FDA says HCG products definitely illegal

[Mergath]

I know quite a few people here use them for weight loss, and I didn't know if anyone had seen this yet:

 

http://thechart.blogs.cnn.com/2011/12/06/fda-says-hcg-weight-loss-drugs-are-illegal/?hpt=hp_t2

 

http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm282334.htm

 

Here's some of the official press release:

 

FDA, FTC act to remove “homeopathic†HCG weight loss products from the market

 

Joint action is first step in halting sale of the products

 

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) today issued seven Warning Letters to companies marketing over-the counter (OTC) HCG products that are labeled as “homeopathic†for weight loss.

 

 

Human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) is a hormone produced by the human placenta and found in the urine of pregnant women. HCG is FDA-approved as an injectable prescription drug for the treatment of some cases of female infertility and other medical conditions.

 

 

The letters warn the companies that they are violating federal law by selling drugs that have not been approved, and by making unsupported claims for the substances. There are no FDA-approved HCG drug products for weight loss.

 

 

The joint action is the first step in keeping the unproven and potentially unsafe products from being marketed online and in retail outlets as oral drops, pellets, and sprays.

[Guest submarines]

The fact that FDA says these drugs are illegal makes me think that maybe they aren't THAT bad. :tongue_smilie:

 

After all, aspartame and HFCS (just to name a couple) are perfectly fine. :glare:

[DawnM]

Are they pulling them immediately?

 

Dawn

[5kidsforME]

Are they pulling them immediately?

 

Dawn

 

I know, I wanted to do this after my pregnancy! I better run out and get plenty!! :lol::lol:

[Mergath]

Are they pulling them immediately?

 

Dawn

 

The impression I got was that the companies the FDA has sent letters to have fifteen days (or something like that) to stop selling the drugs, or else the FDA can seize the drugs, or take other action. But I don't read legalese fluently, so I could be totally misinterpreting that. :tongue_smilie:

[PinkInTheBlue]

The fact that FDA says these drugs are illegal makes me think that maybe they aren't THAT bad. :tongue_smilie:

 

After all, aspartame and HFCS (just to name a couple) are perfectly fine. :glare:

 

:iagree: LOL FDA approval or disapproval does absolutely nothing to improve or decline my acceptance of a product. And I have no need or interest in HCG.

[Cheryl in NM]

The fact that FDA says these drugs are illegal makes me think that maybe they aren't THAT bad. :tongue_smilie:

 

After all, aspartame and HFCS (just to name a couple) are perfectly fine. :glare:

 

Hasn't aspartame been linked to birth defects?

 

Isn't HFCS linked to ADHD?

[jelbe5]

I have not used any of these products, but I have been thinking about it. My first thought when I read this post was "Well sure! If people lose weight and get healthy they might actually have to stop using meds for blood pressure and so on! And we can't have that happen!":glare:

[Mrs Mungo]

It isn't about safety, it is about truth in advertising. If HFCS companies tried to claim it was a weight loss product, then those products would be removed from shelves. There *is no* HCG in "homeopathic HCG." It is a placebo, if anything.

[LaxMom]

Originally Posted by sunflowers

The fact that FDA says these drugs are illegal makes me think that maybe they aren't THAT bad.

 

After all, aspartame and HFCS (just to name a couple) are perfectly fine.

:iagree: LOL FDA approval or disapproval does absolutely nothing to improve or decline my acceptance of a product. And I have no need or interest in HCG.

 

Me, either. Though I think hormones are not something to be played with, as the endocrine system is such a delicately balanced web, I also think they are displaying a glaring ignorance of "homeopathic" (or the people billing their products are).

[FaithManor]

Well, when the FDA speaks, these days I hear, "Quack, quack, quack!" :D

 

Faith

[LittleIzumi]

Well, when the FDA speaks, these days I hear, "Quack, quack, quack!" :D

 

Faith

 

:iagree::iagree::iagree:

[Carrie12345]

So of course I had to go look this stuff up. FWIW, I think people should be allowed to put whatever they want into their own bodies. But am I reading this right? You take the drops and stick to a FIVE HUNDRED calorie diet? And people think it's the DROPS that cause the rapid weight loss?!?! :001_huh::confused:

[Tigger]

So of course I had to go look this stuff up. FWIW, I think people should be allowed to put whatever they want into their own bodies. But am I reading this right? You take the drops and stick to a FIVE HUNDRED calorie diet? And people think it's the DROPS that cause the rapid weight loss?!?! :001_huh::confused:

 

uhhhh...yup :confused:

[Mrs Mungo]

So of course I had to go look this stuff up. FWIW, I think people should be allowed to put whatever they want into their own bodies.

