extreme caloric restriction to lose weight, according to MayoClinic.com. Better known as a fertility drug, HCG also stimulates ovulation, according to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine.
Alternative medical practitioners, naturopathic doctors and weight-loss clinics endorse the HCG hormone as an effective appetite suppressant that aids in the metabolism of fat stores, according to the “Arizona Republic.” Although the diet does appear to work, the FDA has not approved it for use in a weight-loss capacity, and considerable controversy surrounds it.
Identification
The placenta, which connects a developing fetus to the wall of the mother’s uterus, produces human chorionic gonadotropin, or HCG. Most pregnancy tests look for HCG to determine if an egg has been fertilized. HCG refers also to medication fertility doctors use to induce ovulation and encourage egg maturation, says the American Society for Reproductive Medicine.
HCG diet followers typically reduce their daily caloric intake to between 500 and 800 calories — roughly one-fourth to half of the recommended daily allotment of calories, says MayoClinic.com. Dieters follow this regimen for six weeks, coupled with a daily dose of HCG, via syringe or drops, after which the diet expands to 1,000 to 1,500 calories a day. Dieters who want to lose more weight then repeat the 500-calorie HCG phase, according to the “Arizona Republic.”
History
Dr. Albert T.W. Simeons of the Salvatore Mundi International Hospital in Rome developed HCG as a weight-loss aid in the 1950s, according to Dr. Philip A. Mackowiak, professor and vice chair at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. Twenty years later, the results of a 1976 study, published by the “American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, disputed Simeons’ HCG diet, stating there was “no statistically significant difference” in weight loss and hunger ratings between a group that received HCG and one that didn’t. The researchers concluded HCG does not augment the efficacy of a weight-loss regimen.
Controversy
Mackowiak acknowledges that, while HCG has been approved for treatment of female fertility, the FDA has not approved it for dieting. Prescribing it is an “off label” use, meaning medical professionals recommend the hormone unofficially. Mackowiak points to the disclaimer the FDA requires for HCG product labels and advertising, which states 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.”
Warning
Mackowiak warns HCG could cause thyroid problems, as its structure mimics that of a thyroid-stimulating hormone. “If given in sufficient quantity and duration, HCG can induce a condition known as thyrotoxicosis,” says Mackowiak. Symptoms of thyrotoxicosis include sudden weight loss, irritability, irregular heartbeat and sweating. Often, severe caloric restriction impedes proper nutrition, says MayoClinic.com, and sometimes rapid weight loss produces gallstones.
Other potential side effects of HCG include headache, fatigue, and male breast enlargement.
Considerations
HCG’s primary purpose is to enhance fertility. Therefore, women who take HCG as a weight-loss aid need to be aware an unplanned pregnancy could result from the HCG doses. Speak to your doctor or health care practitioner before you begin the HCG diet.
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