Shoot up, slim down: That's the premise behind HCG injections, hormone-containing syringes that stick dieters to help them lose weightand they're becoming increasingly popular.
Proponents claim regular injection of human chorionic gonadotropina hormone that women produce during pregnancy and that is sometimes prescribed as a fertility treatmentspeeds metabolism and breaks down the body's stored fat, allowing dieters to get by on 500 calories a day without the hunger and health risks that accompany other starvation diets.
RELATED: Q&A;: Will Not Eating ENOUGH Calories Mess with Weight Loss?
False. Being on the HCG dietjust like any seriously low-cal dietlowers your metabolism and results in serious muscle loss, saysPamela Peeke, M.D.,M.P.H., senior science advisor at Elements Behavioral Health and author ofThe Hunger Fix. And while starving yourself for a week may yield short-term weight loss, over the long haul, you are more likely to gain weight from trying the HCG diet than anything.
The Food and Drug Administration states that HCG does not aid in weight loss, and a 1995 meta-analysis published in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology (yes, this is the fad diet that just keeps coming back!) concluded that "there is no scientific evidence that HCG is effective in the treatment of obesity; it does not bring about weightloss or fat-redistribution, nor does it reduce hunger or induce a feeling of well-being." Researchers believe that when dieters do happen to lose weight on the HCG diet, it's most likely from a combination of calorie restriction and placebo effect.
RELATED: 8 Weight-Loss Tricks You Should NEVER Try
Whether HCG makes you lose or gain weight is one thing, but more concerning is what else it could do to your body. HCG is a hormone, and once you start manipulating your body's delicate hormonal balance, wide-ranging effects can occur, says Peeke. "HCG injections have been associatedwithheadaches, blood clots, leg cramps, temporary hair thinning, constipation, and breast tenderness." The FDA has received at least one recent report of an HCG dieter developing a pulmonary embolism, a potentially fatal blood clot in the lung.
Think that's bad? There's more. When you get an HCG shot from anyone other than a licensed physician, you don't know what you're really being injected with. The FDA does not approve over-the-counter use of HCG, meaning that the ingredients are not regulatedand any shots or serums sold online are offered illegally. The FDA does allow physicians to administer HCG injections for off-label uses, but giving it to a patient definitely enters into an ethically murky area as FDA labeling for approved HCG products requires the following statement:
"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."
The bottom line: "Avoid falling for a fad, especially one that is expensive and fraught with side effects and serious health risks," says Peeke. Our suggestion? Stick with these science-backed ways to lose weight.
RELATED: 8 Surprising Ways You're Slowing Your Metabolism
This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io
Here is the original post:
The Dangers of HCG Injections - Women's Health
- The HCG Diet: What Is It and Does It Work? - Everyday Health - March 11th, 2024
- By the way, doctor: What do you know about the HCG diet? - March 11th, 2024
- hCG Diet Phase 3: The P3toLife Program - EXACTLY what to cook & eat! - December 2nd, 2022
- HCG Online: Buy HCG Injection 1 Month Kit for Weight Loss - October 13th, 2022
- Buy HCG Injections Online: Pharmaceutical Grade Freeze Dry HCG - September 25th, 2022
- Oral cancer: Causes, symptoms, prevention and treatment - Hindustan Times - September 16th, 2022
- What Are The Causes and Symptoms of Oral Cancer? Expert Answers - News18 - September 16th, 2022
- Analysis of Adverse Events and Medical Errors in Long-Term Hormone Tre | IJWH - Dove Medical Press - September 8th, 2022
- HCG Near Me. #1 Online or Local U.S. HCG Diet Clinic. We ship HCG fast. - July 11th, 2022
- 6 weight loss procedures to consider if youre having trouble losing weight - CONAN Daily - July 3rd, 2022
- A cancer no one really talks about - The Week - May 2nd, 2022
- Diet & Nutrition plan for a Head and Neck Cancer Patient - APN News - January 20th, 2022
- Avoid Dangerous HCG Diet Products | FDA - December 10th, 2021
- Breast Cancer symptoms, prevention, and treatment - NewsPatrolling - October 16th, 2021
