HCG: Be Wary of Fads

So many fad diets have come down the pipe - from the grapefruit diet, the cabbage soup diet, to many others that promote injections or pills. One of the latest diets is the HCG diet.

What exactly is it? HCG stands for human chorionic gonadotropin, a hormone secreted during pregnancy. The hormone has a medical prescription use in regards to infertility treatment. Information about using HCG in injections for the purpose of weight loss is gaining steam, though it is not legal in the U.S. for that purpose.

The hormone therapy goes hand in hand with a very low 500 calorie diet intended to flush out fat deposits by triggering the hypothalmus. A 500 calorie diet alone will induce an individual to shed weight in an unhealthy way and quickly. A 500 calorie diet is not safe for grown adults, and proof that HCG works is sketchy. Surely the target market is individuals who feel it is their last hope.

Please, before you consider extreme measures, visit a nutritionist to create an eating regimen right for you. This and moderate exercise is the only safe and guaranteed way to shed pounds.