Why exercise when there is a potentially faster and easier way to achieve weight loss? This is the question posed by proponents of the HCG shots diet. The diet is comprised of a combination of shots containing Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG) and consuming a restricted number of calories. These eating plans are reportedly a safe and rapid method for weight loss. Various forms of the dietary restrictions and dosage amounts have been made since the 1950s. The Human Chorionic Gonadotropin diet generally involves eating proteins, limited to specific meats and foods, alongside a daily injection of the hormone.

The HCG shots diet follows a protocol that limits calories to 1/4^th of an average daily consumption. It was first created and reported by Dr. A. T. W. Simeons in a 1954 experiment to fight obesity. Simeons noted that patients reported a lack or lessening of symptoms common with reduced calorie consumption. They noted that patients on Simeons’ specialized 500-calorie-a-day plan rarely felt any weakness or hunger while taking the injections and following the eating plan.

Many testimonials also point towards it being responsible for a large reduction in fatigue and hunger. This drew the attention of thousands of people who had little success with other eating plans. Since then, dieters have been tempted to lose weight without the constant hunger pangs or complete lack of energy. This way of eating is strictly non-vegan and non-gluten as it requires meat and lists breads.

What is HCG?

HCG is a natural hormone produced by women during pregnancy or by certain tumors. The hormone is directly responsible for assisting in the growth of the placenta and fetus. Post fertilization, the egg attaches itself to the uterary wall and the placenta begins to manifest. HCG is then released into the bloodstream. This hormone can also be produced artificially with the added benefit of a longer shelf life. Bioidentical hormones must be used when taking synthetic. Some sellers with synthetic formulas use fake hormones or non-human hormones. HCG shots diets using natural Human Chorionic Gonadotropin or legitimate synthetic Human Chorionic Gonadotropin do not differ in results.

Role Within the Body

Human Chorionic Gonadotropin levels will vary at different stages of a woman’s pregnancy. At first, within a week of fertilization, levels of HCG become detectable within the bloodstream. The levels of the hormone will then rise as the weeks go by and peak around weeks 14 to 16. This occurs after the last menstruation cycle. Levels then taper off typically after the peak and disappear after delivery. Hormone levels are often used to measure the health of the fetus during pregnancy. Human Chorionic Gonadotropin levels also play an important role in detecting testicular cancer in men. This hormone is sometimes used as a fertilization medicine because of its critical role in fetal growth. With the HCG shots diet, the hormone is supposedly responsible for directing the body to use fat as energy.

How Does HCG Work?

Proponents of the HCG diet state that the combination of the protocol and injections resets ones metabolism. By limiting the body to 500 calories consistently, in addition to the injections, it causes reliable weight loss. Many researchers have found noticeable results in Human Chorionic Gonadotropin experiments with obese patients. In pregnant women, the hormone assists in fetal development by rapidly converting calories to energy for the mother and fetus. This is thought to be a “fail safe” for emergency energy. A very small amount of the hormone is reported to induce this conversion with the purpose of weight loss.

HCG and Bodybuilding

The HCG shots diet is utilized more and more by bodybuilders and athletes as scientists continue to discover its potential in cutting fat. Human Chorionic Gonadotropin is highly useful to bodybuilders as a supplement for cutting undesirable fat while keeping muscle. This is called shredding. Bodybuilders engage in high calorie diets to build mass and fat to later be shredded off to build muscle. Dieters may see protocols and online HCG injections labeled as fitness supplements and sold by body building sites.

HCG Versus Other Low Calorie Diets

Typically, a dieter’s metabolism slows down with a lack of activity and eating to converse body fat. This leads to temporary weight loss since the dieter’s metabolism has gotten slower but calories are low. This is what proponents of the HCG shots diet state separate it from other low calorie diets. Proponents state that low amounts of Human Chorionic Gonadotropin will counter the slowing of metabolism and increase fat loss.

The increased use of fat by the body leads to a lack of fatigue even with low daily calories. Another issue with low calorie diets is the loss muscle mass also known as muscle atrophy. Muscle is targeted second when the body finds itself lacking energy. The body will first target fat surrounding critical organs before muscle. The body will normally target abnormal fat like stomach and thigh fat last. It is thought that Human Chorionic Gonadotrophin offsets this by signaling the body to target fat reserves first instead.

What Does the HCG Diet Protocol Contain?

An HCG shots diet combines reduced calories usually packed with proteins from certain meats. The original protocol developed by Dr. Simeons seriously restricts what food may be eaten, in what amounts, and when. The protocol limits the dieter to tea or coffee for breakfast and one tablespoon of milk. The dieter may use artificial sweeteners but not sugar or sugar containing alternatives. It also limits daily meat consumption to 100 grams of a specific choice of meat for lunch and dinner. Dieters get two 100 grams choices of meat each day. The list of meats only includes:

Veal
Beef
Chicken breast
Fresh white fish
Lobster
Crab
Or shrimp

The protocol calls for the removal of unnecessary fats. It specifies that the meat must have the visible fat removed and can only be grilled or boiled. There are no oils or fats allowed when cooking a meal. In addition, the meat has to be weighed raw. The HCG shots diet protocol also includes a list of meats that are banned. The prohibited meats are:

Salmon
Eel
Herring
Tuna
Dried Fish
Pickled fish

Another restriction within the Simeons protocol is that dieters are limited to two vegetable choice for lunch and dinner. The HCG shots diet allows for about a dozen choices for a vegetable option. The list is limited to:

Chard
Onion
Spinach
Tomatoes
Fennel
Red radishes
Chicory
Cabbage
Asparagus
Beet greens
Or green salad

Additional Mealtime Requirements

During lunch and dinner, dieters can have one breadstick or Melba toast. For fruit, dieters can eat an apple, orange, handful of strawberries, or half a grapefruit. You can add any seasonings or herbs of one’s choice, but no butter or fat containing ingredients. A boiled or poached egg may occasionally replace the meat options. If used as a replacement, combine one whole egg with three egg whites. The goal of the HCG shots diet protocol is to ensure that dieters do not exceed the 500-calorie limit for the hormone to be effective.

