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Home 
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Calorie Counting
How Does
hCG Diet Compare?
QUICK FACTS
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BACKGROUND
PRO
CON
INGREDIENTS
ADMINISTRATION
DIET and EXERCISE
CONCLUSION
Common Misspellings
Whats better than
hCG Diet?
Diets
Calorie Counting
hCG Diet Review (UPDATED 2024): Don't Buy Before You Read This!
A controversial diet that calls for hormone injections.
Top Rated Diets of 2024What is it?
The hCG Diet is a weight loss plan offering a hormone that is said to reset metabolism during a very low calorie diet. The actual hCG hormone is only available via prescription, but different brands will offer a supplement version as well.
The same basic principles exist for whatever company that sells this hormone, one has to limit calories to just 500 a day. Often the hCG hormone is made available via a vial, which can be drank or injected. It claims to offer fast and effective weight loss. Our experts have reviewed countless diets and found the 18Shake Diet offers the best all-around weight loss solution. It’s made up of a natural weight loss diet pill and a meal replacement. They combine to offer hours of appetite suppression as well as fat burning. Discover more information on the 18Shake Diet via the link provided here.
Do You Know the Best Diets of 2024?
hCGDiet Ingredients and Side Effects
The actual hormone used stands for human chorionic gonadotropin, a hormone made by the embryo. Often companies will make an animal or synthetic version of this. It is created during pregnancy when a fetus needs protection.
It’s also been used to regulate normal testosterone function, and it has since been banned by many sports organizations.
The official diet was created by an endocrinologist named Albert T.W. Simeons, who believed that a 500 calorie diet alongside this hormone would result in weight loss without there being muscle loss. The American Society of BariatricPhysicians had this to say:
“There is no scientific evidence that HCG is effective in the treatment of obesity”
“insufficient evidence supporting the claims that HCG is effective in altering fat-distribution, hunger reduction, or in inducing a feeling of well-being”
For a comprehensive list of the top 10 ranked diet plans click on the link here.
The FDA have also banned it, in an open letter to consumers they said:
“steer clear of these “homeopathic” human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) weight-loss products”
“have not been approved by the FDA, and that make unsupported claims”
The FDA also commented on the low amount of calories suggested:
“Living on 500 calorie a day is not only unhealthy,- it’s hazardous”
“ Very low calorie diets are sometimes prescribed by health careprofessionals… medical supervision is needed to ensure that side effects are not life threatening”
The dangers of such as diet are:
“may not be getting enough vitamins, minerals, and- most critically- protein”
Since using this hormone for weight loss is no longer an accepted medical reason by the FDA, any sites which sell a homeopathic version will often add unrelated ingredients. The original hCG however has the banned ingredient which has not been proven to be an effective solution for weight loss.The link here has a comprehensive top 10 list of the highest ranked diets.
EDITOR’S TIP: Combine this diet with a proven meal replacement such as 18 Shake for better results.
hCGDiet Qualityof Ingredients
The sole active ingredient is a growth hormone that the FDA has banned due to safety concerns. The 500 calorie limit a day diet is also not recommended, as health organizations do not consider than a safe weight loss solution. It will likely reduce weight since one is receiving so few calories, but this can lead to side effects and a loss of muscle. It’s also highly likely that which such a low of calories allowed, that there will be nutritional deficiencies.
Since you cannot receive the actual hormone for weight loss, it’s no longer accepted as a solution for weight loss. It’s also only available via prescription, and only to treat fertility issues but not for weight loss. Using them for other reasons not specific can be potentially dangerous, especially when using the 500 calorie a day diet. Web MD has this to say:
“uncomfortable to live on just 500 calories a day, it can be dangerous”
“It’s impossible to meet all your nutritional needs on so few calories”
One would have to supplement with some sort of vitamin and mineral complex to help support the body. Still, restricting calories this much is often only advised for people under strict watch of a medical professional.
Any type of extreme calorie reduction will likely result in some sort of weight loss benefit, but it’s not considered a safe or long term solution.
The Price and Quality of hCG Diet
The hormone is no longer available for prescription use, and any brands selling it are distributing an illegal product not recognized by the FDA.
It’s unknown what the price is as sales of it are meant only for women with fertility issues. The FDA has since sent at least 6 warning letters to companies who sell and market this hormone for weight loss. There are some companies that use the same name of hCG, but instead offer a mix of amino acids which are legal but not same. However, these businesses are using the popularity of this name to promote their own products.
A list of the highest ranked top 10 diet plans is made available in the link here.
