Weight loss seekers, listen up: Today the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) issued a warning stating that HCG (human chorionic gonadotropin), a hormone found in some weight loss products, could be very dangerous, not to mention ineffective and illegal as well.
HCG is found naturally in pregnant women’s urine, and has been touted as the active ingredient in a variety of over-the-counter weight loss products that are offered in the form of sprays, tablets and oral droplets.
Seven HCG weight loss product companies, all of whom have received warning letters from the FDA and the FTC (Federal Trade Commission), sell over-the-counter products containing HCG, advertising them as “natural” metabolism boosters.
HCG Products Recommend Intake of 500 Calories or Less per Day?
According to Elizabeth Miller, an FDA spokesperson who announced the warning, the first red flag indicating the ineffectiveness and danger of HCG-containing products is the fact that their packaging recommends a daily caloric intake of 500 calories, maximum.
She said that any weight loss resulting from the use of HCG would likely stem from the fact that the user was consuming fewer than 500 calories per day, and not any effect derived from the HCG itself.
Further, Miller warned of the dangers of consuming so few calories. Not only would such a calorie-restricted diet fail to deliver sustained weight loss (see “Nutritional Strategies – Common Misconceptions No. 1″) by disrupting metabolism, but it could result in serious health conditions including electrolyte imbalances, nutritional deficiencies, heart arrhythmias and gallstones.
Companies Selling Weight Loss Drugs Containing HCG
The seven companies to receive cease-and-desist letters from the FTC and the FDA include the following:
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HCG Drops, LLC
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HCG-MiracleWeightLoss.com
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HCG Diet Direct
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TheOriginalHCGDrops.com
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HCG Platinum, LLC
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Natural Medical Supply, LLC DBA HCG Complete Diet
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Nutri Fusion Systems, Inc.
Assistant director Richard Cleland of the FTC said that any other companies marketing a product containing HCG should similarly cease operations or face legal action.
An Industry “Driven by Fraud”
Cleland said that the weight loss industry, historically, has been driven by fads and fraud. Weight loss seekers are often desperate and feel they have exhausted other options, so they resort to a drug with no real foundation in science and no proof as to its effectiveness or safety.
He mentioned other fad weight loss products including those containing acai berries and Hoodia gordonii, ingredients often billed as “natural miracles” by the weight loss drug industry despite undergoing little scientific research.
It should be noted that acai berries, at least in their raw form, have an antioxidant-rich nutritional profile similar to that of pomegranates. Although acai berries are certainly nutritious, little existing research indicates their efficacy for weight loss.
HCG Weight Loss Products: The Bottom Line
If you currently use any HCG weight loss products, discontinue them immediately. The FDA is currently issuing warning letters to the makers of HCG weight loss products, due to the fact that HCG has not been scientifically verified as safe or effective. Consuming a diet restricted to 500 or fewer calories per day, as some HCG weight loss companies suggest, could be very dangerous to your health.
FitnessHealth 101 believes that the safest, most natural and most effective path to weight loss is a combination of a healthy, balanced, calorie-conscious diet and regular physical activity.
Although some overweight and obese individuals may benefit from the use of weight loss pills, this decision should never be made without first consulting your medical professional. This applies to both over-the-counter and prescription weight loss drugs.
