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HCG Hormone vs The HCG Diet
HCG Weight loss : It's important that individuals set the record straight on the difference between HCG the hormone and the HCG Diet. HCG is actually just a hormone known as human chorionic gonadotropin. It is naturally secreted in high amounts during pregnancy. In fact the amounts that pregnant women are subjected to is much higher than any dose that most people use for weight loss (including in the HCG diet). HCG the hormone itself has some special properties (which we will discus below) that make it a valuable tool when and if you are trying to lose weight.
The challenge that HCG gets to be a bad name given that the name itself is often linked to the HCG diet. Which is why we need to spend some time to separate these two ideas. The HCG diet is a combination of a sustained very low calorie diet which is joined with HCG injections (or drops) throughout the weight loss phase. The problem with the HCG diet is the duration of the calorie restriction, NOT the HCG hormone itself.
The prolonged calorie restriction in the HCG diet often causes metabolic damage and thyroid changes which almost always bring about regaining any weight that's lost over the diet.
Regardless of this known side effect many people still choose the HCG diet, presumably to the temporary weight loss that results.
At Virtue of Health we've created our own weight loss protocol that does not have you limited to 500 calories each day, but on a diet that is specifically customized on your body type, weight, height, gender, age, BMR and BMI. The dietary plan is also customized to your diet preferences whether you’re vegan, dairy free etc, we’ll make it work for YOU.
Positive benefits of using HCG
Might help regulate sex hormone levels such as estrogen and progesterone - Some ladies have excess levels of sex hormones including estrogen and progesterone which can make weight loss difficult.
Could help regulate appetite suppression - Normalizing appetite levels is important taking a look at caloric consumption. Eating a sufficient amount is necessary for proper metabolism however, many hormone disorders can cause excessive hunger and/or cravings for certain foods which may retard weight loss efforts.
May help increase testosterone (especially in men) - HCG may stimulate and promote normal testosterone levels which often can become dysregulated by other hormone imbalances for instance insulin resistance.
May support thyroid function - HCG has been shown to stimulate thyroid function in expecting mothers and this effect may be part of the reason that HCG is effective as a dietary aid in some diets.
HCG for Women
HCG is often very helpful for certain women who are trying to lose weight.
Point about this benefit may originate from HCG and how it can help regulate estrogen and progesterone levels.
The imbalance of estrogen to progesterone might be responsible, at least in part, for fat gain in certain areas of the body (think breasts, butt, thighs and so on).
This distribution of fat is different from other hormone imbalances which include insulin resistance which will promote weight gain in the abdominal cavity or regarding the organs (so called visceral fat).
The challenge with fat mediated by estrogen and progesterone can it be can be hugely difficult to treat and frequently doesn't respond to conventional exercise and diet routines.
Whether or not these women tend to lose weight, if they don't improve their estrogen/progesterone balance they may end up with an abnormal fat distribution such as very little fat on the abdomen but excess fat on the arms/thighs and so on.
Women who fit this category will manage to benefit from your episodic use of HCG as a complementary therapy to other weight loss therapies.
I've included a list of potential patients who may benefit more than others from the use of HCG depending on my own personal experience and based on various clinical studies.
Which women should consider using HCG?
Women who suffer from "stubborn" weight that is difficult to lose (especially fat in less common areas such as the upper arms, lower legs, etc.)
Women which has a large proportion of their weight in the hips/thighs/butt area
Patient who desire suppressing of your appetite or who need help in regulating their appetite because of other hormone imbalances such as leptin resistance
Women with good baseline estrogen (estrogen dominance)
Women with low baseline progesterone (even if estrogen is normal)
Women that have 50+ pounds to lose or who have failed other weight loss medications
Note: If you fall into any of these groups then HCG is a bit more likely to augment your weight loss
HCG for Men
HCG has many benefits for men and may be the debate that men do so well on the conventional HCG diet when compared to women.
HCG looks similar to another hormone named LH or luteinizing hormone.
Because HCG looks similar to LH (at least to cellular receptors) it may sit on and activate LH receptors and create a normalization or natural boost to testosterone levels in men.
Because testosterone is so important (for both people, but especially in men) at promoting the male physique the use of HCG may stimulate weight loss in men through this mechanism alone.
HCG also need to be considered an integral part of normal testosterone replacement therapy which should include bio-identical testosterone, HCG to retard testicular atrophy and an estrogen blocker.
That is why men tend to benefit greatly from your periodic using HCG especially during weight loss.
It must be noted, though, that HCG mustn't be used in place of testosterone and for extended periods of time.