- The Right Way to Use HCG For Weight Loss (Not the HCG Diet) - October 5th, 2021
- 156 HCG Diet Recipes & Food List For Maximum Weight Loss ... - October 5th, 2021
- 25 Fad Diets That Did Not Stand the Test of Time - Parade Magazine - August 31st, 2021
- Scope of Endocrine Testing Market Size, Status and Top Key Vendors (Abbott, Agilent, Bio Rad, Roche, Quest Diagnostics, QIAGEN) | Forecast to 2028 ... - August 31st, 2021
- Dont ignore those stomach woes - The New Indian Express - August 18th, 2021
- SucSEED Indovation starts their HealthTech Investment with AyuRythm, a Wellness Platform. - Techstory - August 5th, 2021
- HCG Diet Plan ULTIMATE Guide | HCG Diet Info - June 23rd, 2021
- hCG (Human Chorionic Gonadotropin) for Weight Loss ... - June 23rd, 2021
- THE Hcg Diet Food List | Approved Hcg Foods [2021 ... - June 23rd, 2021
- What Happens in the First Week of the Carnivore Diet? - The Good Men Project - March 9th, 2020
- Genuine HCG Regimen - Along the Boards - February 6th, 2020
- How These Practitioners Can Help with New Year, New You Goals - Milwaukee Magazine - January 8th, 2020
- Doctor Creates All-Natural Patch to CURB the Appetite and Maintain Weight Loss - GlobeNewswire - January 5th, 2020
- Lionel Bissoon, D.O. - New York HCG Diet and Weight Loss ... - May 18th, 2019
- HCG New York NY - Corinne Furnari, RPA - HCG Diet New York ... - May 14th, 2019
- The HCG Diet Food List - Your MUST Follow Guide (Jan 2019) - May 14th, 2019
- HCG Diet Meal Plan, Examples & Phases - GuideDoc - April 22nd, 2019
- Louisville HCG Diet Doctor - Brad Cummins, M.D. - HCG ... - April 5th, 2019
- The Science Behind the HCG Diet - hCG Injections Shop - April 5th, 2019
- HCG Diet - Rapid Weight Loss Centers - April 5th, 2019
- Forskolin at GNC | Hcg Diet - April 3rd, 2019
- The Ultimate HCG Diet Plan - HCG Diet - April 3rd, 2019
- HCG Diet Center of NJ - February 21st, 2019
- HCG Diet Info - HCG DIET PLAN AUTHORITY - OFFICIAL SITE - November 6th, 2018
- About HCG Diet - HCG Diet - November 6th, 2018
- Bottled HCG diet - The Real HCG Diet site | The Webs Only ... - July 16th, 2018
- Everett HCG Diet | HCG Diet Weight Loss Center in Everett ... - July 16th, 2018
- HCG Diet Food List - HCG Diet - July 7th, 2018
- The Real HCG Diet site | Buy the Web's only Non ... - July 7th, 2018
- Hcg Diet Plan: Get to Know the REAL Hcg Diet | HCG DIET ... - July 6th, 2018
- HCG Diet Plan Food List & Meal Plan Menu Guide - June 21st, 2018
- HCG Diet System - Lose Weight Fast | Lose 10KGs in 30 Days - June 21st, 2018
- Easy HCG | HCG Diet Drops for the HCG Diet | Easy HCG - October 11th, 2017
- What is hyperemesis gravidarum? Pregnant Kate Middleton again suffering rare severe morning sickness condition - Mirror.co.uk - September 5th, 2017
- The hCG Diet helped this woman lose 85 pounds, but this inspired her to keep the weight off - Yahoo Health - September 2nd, 2017
- Amino Diet Drops - 20,000+ Reviews for Hormone Free HCG - August 16th, 2017
- HCG Diet Drops For Weight Loss : Everything You Should ... - August 16th, 2017
- Ageless Wellness utilizes unique Ideal Protein protocol for weight ... - The Citizen.com - August 16th, 2017
- HCG Weight Loss | HCG Diet - Pounds and Inches Away - November 23rd, 2016
- hCG Diet NJ. The hCG Diet is a physician supervised ... - October 30th, 2016
- HCG Diet Doctor Houston TX | Houston Wellness Clinic - October 28th, 2016
- HCG Diet Injections Mixing Instructions - Nu Image Medical - August 8th, 2016
- Shocking Hcg Diet Report - Read before you buy! | Hcg Diet - November 1st, 2015
- HCG Diet Information - What is the HCG Diet? - October 13th, 2015
- Lose Weight Fast With HCG | Official HCG Diet Plan - October 12th, 2015
- HCG diet: Is it safe and effective? - Mayo Clinic - October 8th, 2015
- Buy HCG Diet Drops | HCG Activate - October 5th, 2015
- HCG Diet Plan | Drops | HCG 1234 | Injections for ... - October 5th, 2015
- HCG Diet | How Does the HCG Diet Work | HCG Diet Dangers - October 1st, 2015
- Weight Loss | Lowcountry Plastic Surgery Center | Mount ... - September 18th, 2015
- Welcome to the Equilibrium hCG Diet Clinic in Atlanta! - September 2nd, 2015
- Buy Real hCG Diet Online | Lose Weight Now - August 1st, 2015
- Introduction to the HCG Diet - HowStuffWorks - August 1st, 2015
- HCG Diet | HCG - July 16th, 2015
- HCG Injections - Read before buying - June 22nd, 2015
- The New HCG Diet | The Dr. Oz Show - June 3rd, 2015