HCG Safety

HCG is a hormone produced naturally in the human body during pregnancy. It is increasingly popular as a weight-loss supplement taken by oral drops or injections, but concerns about its use remain.

HCG

• HCG stands for Human chorionic gonadotropin. It is produced in a woman's body during pregnancy, first by the embryo itself and then in the mother's placenta. It signals the hypothalamus to rid the body of excess adipose (fatty) tissue.

History

• The British endocrinologist A.T.W. Simeon found, in the middle of the past century, that HCG helped patients succeed on a very low calorie diet (VLCD). He published his results in a 1971 manuscript called "Pounds and Inches," and his regimen came to be known as the Simeon diet. In recent years, one of its greatest proponents has been the writer and Internet marketer Kevin Trudeau.

Effectiveness

• The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found, in a double-blind study, that HCG on its own does nothing to accelerate weight loss. The fat loss itself probably came from following the low-calorie diet. However, HCG users report that the supplement better helps them to stick to the diet.

Safety

• First of all, the FDA has not approved HCG as a weight-loss drug. Further, HCG is a hormone, and as such, after regular use can interfere with the body's natural hormone production. In men, it can eventually cause the body to shut down its testosterone production. In general, such a low-calorie diet may produce dangerously low energy levels, weakness and dizziness.

HCG Access

• HCG is a prescription drug--while it is not an approved weight-loss drug, it is used to treat other disorders. As such, it must be prescribed off-label by a doctor who supervises its use. Most online HCG supply sites only supply injection kits, not the drug itself.