hCG Weight Loss

How the hCG Diet Works

In theory, the hCG hormone is supposed to suppress hunger and trigger your body’s use of fat for fuel.

Most hCG diet plans restrict dieters to only 500 calories per day of mostly organic, unprocessed foods along with the hCG injections or serum drops under the tongue (note: The oral hCG may contain little, if any, hCG). Follow the plan for 45 days straight, you will fix your metabolism, and lose several pounds a day, so the advertisements claim.

That's unlikely, say diet and nutrition experts. You will lose weight on the hCG diets but the weight loss will be the result of the very low-calorie or starvation-like diet, not the hCG.

Potential Health Risks

Not only will you waste your money on hCG, but there are also potential consequences -- from side effects of the product and self-injections to nutritional deficiencies.

It is virtually impossible to meet your nutritional needs for carbohydrates, protein, fats, and fiber with less than 500 calories per day and the diet will most likely result in vitamin and mineral deficiencies.