Buy Walking VideosHCG: Injections Useless For Weight Loss
My hair stylist was significantly skinnier. I had seen her a mere six weeks ago, so she had lost a lot of weight in a short amount of time.
“You look great!”
“Thanks! I’ve been doing a new diet.”
“Really? What are you doing?”
“It’s the HCG diet…”
She continued talking, but I froze up. That was that diet that was promoted by Kevin Trudeau and the FTC slapped him with a huge fine. I squeezed my eyes.
“Isn’t that the one with the injections?”
“Yeah. I go to a medical spa. I actually haven’t even met the doctor. I just go in once a week and the nurse hands me the injections that I give to myself every day. The doctor looks at my file, though.”
“Hmm…”
“Of course, you have to follow the diet, too. It’s really low fat and pretty restrictive.”
“Wow…”
I keep my mouth shut. Over the years, I have learned that people don’t want to hear me burst their bubble. They don’t want to know about double-blind testing against placebos. They don’t want to hear about the fact that they would have lost all that weight by themselves without those expensive injections. They don’t want to hear about the placebo effect. They just want to continue living their weight loss fantasy.
And who am I to burst it for her? Heck, the placebo effect is WORKING for her! I’m not going to get involved with the power of that.
If you want to know the SCIENCE, however, it’s pretty damning when it comes to HCG injections. Here are links to just two of the many studies that were conducted in a proper manner (1976 and 1990), showing that HCG is no better than saline solution when it comes to benefits of weight loss.
Two hundred two patients participated in a double-blind random cross-over study of the effectiveness of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) vs placebo in a weight reduction program. Serial measurements were made of weight, skin-fold thickness, dropout rates, reasons for dropping out, and patient subjective response. There was no statistically significant difference between those receiving HCG vs placebo during any phase of this study (P greater than .1).
Low-dose human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG) combined with a severe diet remains a popular treatment for obesity, despite equivocal evidence of its effectiveness. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled study, the effects of HCG on weight loss were compared with placebo injections. Forty obese women (body mass index greater than 30 kg/m2) were placed on the same diet supplying 5,000 kJ per day and received daily intramuscular injections of saline or HCG, 6 days a week for 6 weeks. A psychological profile, hunger level, body circumferences, a fasting blood sample and food records were obtained at the start and end of the study, while body weight was measured weekly. Subjects receiving HCG injections showed no advantages over those on placebo in respect of any of the variables recorded. Furthermore, weight loss on our diet was similar to that on severely restricted intake. We conclude that there is no rationale for the use of HCG injections in the treatment of obesity.
For more information about Kevin Trudeau:
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June 26th, 2009 at 12:32 pm
That’s still just wrong, but I think you made the right decision.
July 4th, 2009 at 10:21 pm
Well, I don’t know what to say to this other than NOTHING else has every worked for me. I have lost 40 lbs and feel great. I have NO HUNGER while on injections. My first round of 40 days I felt hungry about 3 weeks in. I checked my HCG potency and found it has lost potency. The reshaping of my body is also dramatic. I lost weight where I wanted and feel wonderful. I am a Type 1 diabetic and ran this diet past my endocrinologist. In the past I tried Weight Watchers and it DID NOTHING for me.
July 6th, 2009 at 12:20 pm
I am on my second phase II of the HCG diet. I’m very impressed with the results. I’ve lost 47 pounds to date and am 49 soon to be 50, mother of 4 who has tried to lose weight without success. This works i’ve gone from size 16 to 8. I’ve lost weight where i needed to without hunger.
July 17th, 2009 at 11:48 am
I have to say I get the point you are trying to make here but I too have lost substantal weight with HCG 30 lbs in 6 weeks! I am not selling anything or trying to convince anyone of anything but I am sorry this stuff does work and it works really well.
July 26th, 2009 at 6:22 am
I have to agree with everyone else. I stuggled with losing weight for years and have tried every diet. The HCG is working for me, I am down 30+ lbs and am continuing to lose.
