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It seems like every six months or so there's a claim that some wonder drug is going to magically melt pounds away and make you slimmer and trimmer for life. Excuse me if I'm a bit skeptical, but I'm not a big believer in diet pills or potions to lose weight.

The newest fad is a hormone called HCG (Human Chorionic Gonadotropin) and it's a hormone found naturally in the human body, but it can also be synthesized into an artificial version. HCG is very prevalent in pregnant women and is most often used in treatment of fertility problems.

In fact, when a woman takes a home pregnancy test, that test is looking for the presence of HCG in her body. If she tests positive for HCG, then that means she's pregnant.

The popularity of HCG as a weight loss remedy has exploded ever since a dubious author, by the name of Kevin Trudeau, put out a book supporting this
as some kind of miracle treatment that helps people lose lots of weight.

Hmmm, so what is the truth about these claims?

Let me state right off the bat that there is no scientific evidence supporting the claims that HCG causes significant weight loss. The manufacturers of HCG themselves are saying that this hormone doesn't cause weight loss. On the other side of the fence, there's a group of doctors and other people saying they have proof that it is a viable weight loss treatment.

Believe it or not, HCG has been studied and discussed as a weight loss treatment for 40 years. As a matter of fact, there have been several studies done to test the effectiveness of HCG for the treatment of overweight people.

Studies have been conducted by: Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), Archives of Internal Medicine, West Journal of Medicine and the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Here is what JAMA had to say, 'There was no statistically significant difference between those receiving HCG vs. placebo during any phase of this study.'

Are there still doctors using HCG hormone to treat their obese patients?

Yes.

Some patients are getting this treatment under doctor supervision, but it's interesting to note that these doctors also put their patients on a low-calorie diet, as would any good physician, so HCG is just part of the mix.

If you are thinking about injecting HCG or taking it orally as a weight loss supplement, I highly recommend that you do it under a doctor's supervision only. Taking hormones on your own can be dangerous, even if that hormone is generally safe.

If you live in the U.S., you will not be able to legally purchase HCG anyway, since it has been banned for sale here by the FDA since 1974. So, please be aware that if you do choose to pursue your quest to buy HCG weight loss supplements in any form, you'll have to either get them on the black market, or from another country.

The cost will be high to continue the regiment, but the worst part will be that you'll be taking something without knowing if it's pure or mixed with some other harmful substance that can cause bad side effects.

Look, I know you want to drop those pounds as soon as possible, but taking advice from someone like Kevin Trudeau, who has numerous violations with the FTC and has served prison time, may not be in your best interest. People like him prey on your desperation.

Today is the day that you can make the decision to follow a sensible eating plan (don't diet), eat more fruits and vegetables, eat less fatty junk food, drink more water, and get that body moving!

There's no magic pill for losing weight - there's only you making up your mind that you are going to be healthier and happier the safe and natural way.