Can You Really Lose Weight on the HCG Diet?
There is a human hormone called of Human Chorionic Gonadotropin, or HCG, which helps the fetus in pregnant women receive nourishment and thus develop. But did you know HCG has also been used to help men and women lose weight since 1954? You might wonder if there is a scientific basis for using this hormone --- and if it really works.
Some people feel that HCG has no effect when taken to lose weight. Others believe it very affective. Let's take a closer look by HCG Labs.org and see if we can sort out the truth.
When the HCG Diet was first introduced back in the 1950s, it was a very low calorie diet plan. Critics feel it is the low calories that cause the weight loss and not the hormone.
People who promote the diet, though, feel the hormone contributes to the success of the diet in two distinct ways. First, they believe HCG is a natural appetite suppressant. Secondly, they believe HCG helps the body burn fat as fuel instead of muscle.
Let's reason on the first point for a few moments. A diet of just 500 calories a day is very restrictive. In fact, most folks would find it almost impossible to get along on just 500 calories without HCG to suppress their appetite. They claim that fact alone debunks the concept the HCG hormone is unnecessary for the diet to succeed.
Let's consider the second point. Muscle is very important to keep the body's metabolism working properly. When the metabolism is working as it should, the body burns calories as fuel first, then it burns fat. If it is not working it will burn muscle tissue. If you lose muscle tissue when you lose weight you are more likely to gain that weight back quickly when you increase your calorie intake.
Is the HCG hormone safe? This has been a subject of discussion for several years now.
It is true that HCG has not been approved by the FDA as a weight loss aid. It is approved, however, as a fertility aid and is therefore considered safe. In fact, the levels of HCG in pregnant women are actually higher than the amount prescribed for weight loss.
Is HCG the answer for you if you want to lose weight? Only time will tell. Keep in mind, however, that millions of people have taken it and successfully lost weight following the HCG diet.