August 7th, 2009 at 9:32 pm
The minds of the naysayers will never be changed if they haven’t had to resort to this program out of desperation. I’ve read on other sites that the double-blind studies were a ‘ruse’ to get this product out of circulation because of the loss of money to the pharmaceutical companies. Makes sense to me! How can ANYONE dispute the positive results of SO MANY PEOPLE!? So far, I’ve lost 25lbs in 28 days. I’d say this product works pretty good!
August 18th, 2009 at 8:15 am
Hmmmm…I question the double-bind studies too. I have gone through 2 rounds since Feb. of this year and have lost 60 pounds on the HCG Diet. I was never hungry and was able to break my dependency on sugar, alcohol and bad carbs. I swear by the diet. I didn’t have the will power myself to do this without hunger. Has anyone ever tried a 500 calorie a day diet?! I don’t think saline injections would prevent extreme hunger pangs or the loss of significant lean tissue. I’ve been checking body-fat as well and it has gone done in direct proportion to my weight loss.
August 21st, 2009 at 4:14 pm
Those studies didn’t follow Dr. Simeons’ Protocol. The foods that they ate plus the caloric sum plus the dosages were wrong. I’m sorry the studies showed no evidence that the protocol did work because they didn’t follow the protocol. I’m sorry but “scientific research” is flawed!! I am a personal trainer myself. I’ve had a weight problem all of my life. I would workout hard 2-3 hours/day. I trained to become a boxer and so the intensity of my workouts were through the roof! I’ve been on every diet you can name including WW which is purportedly “healthy” and “sensible”. Oh yeah, eating 100 cal. portion sizes of sugar and chemicals is sensible. Right. I always felt deprived…always. This diet only been the diet that works for me. I carry it in my middle. My middle is melting. The most difficult to go on me. I’m sorry. I don’t care what “science” says. It’s saving many people’s lives, giving them another opportunity to live again.
August 25th, 2009 at 4:16 pm
I don’t care what anyone says. Burning more calories than you take in doesn’t always work. I’ve tried everything under the sun. Food journals, excercise, body buggs, etc. I think the people that can do this with diet and excercise are the lucky ones in life and they should buy a lottery ticket. For the rest of us that have tried everything under the sun to lose weight….it’s time to look at options such as the hcg.
October 24th, 2009 at 10:18 pm
Sorry, but science can be flawed, dirty or both. This diet works and so far is the only thing out there to help a lot of desperately unhappy people who have tried everything their whole lives. But I love that it’s underground and dismissed by the mainstream — gives it more credibility.
October 28th, 2009 at 12:11 pm
Yup, remember, this IS “the Weight Loss Cure THEY don’t want you to know about”. Here’s a clue for those of you who haven’t figured out that we are manipulated from birth to death by corporate interests, and their accomplices in the so-called health “care” industry. This diet doesn’t benefit “them”… so don’t hold your breath waiting for a good review from “them”. Now, “diet and exercise” … there’s a gold mine… in so many ways! And diet pills, with a 1000% markup…what’s not to love?
I lost 50 pounds in 60 days as easy as pie with HCG (well, OK, no pie, at least until goal weight was achieved) and have kept it off so far without any real effort. The key to this diet is it doesn’t just work… if you spend the time to learn about it and follow it correctly, it literally reeducates your body to handle food better, and you will desire better and less fattening foods. This is a terrific example of something that works precisely because it is a perfectly natural substance, NOT a drug. I don’t think God designed this hormone for pregnant women as a cruel joke… or because it doesn’t work … do you?
November 11th, 2009 at 7:29 pm
To Diane: I am so happy to read your post!!!I am a Type 1 diabetic as well and I have been spending hours researching HcG to see if it is right for me and I believe it is. I too, have spent so much time trying so many different things, and I am very active playing tennis 3 times a week and walking in betwee, but the scale never budges. I would love to hear more from you if you don’t mind. Did your endo prescribe the HcG injections for you? How long did it take you to lose the 30?
November 26th, 2009 at 12:00 pm
I am beginning week two of Round 2, Phase 2, today (Thanksgiving). I lost 37 pounds during the first round, and have lost 10 since the load weight so far this round. (down 43 from beginning first round) My Dr. first prescribed hcg for me, but I had researched before I started. For the first time in years, I am taking the weight off, and it is Staying off, even during Phase 3 and 4! I will continue to use this miracle and reach my goal weight. I am not hypoglycemic anymore, sleep better, snore less, have much more energy, and have less aches and pains.
