The international diet scene has been overwhelmed with the recent popularity of human chorionic gonadotrophic (HCG) hormone injections as a diet aid. Unfortunately, there are some concerns over the effectiveness and safety of using HCG to lose weight.
Safety
While HCG is a naturally occurring hormone in pregnant women, it can cause side effects. HCG has long been used to treat women for fertility problems, who often complained of headaches and "pregnancy symptoms" during treatment.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not approved HCG for use in dieting, although it recognizes its purpose in fertility treatments. There simply have not been enough studies and tests conducted to measure its effectiveness and safety over an extended period of time. However, the dose of HCG administered in the HCG diet is so small that most participants report no side effects.
Some women who have injected themselves with HCG have developed a dangerous, life-threatening condition known as ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome. Trademarked with symptoms of pelvic pain and swelling in the arms or legs, vomiting, diarrhea, and infrequent urination, this disease can be fatal and should be taken very seriously. HCG can also increase a woman's chances of having a multiple pregnancy if she conceives while taking the drug.
The primary danger of the HCG diet lies in the very low-calorie diet required. Participants must maintain a 500-calorie per day diet, which can be dangerous. However, HCG prevents deterioration of muscle mass and increases the energy level of the dieters despite their lack of calories.
Effectiveness
A study conducted at the University of Stellenbosch in South Africa revealed that the use of HCG as a diet aid was utterly ineffective. The study was double-blind and placebo-controlled, meaning that the administrators and the patients were unaware of which participants were receiving the saline-based placebo and which were receiving the actual HCG hormone.
Forty obese women were placed on identical diets and received daily injections for six days each week. Researchers studied their psychological profile, hunger level, body circumferences, blood samples, food records, and body weight for six weeks during the study.
The subjects receiving HCG injections displayed no differences in any of the studied areas and reflected weight loss similar to what would be expected on a comparatively restricted diet.
At-Risk Groups
HCG is classified as "category X" by the FDA, which means that it can cause birth defects in a baby if it is used after conception. If a woman becomes pregnant while on the HCG diet, she should stop taking the drug immediately and rely on her own body's production of the pregnancy hormone. Because it is not yet known whether HCG can pass through breast milk, it is not wise to take the drug while breastfeeding.
HCG should not be taken by anyone who has a hormone-related cancer, such as prostate cancer, or any other hormone-related complication, including early-onset puberty.
Additional tests may be needed to establish the safety of HCG for individuals who have a thyroid or adrenal gland disorder, ovarian cysts, uterine bleeding, heart disease, epilepsy, migraines, or asthma.
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