Weight loss can be difficult, and the current state of the world doesn’t make it any easier. Between work from home, closed gyms, and endless takeout or delivery, everything that makes life easier can make life harder.
A proper exercise and diet plan can take discipline and a lot of time, and even then, they do not always get you the results you were hoping for.
For some people, an imbalance in hormones can be a source of weight gain and what holds them back from getting results with other methods.
HCG, or human chorionic gonadotropin, is one of the hormones that can play a role in weight management. Keep reading to learn more about how HCG can be used for weight loss, other benefits of HCG, and potential strategies for weight loss.
What Is the Role of HCG in the Body?
You may be thinking that HCG sounds familiar, and that is probably because it is a hormone that is measured in urine pregnancy tests. Levels of human chorionic gonadotropin significantly increase in the beginning of pregnancy to support the production of progesterone, which supports growth of the fetus.
HCG in men, however, certainly does not support a growing baby, but it does have another important job. HCG is similar to the luteinizing hormone (LH), which is present in both males and females. LH helps stimulate the male body and testicles to produce testosterone, the primary male sex hormone. Testosterone is responsible for many things including sperm production and sex drive.
How Can HCG Help With Weight Loss?
HCG is not a get-thin quick injection, but, when paired with a certain exercise and diet regimen, it may support you in your weight loss journey. This is typically called the HCG diet.
The HCG diet pairs a low-calorie diet with exercise and HCG injections. The low-calorie diet puts you in a calorie deficit so that your body will begin to use fat for energy, which helps promote weight loss.
The exercise component focuses on building muscle mass while you are losing weight to prevent muscle wasting. The HCG injections are what make the diet unique. These injections provide sufficient HCG to support your healthy weight loss goals.
HCG works in the body by supporting the build-up of muscle, preventing the breakdown of muscle, and supporting the breakdown of fats. This HCG weight loss program is characterized as a balanced program of weight loss and muscle building.
The HCG diet is not a maintenance diet or something that should be used long-term. It is typically recommended to be followed for three to six weeks.
Is HCG FDA Approved?
Human chorionic gonadotropin is an approved medication by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of female infertility. HCG is not approved for weight loss. However, research is continuing to be done that may show the efficacy and safety of HCG for weight loss.
What Are the Side Effects of HCG?
Like other medications and supplements, HCG can have side effects. Some of the mild side effects you may experience with HCG include fatigue, irritability, restlessness, and changes in mood, such as feelings of depression. Also, since HCG is an injection, you may experience pain or inflammation at the injection site.
If you experience any signs or symptoms of an allergic reaction, such as swelling of the lips or tongue, difficulty breathing, sudden weight gain, or nausea and vomiting after taking HCG, you should contact your physician right away.
This is not a comprehensive list of side effects, so ask your pharmacist or healthcare provider for more information on side effects if necessary.
What Should You Do If You Miss a Dose of HCG?
Nobody is perfect, so missing a dose of your medication will probably happen sooner or later. Being prepared for this situation is important so you can get right back on track and feel confident you know what to do.
If you were supposed to take a dose on Monday morning and you remembered later on Monday, you should take it as soon as you remember. However, if you were supposed to take it on Monday and you remember on Tuesday, you should just take the Tuesday dose and continue with your regular schedule.
It is important not to take double the dose as you could be at risk of adverse effects due to excessive amounts of the hormone. If you miss your dose and have further questions you should always call your health care provider for clarification on the appropriate steps to take.
What Are Other Benefits of HCG?
Even if you are taking HCG for weight loss, it will likely still have the same effects in the body as someone taking it for another reason. That being said, you may experience the effects of HCG on testosterone levels and fertility.
Fertility
The number one use of HCG is for boosting fertility mostly in women, but also men. As you know HCG is an analog of luteinizing hormone.
LH is present in both males and females and plays an important role in fertility. In women, LH has two main roles. The first is to stimulate the ovaries to release an egg for ovulation with the goal to induce pregnancy. If the woman becomes pregnant, then LH will remain to support the production of progesterone by the corpus luteum.
So, HCG is typically used in women for fertility treatments to encourage them to release eggs from the ovaries.
In men, luteinizing hormone stimulates the testicles to produce testosterone. Testosterone then stimulates the production of sperm. For those that have low levels of testosterone or low sperm, HCG may be a helpful prescription to support fertility and help with family planning.
Boosting Testosterone Levels
HCG may help to boost testosterone for fertility, but it also has many other benefits as well. Those with low testosterone may notice signs like fatigue, muscle loss, strength loss, weight gain, cloudy thinking, and a decreased sex drive.
As the levels of testosterone begin to decrease with age, it is common for many men to feel the effects of dropping testosterone levels. When the levels of testosterone are brought back to their normal levels you may experience many benefits. The most notable benefits may be an increase in muscle mass and strength since testosterone supports the building up of muscle fibers. Testosterone may also help to remove accumulated fat deposits, especially in the abdomen.
HCG offers an alternative way to naturally boost your testosterone levels if testosterone replacement therapy is not a good option for you.
Other Strategies for Weight Loss
Of course, diet, exercise, and HCG injections may be a good option for supporting your weight loss goals, but there are some alternative options as well. Testosterone replacement therapy, stress reduction techniques, and lipotropic injections may be helpful for weight loss as well.
Testosterone Replacement Therapy
HCG injections can support testosterone increases, however, if low testosterone is your main issue then testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) may be a better fit for you. TRT includes taking hormone injections that can help bring your levels back into the normal range.
Stress Reduction
Stress can have a huge impact on weight gain, and dealing with your stress can be both mental and physical. Finding ways to manage your stress may help to reduce your weight and help you to feel better both inside and out. Some technique ideas you can try are meditation, exercise, mindfulness, and yoga.
Lipotropic Injections
Lipotropic injections are injections that help to break down fat cells in the body. They do this by having ingredients such as methionine, choline, and inositol that work in the body to metabolize fats. These injections work best when paired with diet and exercise to support long-term weight loss. MIC injections may be a great option if you are looking for a little support in burning stubborn fat.
Conclusion
For some, using HCG for weight loss can be an excellent way to support your body in losing weight that insists on sticking around. The HCG diet uses a holistic approach to breaking down fats and building up muscles so that your body can be well-rounded.
There are also other techniques for weight loss if HCG injections are not a good fit, including testosterone replacement therapy, lipotropic, and stress reduction.
Always work with your doctor to determine what the best course of action is for you when trying to lose weight.
Sources:
HCG Weight Loss – Testosterone Therapy, HGH Therapy, and Anti-Aging Solutions