Have anyone tried HCG Diet?

• What is HCG?

HCG stands for Human Chorionic Gonadotropin, which is a hormone produced by both sexes, but is usually found in high quantities in pregnant women.

When a female becomes pregnant, her body will begin to produce the hormone in order to metabolize (process) the fat, so that it can be utilized by the baby.

HCG is used by doctors to test how a pregnancy is advancing, and is also used to stimulate the production of estrogen in females and testosterone in males.

• HCG weight loss

Weight loss through the HCG hormone, also known as the HCG diet, was first used as far back as the 1950's, when injections of the hormone along with a low calorie diet were used to aid weight loss.

It was thought that as HCG metabolized fat in pregnant women, that it could have the same effect on both non-pregnant females and males.

However, though some health centers still prescribe the HCG diet, the Food and Drug Administration service (FDA) and American Medical Association (AMA,) have never formally approved the hormone for this purpose, and it has actually been proven to show no signs of aiding weight loss.

Doctors believe that any lost weight from the HCG diet is not down to the hormone injection, but in fact the low calorie diet of only 500 calories per day.

• Further information

If you are contemplating a HCG diet or may be worried about your weight in any way, it is recommended that you seek the advice of a qualified doctor or nutritionist.

No, but I know people who have -- and it's a very unhealthy diet.  I have seen anorexics eat more calories than people on this diet.