The Disadvantages Of HCG Diet Plan

The HCG diet is an eating plan augmented by injections. The diet protocol, initiated by ATW Simeons, a British endocrinologist, in 1954, guarantees weight loss at the rate of one pound a day for a certain period, followed by successful maintenance of optimal body weight.

HCG stands for Human Chorionic Gonadotropin, a hormone made in the placenta of pregnant women. The HCG injections administered may contain the hormone extracted from women or maybe synthetically prepared.  The injections have to be accompanied by a very low-calorie diet (VLCD) not exceeding 500 calories per day, according to the diet protocol.

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Many have claimed that the diet plan successfully controlled their weight without creating any adverse health issues or lowering energy levels. Yet, several believe that the HCG Diet Protocol has harmful side effects.  

HCG diet disadvantages  

• The HCG diet protocol has not received the approval of the US Food and Drug Administration
• Several studies have claimed that there is insufficient evidence about the HCG diet in terms of

1. Normal distribution of the fat cells after following the diet
2. Decrease of hunger and discomfort when following VLCD
3. Weight loss is because of the diet protocol and not just the VLCD

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• If the HCG injections are bought online there is no accountability for the seller nor can you assess the quality of the product he is offering you; if at all you opt for an online purchase, do it after thorough research and after checking out the recommended products and sellers in the various health forums
• Recommendation for exercise is absent in the diet protocol
• Sticking to a 500 calorie diet leaves you with no energy reserves for exercise
• The inconvenience of visiting a medical practitioner every day for the daily shot of the HCG hormone
• For some people, the three-week-long injection routine may be painful
• The visit and the injections together are quite expensive
• The hormone was on the list of banned substances of a well-known baseball League because of its popularity as a substance that decreased side effects, when performance enhancement steroids were discontinued
• The negative side effects of the diet protocol are believed to be

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1. Depression, mood swings, irritation, and disorientation
2. Blood clots
3. Abnormal increase in breast size in men
4. Likelihood of multiple births (triplets and quadruplets) in women
5. Nausea, fatigue, and dizziness
6. Hair loss and skin problems like acne
7. Higher risk for serious health problems like (a) Ovarian Hyper Stimulation Syndrome (OHSS), symptoms of which include an increase in body weight, pain in the stomach and pelvic regions, nausea, diarrhea, breathlessness, and inflammation of the limbs, and (b)Arterial Thromboembolism, a life-threatening health disorder

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People who endorse the diet plan argue that the disadvantages arise only if the protocol is not followed sincerely. However, the fact that the protocol is not easy to follow is by itself a significant disadvantage. Following a healthy and nutritious diet, augmented by regular exercise is the best way to keep fit and healthy in body and mind.