Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG) is a hormone naturally produced in the body and is significantly increased during pregnancy.  hCG has many functions within the body including maintaining progesterone production & immune function during pregnancy.  As a mother goes through the stages of pregnancy, her hCG levels correspondingly rise in order to help maintain nutrition for the growing placenta.

It is for this reason that hCG is sometimes used for early pregnancy testing.  However it should be noted that while hCG can be used as a fertility drug in high enough doses (10,000 units for a one time use), the amount of hCG used in the hCG weight loss program is far less (150 units, 6 days a week) & does not significantly increase a woman’s chances of getting pregnant while on the diet.

Origins of the hCG Diet

The hCG diet was created by Dr. A.T.W. Simeons in the late 1960’s.  Dr. Simeons observed that pregnant women in India whom are naturally subjected to calorie-deficient diets were still bearing healthy newborn children.  He hypothesized that the increased levels of hCG produced by the placenta during pregnancy must be responsible for aiding in the nutrition and development of the child throughout pregnancy.  He reasoned that the hypothalamus programs the body to use hCG to utilize the mother’s fat stores in order to help protect the developing fetus.  He began using low doses of hCG in conjunction with a low calorie diet in order to help facilitate weight loss.  What he observed is that it helped overweight & obese adults to lose dramatic amounts of fat & weight in a short amount of time.  Furthermore he found that the fat which was lost was not the “good” protecting fat that surrounds the organs, but rather the “bad” fat which is typically found in problem areas such as the buttocks, thighs, under arms & waist line.

Storage of hCG

hCG may come in several different forms, but the compounded liquid form dispensed by Essential Pharmacy Compounding should be always stored in a refrigerator.  Typically hCG potency lasts approximately 30 days.  It should be noted that freezing hCG has not been shown to increase its shelf life, and is therefore not advised.  Keeping the hCG solution in the refrigerator is essential to being able to see any potential benefits of the hCG diet.

Criteria for starting hCG Weight Loss Program

• Physical exam and laboratory analysis of CBC, CMP, TSH, Lipid Profile within the last year.
• BMI greater than 25.
• Must be 19 years or older.
• Weekly clinic visits until the desired weight loss is achieved.
• Follow up monthly for maintenance program is optional.

Overview of Program

Phase 1: An optional month of cleansing, consisting of eating organic healthy foods and doing various herbal cleanses to the body.

• Set up an appointment for a 1 hour consultation with our Nurse Practitioner.
• Print out the online nutritional analysis nutritional worksheet from by clicking here and bring the completed forms with you to your first appointment.  Also, bring any laboratory analysis that you have had done in the last year (optional).
• During the first visit, the Nurse Practitioner will explain the weight loss program and answer any questions about the administration of the hCG and the calories and foods the patient should eat.  Vital signs, weight, BMI, and a physical assessment will be done during the visit.
• After the initial 1 hour consultation, the patient is required to make weekly appointments to weigh in, assess vital signs, pick up the hCG for the next week and get questions answered if needed.

Phase 2: hCG will be given along with a low calorie diet. hCG is administered by injection, or sublingual. The diet is a strict specific 800 calorie per day diet plan.

• For 2 days, you eat as many calories as possible with hCG.
• Start the low calorie diet, along with hCG on day 3. hCG injection must be skipped one day per week to prevent immunity, but the low calorie diet is maintained. This time frame applies to those administering by injection. Those administering the hCG sublingually are allowed to stay on Phase 2 until they’ve lost all the weight they would like to. With the sublingual method, the hCG can be taken every day without risk of immunity.
• After 40 days on the hCG, do 72 hours on the low calorie diet without the hCG.

Phase 3 – Go 3 weeks on a diet without starches and sugars. Eat lean meats, fruit, nuts, vegetables, whole grain breads and low fat dairy.  If you go 2 pounds over your last hCG day, you must have a steak day, where you have only water or tea until dinner, and then eat a steak and either an apple or a tomato.

Phase 4 – Eat a balanced diet of lean meats, fruit, nuts, vegetables, whole grain breads and low fat dairy.  Avoid processed foods.  You must continue to weigh yourself every day, and the steak day applies in this phase as well. If you are at your desired weight, you will stay on phase 4 for the rest of your life. If you weigh yourself everyday and do the steak day immediately if you go over 2 pounds, you shouldn’t need to go on a diet again. If you haven’t lost all the weight you would like and are taking the injections, you must stay on Phase 4 for 3 weeks, and then you can start a second round of Phase 2, with the hCG and low calorie diet. The only difference is with each round you do, you must double the amount of time in Phase 4. For example, if you are in your second round, you must stay in Phase 4 for 6 weeks. If it is your third round, you must stay in Phase 4 for 12 weeks.

Storage & Disposal of Needles

Needles should be kept in a safe location inaccessible to children & should be disposed of in a Sharps container.  Sharps containers are puncture resistant containers which are typically red or white & can be found at your local Kohll’s pharmacy.  The lids of these containers should be additionally secured with duct tape & labeled “MEDICAL WASTE” in permanent ink.  After the lid is secured & the container has reached capacity, the container should be disposed of in the trash, NOT the recycle bin.  It is not recommended to ever try to reuse or recap used needles.

Additional Resources:

L. Prinster, HCG Weight Loss Cure Guide, CreateSpace, 2008

A. Simeone, Pounds & Inches: A New Approach to Obesity, Salvator Mundi International Hospital, 1967