Dr. Oz Says Give HCG A Try!

Dr. Oz broadcast a full show on the HCG diet on June 28, 2011. Here is a summary of what the show presented.

Dr. Oz did a segment called Weight Loss Miracle or Hype: The HCG Diet. Doctor Oz said that the HCG Diet is a controversial diet where people claim to lose a pound a day and yet they never feel hungry. People–including doctors–have lost weight on the HCG Diet, so does it really work? Is it safe? Is it the miracle weight loss tool we have been waiting for?

Dr. Oz: HCG Diet for Weight Loss

Dr. Oz said that thousands of people swear by the HCG Diet, but it dates back to the 1950’s when a doctor found that HCG could promote weight loss by suppressing appetite and burning fat. On the HCG Diet you only eat 500 calories per day, rather than the 1200 calories that most dietitians believe to be safe.

Dr. Oz: What is HCG?

Dr. Oz said that HCG is the hormone that pregnancy tests measure in your urine to determine if you are pregnant or not. HCG stimulates other hormones in your body to keep a blood supply of those hormones for the growing fetus. He suggested that he was unaware of any real reason why HCG should keep anyone from getting hungry. The thing that Dr. Oz found confusing about the whole HCG weight loss theory was that if HCG suppresses your hunger, why don’t all pregnant women lose their appetite throughout their entire pregnancy?

Dr. Oz: HCG Drops vs HCG Injections

You can either get HCG Shots or HCG Drops that you put under your tongue. Dr. Sheri Emma is a doctor in New Jersey who prescribes the HCG Diet for her patients. On this diet you usually have something like a coffee for breakfast, an apple as a snack, a small portion of protein with a vegetable for lunch, a melba toast mid-afternoon snack, another small portion of protein and some vegetables for dinner, and an apple as a snack at night. The core question though is whether or not the HCG hormone really suppresses your hunger.

Dr. Oz: HCG Shot & 500 Calories Per Day

Dr. Oz asked Dr. Sheri Emma why a patient must make such a dramatic calorie cut, taking daily intake down to 500 calories instead of 1000 or 1200 calories. Dr. Emma said that obesity is becoming an epidemic in this country and people need to get to their goals faster. You are not just living off of the 500 calories from your food anyway, your body also begins to take calories from your fat stores. Interestingly, Dr. Oz noted that HCG is a FDA approved drug for use by fertility specialists.

Dr. Oz: HCG Diet Success

Dr. Oz spoke with several women who all said they had tremendous success while on the HCG Diet. Lisa said the first two days she was hungry. But, she ate lots of greens and drank lots of water and before long she had much more energy and felt better than ever. Lisa lost 15 pounds in 3 weeks, but I have to say that Lisa looked extremely skinny and I cannot imagine that she needed to go on such a strict diet – you have the perfect body Lisa! Another lady said she dropped 30 pounds in 6 weeks and had no side effects and even felt better.

Dr. Oz: How To Do The HCG Diet

Michelle told Dr. Oz that she lost over 50 pounds and it was the best diet she had ever been on. Michelle wakes up every morning and gives herself an HCG Shot to alleviate hunger. Then she has a cup of tea for breakfast, 3.5 ounces of protein and vegetables for lunch, and basically the same diet outlined above. She said the hardest parts were giving up dairy and carbs, and that you do have to be disciplined to go from 1500 calories per day down to 500 calories. Michelle said the HCG Diet has taught her portion control and it will help her when she goes off the diet. Dr. Emma said it costs $800 for a 6 week program. Before she lets anyone go on the HCG Diet, she does a full panel of blood work and looks at vitamin deficiencies and hormone levels.

Dr Oz: HCG Scam or Real?

Dr. Oz asked Dr. Emma about the HCG Drops. She said that HCG Drops are Homeopathic Drops which can only contain trace amounts of real HCG, so it is not pharmaceutical grade. Dr. Oz met a lady named Nina who is a radio host in Chicago. She took the HCG Drops. (In fact, even Dr Oz’s wife Lisa took HCG Drops!) Nina said she lost 50 pounds with the HCG Drops and has been able to keep the weight off. She just used HCG Drops three times a day. Nina got her HCG Drops from Gary Arbuckle, DC. Arbuckle also tried the HCG Drops and said he lost 35 pounds in 40 days because HCG typically helps men lose weight faster than women. He said that he gets his HCG Drops through a FDA inspected pharmaceutical company and claims that they are just as effective as the HCG Shots.