Think Twice Before Trying hCG For Weight Loss

People who have trouble controlling their weight are often tempted to try more “exotic” solutions. If they are tempted to try choriornic gonadatropin (hCG), a prescription hormone, there are plenty of health experts who advise that they don't.

According to the website WebMD, hCG is used to aid proper sexual development in both boys and girls. Those who advocate its use for weight loss also prescribe a very low-calorie diet, as few as 800 calories per day. Doctors say it is the restriction of calories, not the hormone, that causes weight loss.

Not approved for weight loss

The Food and Drug Administration has not approved hCG for weight loss, and in fat requires a “black box" warning on the prescription labels clearly stating that fact. Despite that, many people continue to use it, often obtaining the hormone through Internet pharmacies.

Many, like Jennifer, of the Bronx, N.Y., who thought she was getting a “free sample of hCG from Power Health Brands, end up paying a lot more than they expect.

“I ordered the trial bottle but my account was charged $84.95,” Jennifer told ConsumerAffairs.com. “I returned the product by First-Class Mail and requested that my account be credited. To date, my account has not been credited nor has there been an explanation as to why not despite repeated emails to them.”

Texas takes action

Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott has reached agreements with several weight-loss clinics and a distributor of a weight loss product in Texas that were marketing hCG for weight loss uses. Under the agreement, the businesses must significantly alter the way they market their services and/or products.

The clinics all advertised hCG for weight loss and the distributor advertised and sold a homeopathic version of hCG as a weight loss product, according to Abbott.

The following businesses have agreed to stop advertising hCG for weight loss:

• Biohealth of Texas, LLC, which operated in at least a dozen north Texas cities;
• Weight Control of Texas, Inc., based in San Antonio;
• Gulf Coast Plastic Surgery, P.A. of Houston; Dragon’s Breath Massage of Keller; and
• Optimum Health Care, LLC of Pantego. Professional Health Products Southwest of Arlington agreed to stop advertising and distributing homeopathic hCG.

Although physicians are generally allowed to prescribe products for non-FDA-approved purposes, drugs cannot be marketed or advertised for a medical use unless that purpose has been approved by the FDA. As a result, physicians and weight-loss clinics may not advertise hCG for weight loss in part because the FDA has stated there is no substantial evidence indicating that hCG leads to weight loss, beyond that which stems from severe dieting.

There are, in fact, no approved homeopathic or over-the-counter hCG products.