By focusing on very low-calorie intake and the use of pregnancy hormones, the HCG medical weight loss diet is one more to promise a great weight loss in a short space of time. But does it really work? This is what we will check below.
More information on HCG:
HCG weight loss developed almost 60 years ago, the HCG diet is a weight loss program that includes low-calorie consumption, more specifically 500 per day and the application of a daily injection containing Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG), a naturally produced hormone from the placenta during pregnancy.
In the early 1950s, British doctor Dr. Albert Simeons observed that obese young people who received HCG injections had reduced appetite and decreased their waist circumference. At the same time that they eliminated fat, they lost little muscle mass although the weight did not change significantly.
Based on this observation, Dr. Simeons formulated the theory that HCG was responsible for mobilizing hip fat and decided to associate the hormone with a highly restrictive diet.
HCG hormone:
Chorionic Gonadotropin is a hormone present in high concentrations in the female body after fertilization of the egg.
When the egg is fertilized there is an increase in the concentration of HCG in the blood and urine, parameters that are analyzed through pharmacy kits intended to confirm a possible pregnancy. It uses as HCG injections for weight loss.
How did the HCG diet work?
After many years of treatment for obesity based on the combination + HCG diet, Dr. Simeons created two types of protocol based on the goal of weight loss:
For those who need to lose up to 7 kg:
– From 125 to 500 IU / day of HCG a day for 23 days.
– Enough caloric feed during the first two days of the diet.
– Start the diet with 500 calories a day on the third day of HCG and continue for 26 days.
– Three-week period for re-adaptation to normal food.
For those wishing to lose more than 7 kg:
– HCG per day for 40 days (excluding the menstrual period).
– Enough caloric feed during the first two days of the diet.
– Diet of 500 kcal/day after the third day of hormone.
– Make the caloric diet for 43 consecutive days.
A person needs to use the 3 weeks after the end of the diet to reintroducing more food into the menu, first give preference to healthy proteins and fats and limit carbohydrate consumption.
If you eliminate more than 17 kg before the 40 days, it is advisable to stop the diet.
Similarly, anyone wishing to lose more than 17 kg should wait at least six weeks before starting the HCG diet again.