Dissecting the HCG diet

Photo: Contributed

A few years ago the HCG diet gained significant popularity in the United States and has more recently spiked in popularity here in the Okanagan. Like most plans, this is not the first appearance of the HCG diet. In fact, this exact diet was first popularized more than 60 years ago by an endocrinologist. Like all fad diets, it promises fast, easy weight loss with outstanding success rates. What it does not address however is troubling:

• Is it safe?
• Does it actually work?
• Are the results long term?
• Should people be taking this hormone (especially males)?
• Is there any way this diet can be described as healthy?

History of the Diet

This diet was pioneered more than 60 years ago based on the work of Dr. A. Siemeons who noticed that boys who were being treated with HCG for underdeveloped gonads seemed to lose excess weight as a side effect. This doctor began to tout HCG as a diet aid and developed a regimen consisting of a very low calorie diet supplemented by daily HCG injections. The injections still exist and there are also now oral forms of HCG that are available. The diet fell largely out of favour during the 70’s and 80’s when several research studies showed that the HCG diet fared no better for weight loss than control groups who were on the same diet without the injections.

Is it Safe?

Well if the relatively low risk of blood clots, dizziness, headaches, fainting, hair thinning and male breast enlargement sound safe to you, then sure it’s safe! Of course eating a daily diet consisting of only 500 calories/day presents its own set of risks since people would normally consume between 1800-3000 calories/day. Eating this few calories definitely puts you at greater risk for electrolyte imbalances, fatigue and nausea.

Does it actually work?

Of course it works. You are only eating 500 calories per day! I could put you on a diet of 1000 calories per day eating only cookies and you would lose weight. Does the HCG actually encourage faster weight loss or reduce hunger pains as it claims? Not according to any published research currently available.

Does it work long term?

Without adopting a permanent, healthier eating strategy and incorporating regular and copious amounts of exercise, you can be assured that when you stop the low calorie diet, you will start to gain weight. Then you can choose to do another round of it spending hundreds of dollars and risking the potential side effects try and lose the weight again.

Should people be taking this hormone?

While HCG is a naturally occurring hormone in pregnant females in relatively high levels at the beginning of pregnancy, there is very little research regarding the side effects of taking this while not pregnant, especially for males. There have been reported cases of male breast enlargement associated with intake of HCG.

Is there any way this diet can be described as healthy?

You will very likely get short term weight loss, so that is good. However it is short term and you can expect to gain weight back the moment you stop the diet. Any diet that suggests a caloric intake of 500 calories per day for weeks on end and actually advises against exercise (which it does) cannot possibly be construed as healthy for the patient. The potential of rapid weight loss is enticing, however a weight loss goal is a long term achievement, not something that happens in a month and is maintained without conscious effort.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.