HCG Weight Lose Therapy

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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 recent
surge in popularity, actually delivers. But the so-called HCG diet
is either a weight-loss miracle or a dangerous fraud, depending on
who's talking. The plan combines drops or injections of

HCG
, a pregnancy hormone, with just 500 calories a day. While some
believers are so convinced of its power they'll willingly stick
themselves with a syringe, the government and mainstream medical
community say it's a scam that carries too many health risks and
doesn't lead to long-term weight loss.
HCG is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to
treat infertility in both men and women. But its weight-loss roots
trace back to the 1950s, when British endocrinologist A.T.W.
Simeons realized that giving obese patients small, regular doses of
the hormone helped them lose stubborn clumps of fat. It only
worked, however, when coupled with a near-starvation diet. Simeons
began touting HCG as a potent appetite suppressant that would make
anything more than 500 daily calories unbearable. And he claimed
the hormone could blast fat in key trouble spots like the upper
arms, stomach, thighs, and buttocks, while preserving muscle. Save
for a few tweaks, the modern-day incarnation is largely as Simeons
presented it: Dieters supplement an extremely low-calorie meal plan
with daily injections prescribed off-label by medical
professionals, or take diluted, homeopathic
HCG- typically in drop
form-sold online, in drugstores, and at nutritional supplement
stores.
Exactly why the HCG diet is experiencing a revival now is
unclear, but the hype has sparked a response from the FDA. In
January, the agency warned that homeopathic HCG is fraudulent and
illegal when sold for weight-loss purposes. Though the FDA said
such products aren't necessarily dangerous, their sale is
deceptive, since there's no good evidence they're effective for
weight loss. What's more, all HCG products, including injections
prescribed by a doctor, must carry a warning stating there's no
proof they accelerate weight loss, redistribute fat, or numb the
hunger and discomfort typical of a low-calorie diet.
Though

HCG
dieters have some leeway in how they spend their 500 daily
calories, they're urged to choose organic meats, vegetables, and
fish. Dairy, carbs, alcohol, and sugar are all off limits. A day's
meals might consist of coffee and an orange for breakfast; a little
tilapia and raw asparagus for lunch; a piece of fruit in the
afternoon; and crab, spinach, Melba toast, and tea for dinner. If
dieters slip up, they're encouraged to compensate by drinking only
water and eating nothing but six apples for 24 hours. That's
thought to help squeeze out water weight, a psychological boost to
help them get back on track.