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About Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG)

About Human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG)is a hormone produced during pregnancy. The hormone is present in the urine, and it's the presence of HCG that home pregnancy kits are "checking" for when such a test is performed. If HCG is present, you're pregnant, if it's not... you're not.

Because hCG can also be created by some kinds of cancer, HCG can serve as an important tumor marker as well. HCG is prescribed in a medical scenario, it is either as a fertility medication (can be for both men or women), or to restore testosterone production in men.

About Dr. Simeons and the hCG Diet

In 1954, Dr. Albert T. Simeons, a British-physician claimed HCG injections would allow dieters to manage easily on a 500 calorie per day diet.

While in India,  Dr. Simeons noticed that women, who were pregnant during times of hunger, living on a mere 200 calories a day and losing weight throughout their pregnancy, nevertheless had full-term healthy babies.  Dr. Simeons had a belief that a hungry woman's pregnancy mobilized her fat to feed her baby. In his quest to determine how and why that might occur, Dr. Simeons looked at hormonal changes that occur during pregnancy. Dr. Simeons was aware that the hormone HCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) increases during pregnancy.

Over the next 16 years, a German medical doctor ran a clinic attached to a hospital in Italy, combining injections of hCG with a short-term specific diet that dampens hunger while the body burns fat on a very specific diet. It was reported that the doctor successfully treated some 10,000 patients. Other doctors began studying Dr. Simeons' unique protocol and taking it back with them to different parts of Europe. Amazingly, in person after person the pounds and inches came off-and stayed off. For an detailed explanation of how this "diet' supposedly works you can refer to Dr. Simeons' manuscript at:  http://www.hcgdietinfo.com/Dr-ATW-Simeons-Pounds-and-Inches.htm.

Bottom line: Dr. Simeons claimed that HCG could suppress appetite, burn stored fat as well as redistribute fat from the hips, thighs and waist.Unfortunately, he had no clinical evidence to validate any of these claims.

Injections are administered daily. The dose for the Simeons protocol is 125 iu administered daily, for no more than 40 days.

From the manuscript of Dr. Simeon:  "When treating only one or two cases simultaneously, vials containing a small number of units say 1000 I.U. should be used. The 10 cc. of solvent which is supplied by the manufacturer is injected into the rubber- capped bottle containing the HCG, and the powder must dissolve instantly. Of this solution 1 .25 cc. are withdrawn for each injection. One such bottle of 1000 I.U. therefore furnishes 8 injections. When more than one patient is being treated, they should not each have their own bottle but rather all be injected from the same vial and a fresh solution made when this is empty."

"Patients who need to lose 15 pounds or, 7 kilos or less require 26 days treatment with 23 daily injections."  The VLCD is continued for 3 days following the end of the injections to avoid weight regain.

Benefits of the HCG Diet

According to proponents the HcG diet appears to reset the hypothalmus gland, along with areas of the brain that regulate a variety of hormones, blood sugar metabolism, blood pressure, and other key body functions.

• Structural fat is essential because it cushions our organs.
  
• Other essential fat is fat that gives us a reserve of energy, fueling the body between meals.
• Unwanted fat is the third type of fat that is not only unsightly fat that ruins our appearance, but unhealthy, and typically the hardest to lose.  In women, abnormal fat tends to accumulate around the middle and thighs. In men, it's around the belly and chest. In both cases, it's extremely difficult to get rid of. The usual approaches to weight loss just don't budge it.This third type of fat is mobilized in times of starvation and according to Dr. Simeons during pregnancy.

The genius of Dr. Simeons was to recognize that HCG triggers the body to burn unwanted fat. According to Dr. Sim,eons HCG resets the hypothalmus gland, along with areas of the brain that regulate a variety of hormones, blood sugar metabolism, blood pressure, and other key body functions.

The HCG Diet Recommended Diet Protocol

• The total daily intake must not exceed 500 Calories
• If the best possible results are to be obtained, that the daily ration should contain 200 grams of fat-free protein and a very small amount of starch.

Breakfast:

• Tea or coffee in any quantity without sugar.
• Only one tablespoonful of milk allowed in 24 hours.
• Saccharin or Stevia may be used.

Lunch:

1. 100 grams of beef, chicken breast (removed from the bird), veal, fresh white fish, lobster, crab, or shrimp. All visible fat must be carefully removed before cooking, and the meat must be weighed raw. It must be boiled or grilled without additional fat. salmon, tuna, herring, eel, dried or pickled fish are not allowed.
2. One type of vegetable of the following vegetables: asparagus, greens, cabbage, celery, chard, chicory, cucumbers, green salad, fennel, onions, red radishes, spinach, tomato.
3. One bread stick (grissino) or one Melba toast. The bread stick may be eaten between meals instead of with lunch or dinner, but not more than four items listed for lunch and dinner may be eaten at one meal.
4. An apple (2 small apples are not an acceptable exchange for “1 apple.”), orange, 1/2 of a grapefruit, or a handful of strawberries.  The fruit may be eaten between meals instead of with lunch or dinner, but not more than four items listed for lunch and dinner may be eaten at one meal.

