What Are the Benefits of HCG Injections?
Human chorionic gandotrophin, or HCG, is a hormone found in the urine of pregnant women. There are many speculated benefits associated with the use of HCG. Some claim that it is a highly effective tool in the fight against weight loss. This is not only an unproven claim, but the official U.S. Food and Drug Administration position is that it is untrue. However, the medical community does concur that there are some benefits to HCG in the treatment of certain conditions, including infertility and various hormone related problems.
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Identification
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HCG is a water soluble hormone produced by the placenta. It is found in the urine of pregnant women, primarily during the first trimester of pregnancy. It is part of a class of glycoprotein hormones, which include FSH (follicle stimulating hormones), TSH (thyroid stimulating hormones) and LH (luteinizing hormones). It contains both alpha and beta amino acids.
Benefits
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HCG can help to increase an infertile woman's chances of becoming pregnant, and it can help women suffering from irregular menstrual cycles. It also aids in the production of testosterone and sperm. Finally, male children who are born with cryptorchidism (an abnormality in the testes present at birth) are aided by HCG.
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HCG and Obesity Claims
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Between the late 1950s, when first introduced by Dr. Simeons, and 1976, when the FDA and Federal Trade Commission took steps against HCG injections, HCG injections were the most popular method of obesity control in America. Dr. Simeons claimed that the drugs allowed people to live on as few as 500 calories a day, and that the drugs distributed stored fat and helped the body to metabolize fat.
Some speculate their popularity was aided by doctors who wished to have the promise of patients returning for a weekly injection. Due to lack of proven results and the government action, HCG injections lost popularity until they were revived in 2007 by an infomercial and book by Kevin Trudeau claiming that HCG injections were the cure to obesity and that the American Medical Association, FDA and other medical groups were part of a conspiracy to suppress the truth.
FDA Position on HCG and Obesity
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Many doctors will no longer perform HCG injections due to the lack of proven results and the potential side effects and risks associated with the drugs. Furthermore, since 1975, the FDA has required a warning to be affixed to HCG products stating that they have not been proven to be an effective therapy in the fight against obesity, that no evidence shows that they fulfill any of the promised claims.
Side Effects
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In males, side effects of HCG include breast enlargement, height increases, and/or the sudden development of facial or pubic hair when administered to adolescents. When used as a treatment for fertility, HCG can cause indigestion, vomiting or nausea, uncontrollable passing of small amounts of urine, difficulty breathing, bloating or rapid weight gain.
If used as an obesity aid in conjunction with a very low calorie diet, risks of drastic calorie reduction exist, as doctors warn that eating a 500 calorie diet may not be enough to sustain vital organs within the body.
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