The Mayo Clinic also adds:
“Side effects have also been reported with the HCG diet and include fatigue, irritability, restlessness, depression, fluid buildup, and swelling of the breasts”
It’s because of this that they say:
“there are safer ways to lose weight”
The overall risks make this a very low quality weight loss strategy. As you’ll read in the “Customer Opinions of hCG Diet”, many people who used it for weight loss have described it as a poor solution.
Business of hCG Diet
Any businesses that sell this diet plan are in violation of the FDA’s policies for safe products. It’s not considered to be a useful hormone for weight loss. Medpage Today adds that business who still sold this were in violation and that:
“the FDA and FTC threatened to forcibly halt their operations”
A spokesperson for the FDA added:
“is not FDA approved, it cannot be sold legally”
Any business one might find that market this diet plan are illegally selling a potentially harmful product. There’s far too much at risk, and any sales of this will often only be for fertility, not for weight loss. Any recommendations made for weight loss are illegal, and should be of concern as this can result in a fine.
EDITOR’S TIP: The top 10 list of the best diets is available here.
Customer Opinions of hCG Diet
There are very few reviews available since this diet plan has been banned since 2024 by the FDA. Here are some select quotes from some users:
“My blood pressure shot up, flushed skin… very scary”
“I felt terrible: headaches daily, weakness, dizziness, nauseated”
“Would not recommend this to anyone”
“have horrible leg cramps and I’m hungry all the time”
There were people who mentioned that they didn’t notice any reliable weight loss, and that they had to quit the diet early due to side effects. This includes symptoms such as headaches, restlessness, fatigue, mood swings, inability to relax, migraines, flushed skin, dizziness, stomach pain, nausea, and much more.
Many of the listed side effects are common in people who use very low calorie diets. People often mentioned that it was unsustainable, and they couldn’t live on this diet for a long time. The comprehensive top 10 ranked diets list is featured via the link here.
There were some that did see a change in weight, but they also add how they quickly regained it as soon as a regular diet was consumed. People were also concerned with the 500 calorie limit, since there was no additional support on how to maintain this extreme limit. This is why it will often require medical support for those reducing calories to 1,000 or less.
Conclusion - Does hCG Diet Work?
The hCG Diet is a now defunct solution for weight loss that has since been banned by the FDA. It’s made up of a hormone and it suggests reducing calories to just 500 a day. There are studies which have shown even when it was legal, that using this plan was not effective and potentially unsafe. This is why it is now banned and seen as a potentially dangerous weight loss diet. The majority of users that tried it before the FDA 2024 ban did mention it was poor, and that it left them hungry, with side effects, and without any weight loss.
Our experts have found that the most overall effective solution for weight loss is the 18Shake Diet. It’s made up of a meal replacement shake and a stimulant free diet pill. The benefits include appetite suppression, increased metabolism, boosted fat burning, improved mood, and many other benefits. Customers often say it’s a potent formula, and testimonials and reviews are available on their official website. There are no added fillers, stimulants, binders, artificial colors, artificial flavors, or cheap ingredients added to either the meal replacement or diet pill.
The 18Shake Diet is also supported by a full 30 day money back return policy. This risk free return is offered with no questions asked for the entire 30 days. To learn more information about the 18Shake Diet click the link here.
- Product Name
- User Rating
- Easy to follow
- Cheap Price
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QUICK FACTS
Start the Diet Now Advertisement
- Established: 1950s
- Founder: Dr. A.T.W. Simeons
- Accessibility: Injections and drops
- Diet Type: Extremely low calorie along with hCG drops or injections
- Gender: Male and female
- Celebrity Endorsements: Snookie (Jersey Shore), Jenni Farley, Britney Spears
Do You Know the Best Diet Pills of 2024?
BACKGROUND
See our interview: hCG Diet Reviewed by FullBar's Dr. Michael Snyder
A potential diet supplement administered through injections or oral drops, the hCG Diet is a very controversial weight loss method. HCG stands for the hormone Human Choriogonadotropin, which is the same hormone that is produced by women in their early stages of pregnancy.
During pregnancy, the surge of this hormone signals the hypothalamus in the brain to start moving nutrients and fat into the placenta. When used as part of a weight loss program, it is the fat-mobilization aspects of the hormone that has garnered attention for its seeming ability to help facilitate weight loss.
Even though the FDA has approved hCG shots for fertility reasons, there is no scientific evidence that shows the hCG Diet can significantly promote weight loss. Although it is used in conjunction with a very low calorie diet, any weight loss that occurs is likely to be due to the reduced caloric intake rather than the hCG shots or drops themselves.
