By Dr. Rick Tague

HCG … is it for me?

Probably not.  There has been a resurgence of interest in the HCG Diet in recent months.   HCG stands for Human Chorionic Gonadotropin which is a hormone secreted by the trophoblastic cells of the placenta during pregnancy.  Dr. A. Simeons proposed it as a treatment of obesity back in 1954.  At that time, it was part of a 500 calorie diet in conjunction with 125 units of HCG injected six days per week for eight weeks.  Patients were instructed to eat just two meals a day with a less than recommended protein allowance (just 45-50 grams per day).  The diet reemerged in the 1970s as a rapid weight loss plan claiming minimal hunger, no noticeable weakness and significant fat loss in the stomach, hips, thighs and upper arms.   After a series of trials debunking the effectiveness of the HCG Diet, it fell out of favor until just recently.