The placenta produces a water-soluble hormone which is called HCG. HCG is traced during the first trimester in the urine of a pregnant woman. It is one type of glycoprotein hormone which is made up of other hormones such as Follicle Stimulating Hormones (FSH), Luteinizing Hormones (LH) and Thyroid Stimulating Hormones (TSH). HCG is made up of both alpha and beta amino acids.
Benefits
There are quite a number of benefits that come with HCG. One, it helps in increasing the chances of pregnancy in a woman especially to them who are suffering from menstrual cycles which come irregularly. Secondly, HCG aids the male children who are born with cryptorchidism. This is a form of abnormality which occurs at birth. The third function of HCG is for the production of sperm and testosterone in the bodies of adult males.
HCG and Obesity Claims
Before the rise against HCG injections in America, they were proved and considered as the best way of taking control of obesity. People who suffered from obesity used this drug which had the ability of metabolizing fat in the body. This was proven by Dr. Simeons, a qualified doctor in health matters. HCG injections were forced out of the market for some time because there were no sufficient proven results earlier but in 2007, Mr. Kevin Trudeau wrote a book in which he shows that HCG injections can treat obesity problem. The FDA, the American Medical Association and some other medical groups also supported it. Currently, the government had them returned as the best cure for obesity.
FDA Position on HCG and Obesity
Since 1975, the FDA has claimed that doctors cannot use the HCG injections on obese patients. They claimed that they do not have proven results for the same. Additionally, they claimed that there has not been any fulfillment of any claims which had been promised by the doctors.
Side Effects
Some of the major side effects of HCG in males include extra height increase and breast enlargement, and in adolescent male, sudden hair growth on the face and pubic hair.
If it is used to treat fertility problem, regular passing of urine in small amounts, indigestion, breathing problem and vomiting can occur to the patient. Some people also experience fast weight gain.
For the people who use it for the reduction of weight, drastic reduction of calories can occur.