The online medical database, PubMed, lists a total of 20,489 research articles on hCG as of May, 2013. Just 93 of these have anything to do with weight loss, most of them loosely so. Furthermore, the past decade reveals 5,341 articles on hCG, just 33 of which are loosely associated with weight loss. Of those 33, none are actual studies of the hCG diet for weight loss. This subject is clearly not a high priority in medical research.
In spite of these results, one particular study has appeared recently, which is not even listed as a weight loss study on PubMed. This is because it focuses on changes in cardiovascular risk factors with weight loss. HCG just happens to be the strategy for reducing weight for this study. The full citation data for this study are:
Mikirova NA, Casciari JJ, Hunninghake RE, Beezley MM. Effect of weight reduction on cardiovascular risk factors and CD34-positive cells in circulation. Int J Med Sci. 2011;8(6):445-52.
The experiment was designed to follow a modified Simeons protocol, as follows:
1) Oral supplements consisting of the following nutrients: 250 mg tyrosine, 2 mg beta-glucan, 200 mcg selenium, 1 mg folic acid, 5 mg iodine, 7.5 mg potassium iodide, 600 mg magnesium, 5 g vitamin D3, 60 mg coenzyme Q10, 150 mg lipoic acid, 340 mg acetyl-L-carnitine, 100 mg vitamin B complex, and a probiotic (2 billion CFU acidophilus with 2 billion CFU bifidus and 109 mg FOS); 2) Daily sublingual treatments by vitamin B12 (1,000 mcg per day); 3) Meals totaling 500 calories per day, consisting of: breakfast of coffee/tea with no sugar or one fruit serving, with lunch and dinner each comprising of 3.5 oz of lean protein, a vegetable serving, a bread serving, and a fruit serving; 4) Daily treatments of hCG nasal spray, at doses of 125 - 180 IU.
The experimental schedule was as follows: patients took supplements, B12, and hCG for two days prior to beginning a 36-day very low calorie diet. This period was followed by a 35-day period during which food intake was gradually raised while keeping sugar and starch intake very low. The hCG treatment was stopped at the end of this period.
The most weight lost by any subject was about 37.8 lbs. The least was 5.5 lbs. The article did not explain the reason behind this wide discrepancy except to say that those who started out the heaviest lost the most weight.
Furthermore, average body fat decreased by 12.4 percent, along with a mean decrease in lean body mass of 5.7 percent. In other words, fat loss dropped at double the rate of lean body mass. This result is exactly what Dr. Simeons had already shown way back in 1954.
Cardiovascular risk indicators also showed a statistically significant improvement in total cholesterol, the ratio of total to HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and the ratio of LDL to HDL cholesterol. Improvement also occurred in levels of triglycerides, fasting blood glucose, and VLDL cholesterol. The HDL cholesterol levels did not change.
And as for those CD34-positive cells? Scientists are always looking for new indicators of cardiovascular health other than blood lipids. Cell types such as CD34-positive cells may be one. Their production negatively correlate with damage to the lining of vascular tissue. Damage to cells that help repair such tissue correlate with obesity. When the production of these goes down, damage increases. Production of CD34-positive cells is an example of a potential indicator of improved vascular health.
The authors showed how an increase in production of CD34-positive cells correlates with changes in percent body fat. Specifically, there was a strong positive correlation between an increase in this cell type and the percent reduction in body fat. This is the positive result that indicates improved vascular health as percent body fat goes down.
In spite of these results, one particular study has appeared recently, which is not even listed as a weight loss study on PubMed. This is because it focuses on changes in cardiovascular risk factors with weight loss. HCG just happens to be the strategy for reducing weight for this study. The full citation data for this study are:
Mikirova NA, Casciari JJ, Hunninghake RE, Beezley MM. Effect of weight reduction on cardiovascular risk factors and CD34-positive cells in circulation. Int J Med Sci. 2011;8(6):445-52.
The experiment was designed to follow a modified Simeons protocol, as follows:
1) Oral supplements consisting of the following nutrients: 250 mg tyrosine, 2 mg beta-glucan, 200 mcg selenium, 1 mg folic acid, 5 mg iodine, 7.5 mg potassium iodide, 600 mg magnesium, 5 g vitamin D3, 60 mg coenzyme Q10, 150 mg lipoic acid, 340 mg acetyl-L-carnitine, 100 mg vitamin B complex, and a probiotic (2 billion CFU acidophilus with 2 billion CFU bifidus and 109 mg FOS); 2) Daily sublingual treatments by vitamin B12 (1,000 mcg per day); 3) Meals totaling 500 calories per day, consisting of: breakfast of coffee/tea with no sugar or one fruit serving, with lunch and dinner each comprising of 3.5 oz of lean protein, a vegetable serving, a bread serving, and a fruit serving; 4) Daily treatments of hCG nasal spray, at doses of 125 - 180 IU.
The experimental schedule was as follows: patients took supplements, B12, and hCG for two days prior to beginning a 36-day very low calorie diet. This period was followed by a 35-day period during which food intake was gradually raised while keeping sugar and starch intake very low. The hCG treatment was stopped at the end of this period.
The most weight lost by any subject was about 37.8 lbs. The least was 5.5 lbs. The article did not explain the reason behind this wide discrepancy except to say that those who started out the heaviest lost the most weight.
Furthermore, average body fat decreased by 12.4 percent, along with a mean decrease in lean body mass of 5.7 percent. In other words, fat loss dropped at double the rate of lean body mass. This result is exactly what Dr. Simeons had already shown way back in 1954.
Cardiovascular risk indicators also showed a statistically significant improvement in total cholesterol, the ratio of total to HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and the ratio of LDL to HDL cholesterol. Improvement also occurred in levels of triglycerides, fasting blood glucose, and VLDL cholesterol. The HDL cholesterol levels did not change.
And as for those CD34-positive cells? Scientists are always looking for new indicators of cardiovascular health other than blood lipids. Cell types such as CD34-positive cells may be one. Their production negatively correlate with damage to the lining of vascular tissue. Damage to cells that help repair such tissue correlate with obesity. When the production of these goes down, damage increases. Production of CD34-positive cells is an example of a potential indicator of improved vascular health.
The authors showed how an increase in production of CD34-positive cells correlates with changes in percent body fat. Specifically, there was a strong positive correlation between an increase in this cell type and the percent reduction in body fat. This is the positive result that indicates improved vascular health as percent body fat goes down.
About the Author:
See Dr. Dennis Clark's scientific views of common issues with the hCG diet in his free report, Myths and Truths About HCG Weight Loss and his recommendations on where to order hCG.
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