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Thousands of people are latching onto a diet that promises rapid weight loss —up to 30 pounds a month—and, judging by its recentsurge in popularity, actually delivers. But the so-called hCG dietis either a weight-loss miracle or a dangerous fraud, depending onwho's talking. The plan combines drops or injections of hCG, apregnancy hormone, with just 500 calories a day. While somebelievers are so convinced of its power they'll willingly stickthemselves with a syringe, the government and mainstream medicalcommunity say it's a scam that carries too many health risks anddoesn't lead to long-term weight loss. "It's reckless, irresponsible, and completelyirrational," says Pieter Cohen, an assistant professor ofmedicine at Harvard Medical School. "Can you lose weight on it? Of course, but that's mainlybecause you're hardly consuming any calories. And any benefit isnot going to last." HCG is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treatinfertility in both men and women. But its weight-loss roots traceback to the 1950s, when British endocrinologist A.T.W. Simeonsrealized that giving obese patients small, regular doses of thehormone helped them lose stubborn clumps of fat. It only worked,however, when coupled with a near-starvation diet. Simeons begantouting hCG as a potent appetite suppressant that would makeanything more than 500 daily calories unbearable. And he claimedthe hormone could blast fat in key trouble spots like the upperarms, stomach, thighs, and buttocks, while preserving muscle. Savefor a few tweaks, the modern-day incarnation is largely as Simeonspresented it: Dieters supplement an extremely low-calorie meal plan with daily injections prescribed off-label by medicalprofessionals, or take diluted, homeopathic hCG— typically indrop form—sold online, in drugstores, and at nutritionalsupplement stores. [See the diet plans that work .] Exactly why the hCG diet is experiencing a revival now is unclear,but the hype has sparked a response from the FDA. In January, theagency warned that homeopathic hCG is fraudulent and illegal whensold for weight-loss purposes. Though the FDA said such productsaren't necessarily dangerous, their sale is deceptive, sincethere's no good evidence they're effective for weight loss. What'smore, all hCG products, including injections prescribed by adoctor, must carry a warning stating there's no proof theyaccelerate weight loss, redistribute fat, or numb the hunger anddiscomfort typical of a low-calorie diet. Nonetheless, doctors are still doling out prescriptions for thedaily injections, typically inserted into the thigh. At NewBeginnings Weight Loss Clinic in Florida, for example, an in-housephysician has prescribed injections to 3,000 clients since 2008,and clinical director Jo Lynn Hansen has recently observed a markedjump in interest. There, clients can opt for either a 23-day plan($495) or a 40-day regimen ($595). After taking a six week breakand eating normally—to prevent the body from becoming"hCG-immune"—many resume the process, completingmultiple cycles. "We have people flying in from all over thecountry," Hansen says. "It's just a tiny little needlethat pricks the skin. Anyone can do it." [ Do Your Genes Determine Which Diet Means Weight-Loss Success? ] Though hCG dieters have some leeway in how they spend their 500daily calories, they're urged to choose organic meats, vegetables,and fish. Dairy, carbs, alcohol, and sugar are all off limits. Aday's meals might consist of coffee and an orange for breakfast; alittle tilapia and raw asparagus for lunch; a piece of fruit in theafternoon; and crab, spinach, Melba toast, and tea for dinner. Ifdieters slip up, they're encouraged to compensate by drinking onlywater and eating nothing but six apples for 24 hours. That'sthought to help squeeze out water weight, a psychological boost tohelp them get back on track. "It wasn't that hard to pull off, and I'd do it again in aheartbeat," raved London-based fashion stylist Alison Edmondin February's Marie Claire. "In the end, I lost a total of 25 pounds, ending up at aweight I hadn't been in 10 years." Despite success storieslike hers, scientific evidence on the plan is shaky at best. In1995, researchers analyzed 14 clinical trials on the hCG diet. Onlytwo concluded hCG was any more effective than a placebo at helpingpeople lose weight. And nearly 10 years earlier, a report in the Canadian Medical Association Journal stated hCG has "no value" as a means of managingobesity, and that the diet has been "thoroughly discreditedand thus rejected by the majority of the medical community.". I am an expert from customcarrierbag.com, while we provides the quality product, such as China Custom Carrier Bags , Corrugated Paper Boxes, Biodegradable Shopping Bags,and more.
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