HCG DIET - THE DEATH WISH DIET

     So it seems like the new fad out there is the HCG Diet.  Bascially, the HCG diet is a scam diet that is being marketed and sold in Weight Loss Clinics and Doctors offices across the United States.  According to Jennifer Nelson R.D. at the Mayo Clinic, in a nutshell, you go to one of these weight loss clinics or doctors offices and they give you injections of the hormone HCG (Human Chorionic Gonadotropin) and they put you on a 500-800 calorie diet.  These clinics market that you lose 1-2 lbs. per week on this diet.  YES, because you are starving yourself because of the restricted calories. 
     Lets take a step back for a second and discuss HCG.  The Human Chorionic Gonadotropin is a hormone that women produce during pregnancy.  When this hormone is prescribed by a doctor, it is prescribed specifically for fertility for women that are trying to get pregnant.  And people are actually paying to get injected with this hormone and then starve themselves.
     Science proves that basic human cell biology is fueled by carbohydrates as the primary source of fuel.  Science also shows that the minimum caloric intake for women is 1200 calories and for men is 1400 calories (American Dietitian Association's Complete Guide to Nutrition).  If you deprive yourself of at least this amount of calories, you will experience many internal physiological complications.  These complications include headaches, feeling tired throughout the day, lowered energy and the list goes on.
     To add to this, there is no scientific data that shows the effectiveness of the HCG hormone actually promoting weight-loss.  The FDA has not sanctioned experimental trials thus far.  If you have talked to a doctor that supports this diet, they know the dangers of this diet, because they know what damage is done when you deprive your body of calories and they know ultimately you will end up right in their office for the complications that will arise.  Its a never ending circle of scams!!
     Finally, as Karen Nelson, R.D. at the Mayo Clinic stated, once you go off this diet, you WILL GAIN ALL YOUR WEIGHT BACK.  This article is just scratching the surface on this topic so if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to email me.  If you want to check out articles by the person I cited, her website is http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hcg-diet/AN02091.