HCG Diet: Why We Don’t Recommend It (and What Works Instead)

July 5, 2026 · John Bergeron, MD

What is the HCG diet?

The HCG diet was first described by Dr. A.T.W. Simeons in 1954. It pairs a very low calorie diet of about 500 calories a day with injections of HCG, human chorionic gonadotropin, over roughly an eight-week period. HCG is the hormone detected by pregnancy tests, and it is FDA-approved as a prescription treatment for certain fertility and hormonal conditions. It is not approved for weight loss.

The premise of the diet is that HCG mobilizes stored fat and blunts hunger, making the 500-calorie plan tolerable. That premise has not held up, which is the heart of why we do not prescribe it.

Does the HCG diet actually work?

Any weight lost on the HCG diet comes from the extreme calorie restriction, not from the hormone. Multiple double-blind studies since Simeons published his work have reached the same conclusion: HCG itself has no measurable effect on weight loss. Anyone who eats only 500 calories a day for weeks will lose weight, but the HCG injections are not the reason, and most bariatric physicians consider that level of restriction unsafe.

The FDA agrees. There are no FDA-approved HCG products for weight loss, and the agency has stated there is no substantial evidence that HCG increases weight loss beyond what calorie restriction alone produces. Prescription HCG products even carry a label saying HCG has not been shown to be effective in treating obesity.

Why we do not prescribe the HCG diet

The hormone does nothing for weight loss. As above, the research is consistent. The results people see come from starvation-level dieting, not the shots.

It is not FDA-approved for weight loss. While a doctor may legally prescribe a drug off-label, in Texas it is not legal to advertise HCG for weight loss. A clinic that promotes the HCG diet is on the wrong side of both the evidence and the rules.

A 500-calorie diet is unsafe and unsustainable. Most low-calorie diets prescribed by weight loss specialists start at around 1,000 calories a day, which is enough to cover the recommended daily allowances of vitamins and nutrients. When physicians go lower, into a medically supervised very low calorie diet, it is done with specially formulated shakes that still meet those nutritional needs. Trying to hit adequate nutrition on 500 calories of regular food leaves most people protein and vitamin deficient, and protein deficiency can drive muscle loss, which lowers your metabolic rate and makes weight harder to keep off. A very low calorie diet also raises the risk of gallstones, electrolyte imbalance, and heart rhythm problems, which is exactly why it should never be attempted without medical supervision. Beyond the safety issues, no one can live on 500 calories a day long term, and lasting results come from changes you can actually sustain, like choosing lower-glycemic foods over high-glycemic carbs or walking after dinner.

The “resets your metabolism” claim is false. Many HCG clinics tell patients the hormone resets their metabolism so the weight stays off. There is no scientific evidence for this. If anything, a 500-calorie diet slows the metabolic rate as the body shifts into starvation mode.

“Homeopathic” HCG drops are illegal scams. The drops, pellets, and sprays sold online as homeopathic HCG contain little or no HCG, and would do nothing for weight loss even if they did. The FDA and FTC have made clear these over-the-counter products are unapproved, illegal, and fraudulent. It is not legal to sell any form of HCG over the counter.

Safer, evidence-based alternatives

The good news is that weight loss medicine has moved a long way past HCG. At Houston Weight Loss Center, we use only FDA-approved treatments, and today that means leading with GLP-1 medications, which genuinely reduce appetite and are backed by strong clinical evidence, alongside FDA-approved appetite suppressants like phentermine and sensible, sustainable nutrition. Unlike the HCG diet, these approaches are approved for weight management, they are supervised by a physician, and they are paired with the lifestyle changes that keep the weight off for good.

We have practiced metabolic medicine since 1996, and our goal is always to help patients lose weight safely and keep it off. If you have been considering the HCG diet, we would encourage you to talk with us first about a medical weight loss program that actually works, at any of our locations in Houston, Katy, and Webster.

Call Houston Weight Loss Center for a complimentary consultation at 281-400-1290.

References:

• Stein MR, et al. “Ineffectiveness of human chorionic gonadotropin in weight reduction: A double-blind study.” American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 1976;29(9):940-8. PMID 786001.
• Lijesen GK, et al. “The effect of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) in the treatment of obesity by means of the Simeons therapy: A criteria-based meta-analysis.” British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology. 1995;40(3):237-43. PMID 8527285.

Related reading: Low-Carb Diet, Glycemic Index, and our medical weight loss program.

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