Too many people are looking for a miracle drug, one that will cure their obesity, curb their appetite and shrink their waste line. The HCG diet is just another one of those “spaceship” concepts that attempt to offer you all of the above without sound nutritional discipline on the participant’s behalf. This fad diet offered that spaceship in spades, only to be quickly yanked off the shelf December 6, 2011, by the FDA.
In contrast to many online claims, the FDA did not approve the HCG Diet and has now stepped in to have it removed for various health concerns. The only approval issued by the FDA for hCG is the use for female infertility and some other medical conditions, but not as a diet drug. (Ref: http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm281333.htm)
As a stimulator for fat burning, the diet uses the hCG protein (aka Human chorionic gonadotropin or gonadotrophin) to help the user lose weight. Made after conception by the developing embryo, hCG is later produced by part of the placenta. Aside from this process, hCG is also produced by some “cancerous tumors”, either as a cause or an effect. (See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_chorionic_gonadotropin).
If you’re thinking what I’m thinking, “How in the world does something as dangerously stupid as this product make its way onto the shelf of my local pharmacy?”, then this blog should mean more to you than just this one warning about this one diet. The next time you visit your local pharmacy take notice of the products on the shelves of the “diet and nutrition” section, many claiming FDA approval. Every single one of them (to some extent) claim to be the answer, don’t they? From shrinking waist lines to bulging abs, the advertisements are alluring. Quick fixes abound while the real answer eludes the average consumer. Even the less ominous products like “Green Tea” and “Acia Berry” antioxidants rate up at the top of the list for appetite reducing or wellness producing answers.
So how do we arm ourselves against the seduction of savvy marketing? Beware diet ads and seemingly trustworthy labels! The HCG Diet product was sold online ranging in price from $17.99 - $32.99, offered by vendors that sported names and titles like “Nutrition” and “Fitness” as their focus. The following is the online ad that seduced the HCG consumer into trying their product:
“Dr Simons also noted that even without exercise the HCG diet reshaped his patient’s bodies. He concluded this was due to fat losses in adipose tissue accumulations, which made the changes more apparent. Most HCG Dieters report a loss of 1 to 2 lbs a day. 1 lb is generally lost in the first day. Fiber and water intake are both critical to success of this diet plan. More recent authorities on the HCG diet suggest the HCG diet can be made even more effective by utilizing only organic foods, as well as vitamins. Thousands of people have experienced success with the HCG diet. Will you be the next success story?”
The ploy behind the HCG diet linked itself to the natural purpose of hCG during the developing embryo’s life inside the womb: To burn off fat in the mother's body feeding the baby while in her womb. In addition to the misuse of hCG is a restrictive 500 calorie a day diet (utterly insane to say the least) that isn’t sustainable or healthy. The manufacturer’s claims of weight loss prevail, touting the safety of the HCG drops and the low calorie diet. The problem with most weight loss products begins with what it doesn’t do for the consumer: Provide balanced nutrition versus quick fixes. That is why most quick fix diet plans are just another spaceship with faulty landing gear.
Now of course we’re all thinking to ourselves “How could anyone be so gullible?” But before you judge realize that many people are simply uneducated, frustrated and desperate to lose weight but don’t understand totally “how” and want a quick fix out of that desperation. These are going to be people who want to swallow a pill, consume a drop or follow some unorthodox method on their way to their new svelte figure. The greatest danger with fad dieting has and always will be the unknown results, many of which are life threatening (to say the least).
Check with the FDA website to see if what you’re considering consuming has been approved before you try any off the shelf diet method (http://www.fda.gov/default.htm). You can easily search this site by typing in the name of the product you’re reviewing in their search engine section. If the FDA hasn’t approved it, then you should not consume it. But remember, it can take up to a year before the FDA recalls a product and by that time…the damage is done.
But better than buying your diet through a box, pill, or drop, practice your wellness by investing in a class or seminar that teaches basic nutrition. You'd be amazed at how easy it is to lose weight when you practice wellness!
Quick Tips for Wellness: Don’t believe every claim on a label and never take a short cut along your journey toward wellness.
Quick Tips for Wellness ™ Copyright © 2011
