Dr. Oz Explores HCG Diet Weight Loss Benefits and Drawbacks
Today on the Dr. Oz Show, Dr. Oz spoke with several guests that have been on the HCG diet to determine if the HGC diet is truly the miracle weight loss plan many proclaim it is, or if it is actually dangerous.
People on the HCG diet are supposed to be able to lose an incredible 1 to 2 pounds per day, on a very restricted diet of 500 calories per day, without feeling hungry. Research on HCG, a hormone found to help suppress hunger, dates back to the 1950s.
Several people on the Dr. Oz Show said they stand by the HCG diet, saying they have lost weight quickly, had more energy and did not suffer from hunger. Others said that it made them ill, suffering with headaches, lethargy, mood swings, and missed menstrual cycles. One woman also said that her hair began to fall out while on the HCG diet.
Pure HCG is given as daily injections prescribed by a doctor, although many homeopathic drops stating that they contain HCG are available online, in drug stores and in health food stores. Dr. Emma, a doctor that specializes in the HCG diet, said that concentrations of HCG in drops were not high enough to be beneficial. Other audience members and guests disagreed, saying they took the drops 3 times a day to achieve their weight loss goals and that the drops worked for them.
At the end of the segment, Dr. Oz concluded that he could not recommend HCG drops, as there was no way to guarantee the amount of HCG, if any, in them. He also said that nobody should undertake a 500 calorie diet of any kind without a doctor being involved.
Dr. Oz did say that he believed the HCG diet was worth further investigation, although he believes the diet should only be undertaken by individuals when under the care of a doctor that specializes in the HCG diet.
Several books have been written about the HCG diet, including HCG Weight Loss Cure Guide by Linda Prinster, HCG Diet Made Simple written by Harmony Clearwater Grace, and The HCG Diet: Everything You Need to Know about The HCG Diet by G. McGwire and Modern Health Publishing.
Cookbooks have also been specifically written for HCG dieters. Among these are 101 Worry – Free HCG Diet Recipes by Linda Prinster and Leanne Mennemeier, The HCG Diet Gourmet Cookbook by Tammy Skye and 100 Recipes to keep you on Phase II of HCG co-authored by Christine Hunt and Jayme Hunt.
Source: by Kathy Wolfe for NewsFuzion on Feb. 22, 2011 at http://newsfuzion.com/2011/02/22/dr-oz-explores-hcg-diet-weight-loss-benefits-and-drawbacks/