 

It is more about how you can advertise a product. You can sell all the Vitamin C that you want, but you cannot tell people that it will cure cancer.

 

But am I reading this right? You take the drops and stick to a FIVE HUNDRED calorie diet? And people think it's the DROPS that cause the rapid weight loss?!?! :001_huh::confused:

 

They believe that the drops help keep them from being hungry and/or keep their bodies from going into starvation mode.

[DawnM]

Well, the theory is that two things come into play with the HCG drops or pellets. One is that HCG is touted to diminish your appetite to keep you from eating more than those calories. The other is that HCG claims to boost metabolism.

 

Most people WOULD indeed lose weight on 500 calories per day but most people can't stick to it without some kind of aid to make them not desire much more than 500 calories.

 

Dawn

 

So of course I had to go look this stuff up. FWIW, I think people should be allowed to put whatever they want into their own bodies. But am I reading this right? You take the drops and stick to a FIVE HUNDRED calorie diet? And people think it's the DROPS that cause the rapid weight loss?!?! :001_huh::confused:

[Tigger]

The effect of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) in the treatment of obesity by means of the Simeons therapy: a criteria-based meta-analysis.

 

"We conclude that there is no scientific evidence that HCG is effective in the treatment of obesity; it does not bring about weight-loss of fat-redistribution, nor does it reduce hunger or induce a feeling of well-being."

 

Full Text Here

[DawnM]

They can say whatever they want, there are several even on this board who have lost weight without hunger through HCG. I am not one of them. I tried it and has some gastro issues that may or may not have been caused by HCG, but I stopped taking it.

 

Dawn

 

The effect of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) in the treatment of obesity by means of the Simeons therapy: a criteria-based meta-analysis.

 

"We conclude that there is no scientific evidence that HCG is effective in the treatment of obesity; it does not bring about weight-loss of fat-redistribution, nor does it reduce hunger or induce a feeling of well-being."

 

Full Text Here

[Tigger]

Human chorionic gonadotrophin and weight loss. A double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

Bosch B, Venter I, Stewart RI, Bertram SR.

Source

 

Abstract

 

Low-dose human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG) combined with a severe diet remains a popular treatment for obesity, despite equivocal evidence of its effectiveness. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled study, the effects of HCG on weight loss were compared with placebo injections. Forty obese women (body mass index greater than 30 kg/m2) were placed on the same diet supplying 5,000 kJ per day and received daily intramuscular injections of saline or HCG, 6 days a week for 6 weeks. A psychological profile, hunger level, body circumferences, a fasting blood sample and food records were obtained at the start and end of the study, while body weight was measured weekly. Subjects receiving HCG injections showed no advantages over those on placebo in respect of any of the variables recorded. Furthermore, weight loss on our diet was similar to that on severely restricted intake. We conclude that there is no rationale for the use of HCG injections in the treatment of obesity.

[Carrie12345]

Well, the theory is that two things come into play with the HCG drops or pellets. One is that HCG is touted to diminish your appetite to keep you from eating more than those calories. The other is that HCG claims to boost metabolism.

 

Most people WOULD indeed lose weight on 500 calories per day but most people can't stick to it without some kind of aid to make them not desire much more than 500 calories.

 

Dawn

 

Interesting theory.

But my money is on the fact that our bodies resist that kind of deprivation for a darned good reason!!!

[Tigger]

They can say whatever they want, there are several even on this board who have lost weight without hunger through HCG. I am not one of them. I tried it and has some gastro issues that may or may not have been caused by HCG, but I stopped taking it.

 

Dawn

 

I'd probably chalk it up to placebo effect....a very real, very powerful thing.

[TravelingChris]

I thought the whole thing was unadvisable. 500 calories is too low even for a diet. I don't think it is advisable to take any hormones unless you actually have a deficiency. If it is homeopathic and therefore doesn't have the hormone, then the only concern is the false advertising that the product contributes to weight loss. Eating 500 calories will cause weight loss though I think it is a rare person who can stick to this starvation diet,

[DawnM]

Hey, if a placebo would actually help me lose weight, I would do it! It didn't. Sigh.

 

Dawn

 

I'd probably chalk it up to placebo effect....a very real, very powerful thing.

[Tigger]

Hey, if a placebo would actually help me lose weight, I would do it! It didn't. Sigh.

 

Dawn

 

I honestly can't think of any reason why Hcg would work in the manner that it's touted for weight loss. And I can't imagine the drug companies NOT finding out exactly how if it did really do it and not capitalizing on it -- it is a legal drug, it's not like it couldn't be off-label prescribed...it isn't though b the vast vast vast majority of doctors because no matter who has done the research, the finding just don't support that Hcg stimulates weight loss or staves off hunger. That said, placebo effect can really do wonders if one really believes....I think the strongest data against hcg is the double-blind randomized trial - no one knew who was getting what and no surprise, the hcg group didn't lose more than the control group, nor did they report less hunger.

