Spring is coming, and so is the urge to get fit and healthy. We know that the best way to get fit and healthy is through exercise and optimal nutrition, but wouldn't it be nice to reach your goals faster with the help of medicine?
A growing trend in popular culture has been the use of HCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) as treatment for obesity. First touted in the early 50’s by Dr. Albert Simeons as a miracle cure that, in combination with a strict 500 kcal/day diet, leads the body to preferentially burn stored fat rather than muscle, while tricking the brain into feeling neither hungry, irritable, nor fatigued. In a 1954 paper, Simeons claims to have treated 500 patients for 40 days, all of whom lost between 9-14 kg while maintaining a sense of well-being [1]. But what is HCG exactly, and is this regimen healthy or even effective?
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| Fat Profits by Mike Licht via Flickr |
HCG, a commonly occurring hormone during pregnancy, can be extracted from the urine of pregnant women and is approved for the treatment of various forms of infertility [2]. However, many online pharmacies have begun marketing it for weight-loss, infusing it with vitamin B12, and charging an astronomical 200-250€ for a month’s supply [3].
Still, international authorities including the FDA have issued statements that HCG provides no benefit in the treatment of obesity, which is unsurprising given its paucity of clinical trials [1]. Authors of a 1995 meta-analysis of 24 clinical trials also concluded that “there is no scientific evidence that HCG is effective in the treatment of obesity; it does not bring about weight loss or fat redistribution, nor does it reduce hunger or induce a feeling of well-being” [2]. In fact, an alarming number of studies have reported adverse effects of the hormone including blood clots, headaches, restlessness, depression, and dizziness [1]. Last year, a case report was published on a 32-year-old female who suffered a manic episode as a result [4].
HCG PROVIDES NO SOLUTION TO TREAT OBESITY
The conclusion? A diet of 500 kcal/day will induce significant weight loss, but HCG neither “tricks” the brain nor augments the diet’s overall effect. Furthermore, it fails to provide the body with necessary nutrition and can lead to deficiencies and imbalances that negatively impact the brain.
[1] Robb-Nicholson, Harvard Women's Health Watch, 2010
[2] Lijesen et al, Br J Clin Pharmacol, 1995
[3] nuimagemedical.com
[4] Sanches et al, Bipolar Disord, 2014
by Kristina Kelly
This article originally appeared September 2015 in Volume 08 Issue 02 "Food for Thought"
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