HCG Shots Diet Results

Online injections have made it extremely convenient for many dieters to safely purchase pharmaceutical quality hormones. An increased popularity of the HCG shots diet has resulted in many dieters sharing their results online. Many people experience rapid weight loss within the first 2 weeks of the program. This trend slows after the first couple of weeks but may plateau from extended use. Dieters need to take breaks after a couple months of the program to avoid immunity. It is possible for the body to become too familiar with Human Chorionic Gonadotropin thereby making it ineffective. Dieters report no weight gain after discontinuation.

The exact amount of weight loss depends highly on the individual but most experience a large decrease in weight overall. Results point to the large majority of weight loss to be fat loss. One testimonial on hcgchica.com states that a women’s weight loss was 93% fat. In addition, many testimonials from women report a slimming of dress sizes in the double digits. Men have also reported losing dozens of pounds through the HCG shots diet. Men tend to garner greater results even though women naturally produce more of the hormone. This may be because men are more sensitive to the effects of Human Chorionic Gonadotropin.

Scientific Results of the HCG Shots Diet

The hormone has had a multitude of research papers produce to attempt to verify its possible weight loss properties. Early reports by the FDA concluded that Human Chorionic Gonadotrophin had little effect on weight loss. Yet, multiple other reports point towards a clear difference between their control and test groups on HCG. A 1973 article published in The American Society for Clinical Nutrition concluded a clear relation between the HCG shots diet and weight loss. The experiment followed patients through six weeks of hormone injections compared to another group of placebo injections. Each session saw a larger decrease in weight in the hormone-injecting group compared to the placebo group.

The article, “Effect of Human Chorionic Gonadotrophin on Weight Loss, Hunger, and Feeling of Well-being,” reports a significant difference between the hormone-injecting group and the placebo group. Not only did the former group lose significantly more weight, but they also felt better overall. They reported a higher level of well-being and a lack of hunger pangs.

Are Online HCG Shots Safe?

For the HCG shots diet to work, a reliable and legitimate supply of the hormone is necessary. HCG made in the US is often pharmaceutical grade and many retailers carry Human Chorionic Gonadotropin. Sites such as ushcgshots.com offer hormones made in the U.S. in a licensed compounding pharmacy. Other websites offer a short list of reputable online retailers based in the U.S. They decided which were valid retailers by factors such as production method, purity testing, location of production, and if they are easy to contact and active.

There are currently no known side effects of Human Chorionic Gonadotropin use. This is expected since the hormone is naturally present in both women and men. Women will experience extremely high levels of the hormone during pregnancy with no adverse effect.

Researchers and dieters alike report zero interactions between the hormone and any medication. Dieters often take birth control or other medication to no ill effect during the HCG shots diet. Of course, dieters should consult their healthcare professional if they feel unwell during the diet. If you experience dizziness, shortness of breath, redness in the skin, or swelling, contact your healthcare professional immediately.

HCG Outside the U.S.

Avoid online injections sold by sources outside the U.S. The rise in the popularity of the diet has drawn the attention of large amounts of counterfeiters. Counterfeiters compound profits by selling fake or low quality Human Chorionic Gonadotrophin manufactured outside the U.S. at an extremely low price. While a consumer may believe they are getting a great deal, they are actually receiving a fake product. The HCG shots diet will not work using a placebo or fake hormone. Some dieters may end up with no results because of this.

Human Chorionic Gonadotropin made in the U.S. is held at a much higher standard than those imported from other countries. FDA regulations do not apply to any online injections retailers that are based overseas or produced overseas. It is highly important that dieters find legitimate retailers within the U.S. that have verified sources and testing. A legitimate retailer will often give instructions on dosage and a protocol rather than simply selling cheap HCG.

Is Human Chorionic Gonadotropin For Everyone?

Tests of Human Chorionic Gonadotropin do not show any side effects on the adult human body. Still, potential dieters need to contact their medical physician before undergoing the HCG shots diet. Women who are pregnant should not pursue this weight loss regime. While the protocol was primarily developed for those suffering from obesity, it is often used as a fitness supplement. Men suffering from low testosterone may find many benefits from beginning an HCG shots diet. Depending on your goal, losing excessive weight or shredding fat for muscle, your protocol will vary.

The consensus among the majority of users and HCG researchers is that the hormone is safe for almost every adult. There are no recorded adverse effects despite dozens of years of use. Today, thousands of dieters have found success through HCG shots diet. Many continue use the injections and drops even after reaching their ideal weight for other potential benefits. For example, body builders advocate that the hormone plays a role in regulating testosterone which affects energy and mental wellbeing.