The hormone, the protocol that borrowed its name, what regulators have ruled and what a supervised programme actually involves.
Human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) is a hormone associated with pregnancy, the hormone that pregnancy tests are built around, and the name that a mid-20th-century diet claim appropriated - while making a separate weight-loss promise.
The HCG diet — known for a "loading" phase, followed by a rapid weight loss regimen on just 500 calories per day — is not backed by the FDA for weight loss, and to date the scientific evidence does not show that HCG itself contributes to the weight loss.
When shopping for HCG products online, it pays to know that the FDA treats HCG in liquid drops or homeopathic tablets very differently from injectable HCG prescribed by doctors.
The price of an HCG program depends on more than your choice of clinic, telehealth provider, or pharmacy.
Very low-calorie diets, defined as providing 800 calories or fewer per day, carry serious risks that make them unsuitable for self-directed use.
HCG, a prescription hormone, gains popularity as a hypothetical weight-loss elixir.
