The HCG diet is everywhere you look these days. From online advertising to your local chiropractor’s office, it is being marketed as a weight-loss wonder drug. HCG, or Human Chorionic Gonadotropin, is a hormone that women produce during pregnancy. It is now being used as a homeopathic weight loss supplement in the form of drops, pellets or sprays that are ingested or injected into the body. The entities that are promoting this hormone claim that it allows the body to metabolize fat and use it for energy. This along with a 500-calorie diet is said to produce significant weight loss results.
A quick Google search will lead to countless websites selling HCG, and any search for HCG side effects is filled with ads promoting the substance. Like many other diet fads, there is a lack of long-term research on side effects that can be caused by adding this hormone to your diet at such a high level.
The FDA has not approved HCG for weight loss, and is advising consumers to avoid all HCG weight loss products. Along with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), they have issued letters to companies warning them that they are selling illegal homeopathic HCG weight-loss drugs that have not been approved by FDA, and that make unsupported claims. The FDA advises consumers who have purchased homeopathic HCG for weight loss to stop using it, throw it out, and stop following the dieting instructions.
If you or a loved are on an HCG diet and have experienced any illnesses while taking HCG, contact us at 1-800-782-8492.