[Guest submarines]

Hey, if a placebo would actually help me lose weight, I would do it! It didn't. Sigh.

 

Dawn

 

But in order for a placebo to work the patient must believe her or she is getting an actual treatment. I read that up to a half, but at least a quarter of the effects of any medication is placebo effects. The more expensive the medication, the greater the placebo effect. Color of a pill affects the placebo effect. Our minds are pretty darn powerful.

[LittleIzumi]

But in order for a placebo to work the patient must believe her or she is getting an actual treatment. I read that up to a half, but at least a quarter of the effects of any medication is placebo effects. The more expensive the medication, the greater the placebo effect. Color of a pill affects the placebo effect. Our minds are pretty darn powerful.

 

:iagree: I don't know why people complain so much about things being "just a placebo." Placebos can be EXTREMELY effective, lol!

[Guest submarines]

:iagree: I don't know why people complain so much about things being "just a placebo." Placebos can be EXTREMELY effective, lol!

 

An interesting little article about doctors in Germany routinely prescribing placebo.

[tex-mex]

It is more about how you can advertise a product. You can sell all the Vitamin C that you want, but you cannot tell people that it will cure cancer.

 

 

 

They believe that the drops help keep them from being hungry and/or keep their bodies from going into starvation mode.

:iagree::iagree::iagree:

My MIL and hubby both believe it works. They both have been on the HCG diet 4x each over 2 years. They do the 500 calorie a day diet. And both complain when they gain back the weight they lost. MIL died this past summer due to cancer -- hubby is bound and determined to do the HCG diet again after Christmas. Both the dietician and I shook our head over this at today's endocrinologist's appt. :glare:

[Pamela H in Texas]

Okay, when *I* lost 43 pounds on the hCG diet, I had body mass tested throughout. I lost more fat and less muscle than people doing other diet and exercise programs. If that is a placebo effect, fine. My placebo works better than other people's programs. What mattered to me was success.

 

BTW, I took the real thing, injected into belly fat with an insulin needle. I took 125 to 166 IU daily.

[Pamela H in Texas]

Okay, when *I* lost 43 pounds on the hCG diet (in just over 3 months), I had body mass tested throughout. I lost more fat and less muscle than people doing other diet and exercise programs. If that is a placebo effect, fine. My placebo works better than other people's programs. What mattered to me was success.

 

BTW, I took the real thing, injected into belly fat with an insulin needle. I took 125 to 166 IU daily.

 

ETA: I can see what may be an issue with the Walmart hCG drops considering there is no hCG in them. Off-label usage of medication is done ALL THE TIME though so using the real thing for weight loss wouldn't be inappropriate. There are all sorts of doctors working with their patients using hCG. If it is a placebo effect, so be it.

Edited December 7, 2011 by 2J5M9K

[DawnM]

Did you inject it yourself or did you go in to have it done?

 

Dawn

 

Okay, when *I* lost 43 pounds on the hCG diet, I had body mass tested throughout. I lost more fat and less muscle than people doing other diet and exercise programs. If that is a placebo effect, fine. My placebo works better than other people's programs. What mattered to me was success.

 

BTW, I took the real thing, injected into belly fat with an insulin needle. I took 125 to 166 IU daily.

[Mrs Mungo]

Okay, when *I* lost 43 pounds on the hCG diet, I had body mass tested throughout. I lost more fat and less muscle than people doing other diet and exercise programs. If that is a placebo effect, fine. My placebo works better than other people's programs. What mattered to me was success.

 

BTW, I took the real thing, injected into belly fat with an insulin needle. I took 125 to 166 IU daily.

 

The doctor injecting you with HCG is totally different then people taking an OTC tincture that doesn't actually contain HCG.

[Pamela H in Texas]

I did the injections myself. My doctor knew what I was doing. I did not have a doctor supervise though. We do have a doctor right here in town that does it though. There are all sorts of options to get the real stuff.

 

My mother used the same exact hCG I did but she did it sublingually because she couldn't imagine doing injections. She went from a size 16 to an 8. She has kept it off though she plans to do a short cycle in January.

 

I do think there is a consideration about "messing with the endocrine system," but sometimes we go with the lesser of two evils. Me being 230 pounds isn't good for any of my systems. I figured my body managed to handle the hCG through three preganancies. It can handle a little bit so I can get healthier otherwise.

