Friday 6 April 2012

HCG drops scam


This is the latest scam doing the rounds and parting the foolish and the desperate from their cash with promises of spectacular weight loss. Adds for this are permeating far more than the usual places, and they have even hacked into facebook accounts. DZ has even had one as a comment on his blog.

This is actually two scams in one. HCG drops proper claim to contain Human Chorionic Gonadotrophin, which the scammers claim affects metabolism to burn off fat. 

Those who might consider trying this should think about three basic facts.
1. HCG is produced in pregnancy in quite large amounts. Pregnancy does NOT as a rule cause weight loss. Does it?
2. HCG is a polypeptide hormone, a protein. If you take it orally exactly the same thing happens to it as any other ingested protein, such as fish, or bacon. It’s broken down by the digestive process. You won’t absorb any HCG, only the amino acids it’s been broken down into
3. HCG drops are supposed to be taken in conjunction with a strict 500 calorie a day diet in order to result in weight loss. You will lose weight on 500 cals a day most definitely whether or not you take HCG.

This latter principle is illustrated well by another aspect of this scam. You can also get homeopathic HCG, which unsurprisingly, in conjunction with a 500 cal/day diet, results in weight loss too. It’s HOMEOPATHY. There’s fuck all in it!

Both products have been declared fraudulent and illegal by the FDA in the USA.

So if you want to lose weight, and are prepared to endure a 500 cal/day diet, good luck to you. If you can stick to it it will work. But don’t fool yourself that the weight loss is due to these worthless, and expensive products. Save your money and treat yourself to some smaller size clothes.

1 comment:

  1. My neice, who is 17, had an advert for this crap on her facebook page. Turns out she had been fraped. But obviously targetting a specific group - teenage girls.

    Many years ago I took part in a weight loss drug study. Proper testing, examination by doctor, discussion by dietitian and regular bloods and VERY strict diet. Took 1500 calories a day. Still don't know if I took genuine drug or placebo but surprise, surprise I lost an average of 2 lbs a week. I found it very easy to stick to as I had to account to a big angry dietitian if I went over the recommended amount.

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