What is the history of the HCG diet?

From the 1950s -1970s, Dr. Albert T. Simeons, a British-born physician, developed a weight loss program that used HCG (Human Chorionic Gonadotropin), a natural hormone that is produced when a woman becomes pregnant. Dr. Simeons reasoned that because HCG utilized the pregnant woman's own fat reserves to sustain fetal nutrition during periods of maternal food deprivation, it would be possible for a small amount of HCG to be administered daily to non-pregnant women (and also men) to assist in better utilizing unnecessary visceral fat reserves, thereby facilitating rapid weight loss while on a very low calorie diet (VLCD.)

Under Dr. Simeons' medical supervision, his patients received a subcutaneous injection (into the belly fat area) of HCG daily for a period of 30-40 days. Women on average lost 25-40 pounds and men lost 35-47 lbs, though results varied with each individual. (NOTE: The Riordan Clinic HCG program will use nasal spray, which has been shown to produce identical results without the pain of injection. Sublingual drops or subcutaneous injections are available if medically necessary.)

Dr. Simeons created a research manual, "Pounds and Inches" that focused on the use of HCG as a weight loss solution. He found that HCG alone did not cause weight loss. However, if used in combination with a specific low calorie diet, combined with mild exercise, significant weight loss could occur.

During his research, Dr. Simeons found a relative lack of "starvation symptoms" that would otherwise be expected for a patient on such a low calorie diet (approximately 500 calories.) For example, his patients had minimal or no headaches, hunger pains, generalized weakness, or irritability as long as the low calorie diet was combined with HCG.

(NOTE: In the 60 years since Dr. Simeons' initial research, many more environmental chemicals have been introduced to widespread use. These chemicals tend to be stored in the body's fat reserves and are released when fat is rapidly utilized. This can give rise to unpleasant detoxification symptoms, for which the Riordan Clinic has developed various treatment strategies.)

Despite thousands of weight loss success stories resulting from the combination of HCG and caloric restriction the FDA has never approved HCG as weight-loss medication, although it does not prohibit its use.

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