hCG Diet Review

What You Should Know

The hCG Diet is a controversial and complicated diet system currently enjoying a wave of media attention. Those following the hCG diet are required to administer hormone injections, and also to follow and elaborate low calorie diet regimen. The hCG in hCG Diet stands for ╥Human Choriogonadotropin╙, a hormone that is produced by the female body during the early stages of pregnancy. It is unclear quite what the weight loss link here is, but the hCG Diet claims that administering low-dose injections of this hormone when not pregnant can result in the loss of up to 1-2 lbs. per day.

The hCG Diet is based on two key books. The first, from the 1970╒s, is ╥Pounds And Inches╙ by one Dr. A.T.W. Simeons. This book outlines the ╥hCG diet protocols.╙ These are a series of instructions for following a very low calorie diet along with your course of injections. More recently, Dr. Kevin Trudeau╒s book ╥The Weight Loss Cure They Don╒t Want You To Know About╙ has presented the hCG Diet to a new generation.

List of Ingredients

The hCG diet protocols outline a very specific VLCD (╥very low calorie diet╙) for followers, in addition to the hormone injections.

Product Features

Of course, any diet that encourages hormone injections is going to cause some controversy, and many doctors worry that the hCG diet will result in serious health risks. After all, the long-term effect of hCG injections is pretty much unknown. Similarly, a VLCD is any diet under 500 calories daily, and many doctors strongly discourage following these diets unless you are under medical supervision. Of course, you will need a physician╒s help to obtain and administer your hCG shots. Additionally, the details of the hCG diet protocol can be found on the internet, but the VLCD required for use with the hCG Diet is very specific. For example, lunch and dinner will consist of 100 grams of specific proteins (for example, white fish or beef trimmed of all fat is ok, but salmon is not.) These are all detailed on numerous hCG websites, and in the two key diet books already mentioned.

Pro╒s

• There is an abundance of free info for anyone looking to follow the hCG diet.
• The hCG diet has been the subject of much media attention recently.

Con╒s

• Many medical professionals are alarmed by many aspects of the hCG diet, and even some who administer the diet will only do so in cases of health-threatening clinical obesity.
• Administering daily injections can be difficult and unpleasant.
• The long-term effects of hCG use are not known.
• Following a VLCD can be dangerous, complicated, and can lead to health complications.

Conclusion

Like many extreme diets, we don╒t see many reasons for most dieters to follow the hCG diet. While it does promise quick rewards, it is also very high risk and very complicated. Perhaps the hCG diet could work as a diet of last resort, but definitely consult a medical professional first. We would also recommend a simpler, supplement-and-exercise based weight loss approach before trying anything this extreme.