How Do HCG Diets Work?
What is hCG?
The human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), discovered in 1954 by British physician Dr. Albert Simeons, was originally intended to get women of child-bearing age pregnant. The hormones’ original medical application was to stimulate the ovaries of women who have irregular or absent menses. This hormone is highly employed in the field of assisted reproduction therapies like in vitro fertilization or intrauterine insemination because of its high success rate.
In pregnant women, the levels of hCG are checked via urine, because detectable traces of it are produced by the fertilized embryo after conception. hCG is mainly responsible for preserving the corpus luteum (where ovaries are housed) which in turn produces progesterone that is responsible for the thickening of the endometrium, or the lining of uterus, in order to support the growing fetus.
How does hCG relate to weight loss?
The hormone does not only supply nutrients to the growing fetus via the thickened uterus, it also unlocks the mothers’ food reserves. Think of it as nature’s way to provide for the offspring in cases of famine. These reserves are found in the adipose tissue in the form of (stubborn) fat. These are the kind of fats that are hard to lose even with rigorous exercise and strict diet because they are mainly found in double chins, flabby arms, and muffin tops.
So essentially, the surge of hCG tells the hypothalamus – the seat of the brain that directs many autonomic functions, metabolism included – to release energy that has been safe-kept in the form of fat. This is the female body’s override in case the pregnant mother lacks essential nutrition because she cannot hold food down, which is usually the case during the first trimester.
How does the hCG diet work?
For people to lose weight, calories burned should be more than calories consumed. Because hCG is facilitating the release of stored fat to fuel the body’s basic metabolic processes, only a few amount of dietary calories are needed for the rest of the body’s activities. That is why the hCG cycles are coupled with 500-calorie-a-day diets so that the body will not derive extra fuel from excessive calories.
Eventually, as the body burns stubborn fat, those areas that hoard them (the chin, the biceps, the midsection) return to their normal form. hCG allows the body to reset its metabolism so that only “old” fat are used up instead of the new one.
Who is the hCG diet for?
The diet is for everybody 18 years old and above who wants to lose stubborn pounds. To ensure that no medical risks are encountered, dieters are advised to get a clean bill of health from their health service providers before starting the hCG diet program.
Is hCG diet safe?
The hormone does not unlock the fat stored in tissues between the organs because they are a different kind of fats. The diet is not for the long-term, so food choices and normal eating habits resume after one cycle. Depending on the amount of fat that the body does not need, the cycle can either be 15 or 30 days long. After that, the dieter can go back to normal eating patterns. Regular exercise is recommended to maintain the ideal weight.