Many side effects have been shown in those who take hCG shots for weight loss. Blood clots, depression, headaches and ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome in women have all been cited as common, and even deadly, side effects associated with hCG use. HCG drops avoid the inconveniences of a daily injection, but no clinical studies have been conducted to determine if hCG drops have any change in side effects.
Typically, the hCG Diet lasts for three weeks and is monitored by a health professional.
PRO
- May promote weight loss when used in combination with a reduced calorie diet
CON
- Not considered safe
- Weight loss is more likely to due to extremely restricted caloric intake rather than injections or drops
- Weight loss is temporary
- Side effects can be very serious. According to the Mayo Clinic, side affects associated with hCG include fatigue, irritability, headache and male breast enlargement.
INGREDIENTS
hCG injections and drops contain the hormone Human Choriogonadotropin.
ADMINISTRATION
An injection of 125 iu of hCG is administered daily or a daily dose of oral drops.
DIET and EXERCISE
Those who use hCG injections to lose weight must also follow a very strict diet that amounts to no more than 500 calories a day.
For the first two days of the injection you are allowed to eat excessively. Following the third injection, you must adhere to the 500-calorie diet until 72 hours following the last injection given. Sugars, very sweet fruits, processed foods and heavy starches are not allowed.
An hCG Diet protocol outlined by advocate Dr. A.T.W. Simeons looks like this:
- Breakfast: Coffee or tea with artificial sweetener and one tablespoon of milk. Lunch is 100 grams of lean meat, poultry or fish in addition to one low-glycemic vegetable like spinach, celery, cucumbers or cabbage. One Melba toast and one fruit like half of a grapefruit or an apple is also allowed.
- Dinner is the same as lunch.
In addition, shots of apple cider vinegar can be taken as a daily supplement. Products and make-up that contain any fatty substances like mineral oil or almond oil cannot be used.
Websites dedicated to promoting the hCG Diet contain recipes and additional protocol information and tips.
CONCLUSION
The hCG Diet is highly regimented and a very controversial weight loss program that involves the administration of either hormone injections or oral drops coupled with a very low-calorie diet. Popular amongst steroid users and those daring and desperate to lose weight quickly, the hCG Diet is not a weight loss program that is readily endorsed by health and medical professionals for its obvious flaws and real risks for dangerous side effects.
Common Misspellings
HCG, hgc diet, hormone diet, pregnancy hormone diet, hcg injection diet, Human Choriogonadotropin diet
Featured Diets and Supplements
hCG Diet?
User Feedback
(Page 11 of 25, 489 total comments)kathryn
After many years and assorted attempts at not only weight loss, but management, I want to know about long term loss. Obviously, diet and life style remain critical...I would like to hear from those who have lost and maintained.:)
posted Mar 26th, 2011 8:40 pmAndrea
+I'm on my third day of this diet.
posted Mar 25th, 2011 3:08 pmI am not hungry at all but as I read it is important not to skip meals and to stay on the strict 500 calorie a day diet. So i'm going to have my lunch which will be grilled chicken breast and a dressing-less salad, (so easy by the way) and we'll see where we go from here.
So far so good I think, your mind has to be set on following exactly what the diet entails and so far I am dedicated!
Eire83
+I started the drops on Monday and have lost 4 lbs as of this morning. I was skeptical at first but if this keeps going I will be a firm believer. I'm going out of town this weekend and nervous about eating out...any tips???
posted Mar 25th, 2011 11:32 amVentureForth
I'm hapily in my 2nd round with a total loss of 37 lbs so far...
posted Mar 24th, 2011 2:08 pmRyan
+My wife and I are currently on the diet. We have about 1 week left of a 45 day regimine then we start the mainetnence phase. Neither one of us was obese and both were quite active. When we heard about the diest we were skeptical, but a friend of mine was on it and lost 60 lbs, he was a male, no larger breasts or female charecteristics : ) ( I luv to kid the opponents) I have lost 25 lbs and have 5 more to lose, my wife has lost the same and would like to lose 10 more. We have had weekends and days where we felt like we had to cheat (dinner invatations usually) we didn't want to be rude. I am very happy with the results. We did get minor headaches on the days I didn't drink enough water but other than that neither of us had any side effects. This diet is fast, sure eating 500 to 800 calories is not always easy but the HCG really helps control the hunger, in fact I was very impressed. Im a food lover but this wasnt so bad. I got to eat a good portion of Steak, fish, seafood or chicken.
posted Mar 23rd, 2011 5:59 pmI started a light workout with rubber bands this week. I will try to post my results after the maintenence piriod.
