What are HCG Diet Shots?

HCG diet shots are an injectible form of a hormone used to control the metabollic processes of the body. This product may be used in conjunction with a reduced calorie diet for weight loss. Overweight individuals who are interested in beginning a diet regimen utilizing this hormone should first consult their doctors to make sure it is safe for their metabolisms. This product is not recommended for pregnant or nursing women.

The chemical compound is a form of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG), a hormone that occurs in large doses in the placentas of pregnant women. This hormone is capable of regulating metabolic functions throughout the body through interaction with the hypothalamus gland, which regulates the body's use of adipose fat, among other functions. HCG diet shots are a derivation of those that are injected during fertility treatments. The hormone is extracted from sterile cells only in a laboratory setting without harming pregnant women or animals. It is commonly found through the tissues of both men and non-pregnant women, and is safe for most individuals to use.

This hormone is used to increase the body's ability to burn stored calories throughout the day. Most doctors and nutritionists recommend that while using hcg diet shots, the patient decrease his overall caloric intake on a daily basis. This allows the hypothalamus gland to access reserved fat stores in the body for usage. Though the patient may only consume 500 calories in a day, his body can burn between 2,000 and 3,000 calories, significantly depleting his stores of adipose fat.

Many users of this product report a steady weight loss of one to three pounds (0.5 to 1.4 kilograms) per day. Most doctors recommend that patients do not lose more than 34 to 40 pounds (15.4 to 18 kilograms) during one weight loss cycle. Obese individuals may be permitted to participate in more than one injection session, though they must typically observe a break of several weeks between cycles. Patients may resume a reasonable diet following completion of the treatment and should exercise regularly to maintain the new healthy weight.

Patients using hCG diet shots and eating 500 calories a day are limited to a very strict diet. They may have tea or coffee for breakfast, but are instructed to avoid eating anything. Lunch and dinner each are comprised of 100 grams (3.5 ounces) of lean meat, one vegetable with a high fiber content, one breadstick, and one piece of fruit. The use of makeup, lotions, and body oils that use animal fat is prohibited while actively losing weight.