When Should You Get the HCG Shot?

HCG, human chorionic gonadotropin, is a hormone produced during pregnancy. This hormone controls a woman's metabolic functions. The HCG shot contains the HCG hormone and can be used in conjunction with extreme weight loss for those that are overweight.

When HCG Is Needed

• You should not receive the HCG hormone shot unless you are considered obese; obese is defined as being over 20 percent above normal body weight for your height and age. This is due to the amount of weight loss you will sustain while taking the injection. If you are only 10 or 20 pounds overweight you could quickly lose too much weight and fall into an extremely unhealthy state.

  If you consider yourself obese and would like to receive the shot, consult your doctor about the hormone and see if it would interfere with any other medication you may be taking. You should, however, not begin taking the HCG shot until after you have tried different diets and work out plans. When nothing else has worked, use HCG as the last option, because with the reduced calorie intake you will most likely not receive all of your daily vitamins and minerals, which overtime can prove to be extremely unhealthy.

How the HCG Shot Diet Works

• The HCG diet works in combination with the injections and a significantly reduced daily calorie intake. When taking the shots you will need to be consuming around 500 calories a day. The shot will mobilize the fat stores in your body so they are available for use. When you are only consuming 500 calories the fat will continue to be released and will result in extreme weight loss every day. This is the only specification (other than the HCG injuection) the diet requires. It may be difficult to continue to consume only 500 calories a day, but eventually your body will adapt. You will typically see a loss of at least one or two pounds of fat every day.

  While on the HCG injections, you will administer it once a day in your buttocks (it doesn't matter when in the day you do this). The average period of HCG usage will last around three months. After the three months are up your body will have changed its eating habits, and if you continue these habits with small amounts of daily exercise (such as a walk around the block after work) you should keep the weight off.

Legality of the HCG

• As of 2009, the HCG shot is legal in the United States, however it has not been heavily tested by the FDA. Because of this, you may find your doctor is reluctant to prescribe you the HCG shot. If your doctor does not prescribe you the medication, you are able to order the shot from overseas for home use. This is a legal practice as well and you can receive an individual supply than can last up to three months; follow the instructions set on the label. It is important though to not resell the medication once you receive it, because that is a federal offense.