[Wheres Toto]

I don't understand how hcg diminishes appetite. I know for me, the instant I get pregnant, my appetite becomes HUGE. The only thing that keeps me from feeling nauseous is eating and always having something in my stomach. I was always told that was due to the hcg levels (higher levels = more nausea).

[Pamela H in Texas]

Dorothy,

 

By 4 weeks pregnant, your hCG level is up to 3 times greater than you'd take for the diet. By 5 weeks, it is up to 70 times higher. That is considerably different. You wouldn't lose weight on hCG taking that much. People have tried raising the amount and have found it not additionally helpful at 200, 250, 500 IU rather than just plain old 125, 150, or 166 (common dosages for weight loss).

[6packofun]

Yeppers! I think it's hilarious. Magic sprinkles or NOT EATING? Ummm...

[teachermom2834]

I'm one who has lost lots of weight on homeopathic hcg and watched friends do the same.

 

I am a cynic by nature and was totally skeptical when I tried hcg. (I was just really desperate). I never was sure what I believed those little pellets were doing. I'm surprised that the placebo effect would keep me going for so many months and so many pounds.

 

I'm still not sure exactly what I believe about the whole thing. If it is a placebo and homeopathic hcg is totally fake I'm okay with that. It worked for me. I'll do it again if I need to. If it is a placebo that is just as well. Then I will have no worries about messing with my hormones ;)

 

It's a strange thing, for sure. It was a miracle for me...silly as that sounds to most of you.

[Negin]

I looked at a clip of the FDA rep and she looks like she could do with some hcg. ;)

 

The fact that FDA says these drugs are illegal makes me think that maybe they aren't THAT bad. :tongue_smilie:

After all, aspartame and HFCS (just to name a couple) are perfectly fine. :glare:

:iagree: :D

And we all know the FDA is completely trustworthy, too. 100%. ;)

 

If that is a placebo effect, fine. My placebo works better than other people's programs. What mattered to me was success.

Bingo. :)

 

I'm one who has lost lots of weight on homeopathic hcg and watched friends do the same.

I am a cynic by nature and was totally skeptical when I tried hcg. (I was just really desperate). I never was sure what I believed those little pellets were doing. I'm surprised that the placebo effect would keep me going for so many months and so many pounds.

I'm still not sure exactly what I believe about the whole thing. If it is a placebo and homeopathic hcg is totally fake I'm okay with that. It worked for me. I'll do it again if I need to. If it is a placebo that is just as well. Then I will have no worries about messing with my hormones ;)

It's a strange thing, for sure. It was a miracle for me...silly as that sounds to most of you.

Me too. I was very, very skeptical at first and spent months researching.

 

I now love it and I'm sure that there will be ways to get it. Hope so anyway. Perhaps if the hhcg companies don't give weight loss claims?

 

All I can say is, if it is a placebo effect, it is worth every cent to me because it works. I was not hungry, I had tons of energy, and if it was all in my head, well, I don't really care because it worked. This is not to say that there weren't days that were difficult, but I was certainly not starving. Hcg was the best thing that ever happened to me when it comes to weight loss and overall energy.

Edited December 7, 2011 by Negin in Grenada

[jennsmile]

Hasn't aspartame been linked to birth defects?

 

Isn't HFCS linked to ADHD?

 

HFCS doesn't exist. It is CORN SUGAR! And it is fine according to the commercials where the parents are walking the in the corn field.

[momto2Cs]

HFCS doesn't exist. It is CORN SUGAR! And it is fine according to the commercials where the parents are walking the in the corn field.

 

:lol:

[Mergath]

HFCS doesn't exist. It is CORN SUGAR! And it is fine according to the commercials where the parents are walking the in the corn field.

 

:lol:

 

I remember seeing some magazine ads awhile back about HFCS. The logic seemed to be, hairdressers are not doctors, therefore HFCS is good for you after all. Or something. They weren't especially convincing.

[Joanne]

An interesting little article about doctors in Germany routinely prescribing placebo.

 

I worked in a local pharmacy (before the explosion of chains) in the 1980's. There were a couple of Rx's written for placebos.

[Mergath]

I worked in a local pharmacy (before the explosion of chains) in the 1980's. There were a couple of Rx's written for placebos.

 

Really? Did the prescription actually say "Placebo" on it? How does that work?

 

Sorry, I find this irrationally interesting. :tongue_smilie:

[Joanne]

Really? Did the prescription actually say "Placebo" on it? How does that work?

 

Sorry, I find this irrationally interesting. :tongue_smilie:

 

The called in Rx said "placebo". The bottle said something else.

[AvasMom]

The called in Rx said "placebo". The bottle said something else.

 

I wonder how they handle that nowadays when you can look up a drug online and see what it is supposed to look like. I guess it could still work if you pretend to prescribe generics just not name brands?