December 3rd, 2009 at 7:18 am
I find it amusing that not one post is negative about this. I also believe in this. My mom lost 34 lbs and 32 in. in her first round. She has been trying for 30 years. I can’t tell you how her self assurance improved. Now my sister and I are on it and I really can’t say anything bad about it. We started on Thanksgiving (so I’m on day 8) and I have lost 7.2 lbs. I think it really works.
January 28th, 2010 at 2:06 pm
Where can I get the HCG injections? I’m in Baton Rouge, LA and I’m having trouble finding a doctor. Help!
February 15th, 2010 at 12:20 pm
I also want to say I find it funny that not a single person that has actually done this diet properly has a single negative thing to say about it! I have myself done the HCG diet through injections and absolutely love the weightloss and the way i feel i have regained control of my body and weight. I am currently in my second round and have lost a total of 38lbs and no one could convince me that this is harmful with my lasting results feeling great and regaining my cofidence. I have countless friends and family including both my parents who have done it with me and have lost weight they have had on them for over 25 yrs and have tried everything else under the sun to get rid of it! My father had been put on high blood pressure meds and as soon as he started this his blood pressure was the lowest its been in 4 yrs and he has to date lost 55lbs and when he is off he has not had to go back to taking his blood pressure meds because his blood pressure is no longer high.. Ive done soooo much research on this diet and have nothing but extremely good things to say about it! I have helped so many friends, family members and there friends with finding the tools to do this in the comfort of there own home. I am now putting kits together to help others and giving them the resources to get the hcg and do it themselves. my website is completehcg.com and is still in the process of being done but will be alot of help to those of you who want to do the diet have great results and have it be affordable. It should be done in about a week or two 🙂 best wishes to all of you and great job getting off the weight!!
September 18th, 2010 at 11:11 am
I agree the HCG PROTOCOL (NOT DIET) is great… this isn’t something you do long term and then can’t stick to you do a round and them some more rounds if necessary and feel yourself becoming more balanced. I am hypothyroid and I still had major successes… a trick that helped me to do a body cleanse before and after each round. But this really works!!!!! cleanse of no cleanse and I am so sick of the mainstream PHARMA-conspiracy… those guys are either real clever or really ignorant!!!
October 28th, 2010 at 9:43 am
Just finished my first round, lost 13 pounds, and I must say if I didn’t “cheat” every other day it would have been a lot more, I’m now a size 6. This diet is awesome and those studies are crap, if i was eating 500 cal a day without the HCG i would be knawing my arm off!
November 8th, 2010 at 3:37 pm
I am curious to hear how folks have done in maintenance. I hear great reviews from people who are on it or have recently used it but not from folks who have done it years ago and was able to keep the weight off.
December 1st, 2011 at 8:37 pm
I have been on this diet for about 12 days now, I lost 16 lbs to date, but I bought my hcg over the internet and haven’t sout out a DR yet. Also, I started the program all wrong, I forgot to do the 2 load days and was so weak in 5 days that I quick for a week and started again. I was amazed at how easy the weight started coming off with little to no exercise. Also, I feel great and I have tons of energy, not what you would expect on a 500 a day diet. I would recommend to anyone
August 8th, 2012 at 4:22 pm
The diet works great, much better than a lot of other crap thr world is trying to sell. It’s a short term diet that helps you boost confidence and you can see progress. Once the weight is of you just maintain.
August 9th, 2012 at 10:47 pm
What everyone fails to mention is that while the weight loss difference between the placebo and the HCG group was not different, those on the HCG diet lost significantly LESS lean muscle. With HCG you lose abnormal fat. Your metabolism does not go into a normal food deprivation mode, burning both muscle and fat. People who lose weight on the HCG diet lose weight from places they do not normally lose weight from on other diets. I have had several friends be successful on this diet, one of which is a doctor. I am currently on it and having fantastic results. No, it’s NOT just the 500 calories a day. I had an eating disorder through most of high school. I have eating 500 calories a day. I didn’t lose weight this fast or feel this healthy.