1. 100 grams of beef, chicken breast (removed from the bird), veal, fresh white fish, lobster, crab, or shrimp. All visible fat must be carefully removed before cooking, and the meat must be weighed raw. It must be boiled or grilled without additional fat. salmon, tuna, herring, eel, dried or pickled fish are not allowed.
2. One type of vegetable of the following vegetables: asparagus, greens, cabbage, celery, chard, chicory, cucumbers, green salad, fennel, onions, red radishes, spinach, tomato.
3. One bread stick (grissino) or one Melba toast. The bread stick may be eaten between meals instead of with lunch or dinner, but not more than four items listed for lunch and dinner may be eaten at one meal.
4. An apple (2 small apples are not an acceptable exchange for “1 apple.”), orange, 1/2 of a grapefruit, or a handful of strawberries. 

• The fruit may be eaten between meals instead of with lunch or dinner, but not more than four items listed for lunch and dinner may be eaten at one meal.

• The juice of one lemon daily is allowed for all purposes.
• Salt, pepper, vinegar, mustard powder, garlic, sweet basil, parsley, thyme, majoram, etc., may be used for seasoning, but no oil, butter or dressing.
• Tea, coffee, plain water, or mineral water (2 liters of water per day is recommended) are the only drinks allowed, but they may be taken in any quantity and at all times.
  

Special Caveats of the HcG Diet Prtocol

• Very occasionally egg - boiled, poached or raw - is allowed to people who develop an aversion to meat, but in this case they must add the white of three eggs to the one they eat whole.
• Cottage cheese made from skimmed milk is available 100 grams may occasionally be used instead of the meat. 
  

Personal Care and Beauty Products on the HCG Diet:

• No medicines or cosmetics other than lipstick, eyebrow pencil and powder may be used without special permission.
• Aspirin and birth control are allowed on the Simeons HCG Diet.
• Lipstick, powder and  lotions are entirely free of fatty substances are permitted.
• Brilliantine used on the hair is allowed only if it is not be rubbed into the scalp.
• Sun-tan oil is prohibited.
• No massage of any kind.
  

Short list of hCG Diet-friendly personal care and beauty products (not scientifically based and confirmed)

• Deodorants: Thai Stick, There deo stick, crystal deodorant (wet crystal and apply), baking soda

• Eyelashes: Consider getting your eyelashes tinted to replace mascara, although most mascaras are not prohibited. Roux Lash And Brow Tint Kit in Brown and Black
• Lotions and Oils: Coconut oil, plain mineral oil. Note: most baby oils are mineral oils or try lotions/moisturizers with a mineral oil base.

• Toothpaste: Tom's toothpaste, baking soda, spry toothpaste, baking soda Tom's of Maine
• Soaps: Ivory, Dial, Jasons, baking soda, Zest Bath Soap
• Face Soaps and makeup removers: JASON Natural Satin Soap
• Shampoos and Conditioners: Natures Gate Alovera, Aubrey Organics, Baking soda, Life Extension Products
  

Source: http://www.hcgdietinfo.com/HCG-Diet-Products.htm

Author Comments-

HCG Diet Pros

• Might assist in some elimination of toxins from the body because of calorie restriction and banning of certain beauty products that contain chemicals that might be harmful to the body. For more on this topics see: Cosmetics Exposed, the Hidden Hazards In Skin Care Products
• Removes fat
• Promotes weight loss
  

HCG Diet Cons

• The diet can slow metabolism.
• The diet can cause loss of muscle.
• This diet that involves extreme calorie restriction along with injections of human chorionic gonadotrophic hormone (HCG). If you restrict yourself to 500-800 calories per day, it doesn’t matter what you inject — you’re going to lose weight. Such calorie restrictions are also not healthy long term, and not the best way to lose and keep fat off.
• The diet also does not focus on other lifestyle changes to support sustained weight loss (refer to articles like, The Ten Commandments for Fat Loss, 30 Tips to Lose Weight, The Key to Weight Loss Success, Break the Diet Plateau, 11 Simple Tips to Lose the Weight and Keep it Off etc. 
  
• Proposes one solution for fighting obesity; not customized to the individual.
• hCG is not be easy to obtain. You'd need regular intramuscular injections, a "friendly" doctor to prescribe it for "off label" usage, and it would cost you and arm and a leg. Save your money.
• One of the biggest proponents of this diet appears to be Kevin Trudeau, the infomercial guy who went to jail for fraud. The company that marketed his book has also had an injunction levied against it by the Federal Trade Commission for deceptive advertising. For those of you who believe Mr. Trudeau is the victim of some sort of conspiracy orchestrated at the behest of the pharmaceutical industry, I recommend checking out any of the over 400 customer complaints posted at Infomercialscams.com. 

There is no scientific proof that HCG eliminates hunger or other more subjective factors of dieting (as the protocol proponents suggest). Bottom line is that the HCG diet appears to be no more effective than calorie restriction alone. Save your money. 

About the Author Jeff Behar, MS, MBA

Jeff Behar, MS, MBA