I would like to hear from people after a year has gone by.
niceness
I forgot, one big concern to the ladies. I don't hear much mention of how the HCG affects your menstrual cycle. After all, it is a hormone.
posted Mar 22nd, 2011 11:57 pmniceness
I've always been a skeptic about fad diets, pills, medications etc. However, I'm seriously considering the HCG as as option to quick start my goal of 20 Lbs. I use to have no problem with exercise because I was always active ad pretty athletic. As I got older, 40, time and energy wasn't the same. Weight just started to increase no mater what. You have to literally eat much less and exercise much more. I've been reading and getting a lot of mixed reviews. I know the shots are more successful, however, I'm going to start with the drops. Any REAL advice would be appreciated and the best source to purchase the drops. Thank you and good luck!!!
posted Mar 22nd, 2011 11:46 pmladyfee
Unbelievable..i asked 2 questions and you said yes so im not sure which the yes was for....but since i do have loads of time and loads of money i guess it means i continue based on your response. Thanks.
posted Mar 16th, 2011 2:35 amIt is another day so, i took my drops and i havent eaten all day yet....maybe today will be a better day.....life is great isnt it:)
unbelievable
ladyfee...the answer to your question is yes! because you are NOT ready. this is not a diet you can mess up on. It simply will not work when you do. Unless you can afford to waste money and your time also.
posted Mar 15th, 2011 3:09 pmladyfee
I waste my money because i have it to waste:)
posted Mar 15th, 2011 10:39 amAnd i dont think im ready either, but i want to do it so my question was if i try and i mess up do i give up and say im not ready??
Karen
+the first round of Hcg I lost 130 lbs....yes...that is right 130lbs! I gained back 30 lbs....so I did it again....lost 40....now have gained back 40....am going to do it one more time with help on the maintenence part which is where I fail.....it is a god send for the obese! a pound a month just doesn't cut it when you have so much to lose...you get discouraged and give up.....handsto heaven is where I get mine,
posted Mar 15th, 2011 9:21 am
+maggiedav
Ladyfee -
posted Mar 15th, 2011 8:57 amI'm not trying to be rude by any means, but it doesn't sound like you're really ready for this diet. If you keep cheating why are you wasting your money? It's a strict diet and mistakes are bound to happen, but you've just started and have already had 2 pretty big cheats. If you do think you're finally ready, no I wouldn't do the gorge days again. Just keep taking your drops and eat right. That's the only way it's going to work.
ladyfee
My day one and 2 was Sat and Sun where i gorged. Then came day 3 (yesterday) i did good until that nite at 1030 i broke down and had 2 slices of pizza. I am glad i found you guys today, i will be reading daily......
posted Mar 15th, 2011 7:27 amI will read the book today by Dr Simmeons, if anyone wants the pdf version email me [email protected] and ill email it to ya......
Today i broke my diet completely, i ate rice, steak, pork chops and had a diet coke....i figured i need to have one more day of getting food out my system.
So do i continue or start over...from day one gorge gorge gorge,,,,
Also if i mess up a day do i stop taking the drops for that day?
sigh
lol
chris
Which company is the best to buy the drops from?
posted Mar 14th, 2011 6:05 pmtasha504
I brought my hcg drops from hcg ultra diet.com. I tested the hcg drops with a pregnancy test and the results was negative. Do this mean the hcg is fake?????
posted Mar 12th, 2011 1:09 pmMary Beth
Stacy and Jennifer,
posted Mar 11th, 2011 8:18 pmI just ordered from a wonderful website. Very reliable and honest. Try gp hcg.
maggiedav
GQ - I would suggest no. You're only taking in 500 calories a day with food, why would you want to burn that off? The diet should only last 3-4 weeks, so it shouldn't be too hard to put your workouts on pause. If you realllly want to do something though, I'd stick to yoga or pilates.
posted Mar 11th, 2011 2:06 pmG.Q.
Ok, this is my second day, I normally do weight lifting and a 30 minute. Can I still do that or no?
posted Mar 11th, 2011 1:19 ammaggiedav
I have been off the drops for 4 weeks now and have maintained my 20 lb weight loss. I have gone outside of the 2lb window on a few occasions, but have always gone back down. I'll admit, I'm not eating as healthy as I should. I've had fast food a few times, starches, etc. But I am VERY happy with how easy it has been to maintain. I am starting the drops again next week and I hope to lose another 15-20 lbs. I know everyone is different, but based on my own experience, the people that stop the drops and gain a ton back are probably eating all junk, all the time. Just be careful with what you eat, start being a little more active, and the weight shouldn't come back.
posted Mar 10th, 2011 11:46 amRonnie
Don't try this diet. I did and after getting off I gained back more than I weighted before. It is absolutely a bad diet.
posted Mar 9th, 2011 4:30 pm