Dinner on the hCG Diet, by Sifu Renka

The very low calorie diet recommended in conjunction with the pregnancy hormone hCG for supposed appetite suppression and weight loss is unproven and potentially dangerous as outlined by the Hormone Foundation–a public education affiliate of the Endocrine Society–in their new “Myth vs. Fact: The Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG) Diet” fact sheet.

Included in the risks of taking injected hCG are long-term breast cancer risk for premenopausal women, blood clots in both men and women, ovarian cysts in women, reduced sperm count and infertility in men, and breast enlargement and tenderness in both men and women. In addition, very low calorie diets put individuals at risk for nutrient deficiencies that can’t be met by multivitamins, and cause gallstones and irregular heartbeat. Read the article about the fact sheet here.

Looks like we’re back to chowing delicious veggies, downing health-promoting water, and dancing Latin-style. Hurray!