I know many women who are worried about any side effects associated with the HCG diet.
Many of them ask me if there will be any dangers or lasting effects that range from the silly to the serious.
Some women are worried about little things like skin issues and some are worried about larger issues like an effect on having children in the future.
But are any of these worries warranted?
To put it simply, no.
The HCG diet has been proven effective for 50-60 years and thousands upon thousands of women (and men) have done the diet successfully.
It doesn’t effect your ability to have children in the future (in fact it may increase your chances!).
And as of this writing I know of no long-term effects that are negative.
If you use the safe method that I talk about in this post: “HCG Diet Dangers” you’ll be fine. Make sure to read that post now as it contains the most information about any side effects or dangers.
Injections can be a little more tricky and can pose some complications but that is typically because of the delivery method and not because of the HCG itself.
One thing you should be aware of though is the low calorie diet you will be doing while on the HCG.
It’s low calorie so things like exercise should be avoided. Otherwise you will burn more calories than you have and be starving the whole time on the diet.
Also since it’s low calorie you shouldn’t be pregnant or nursing during the diet because you won’t have enough nutrients to help support your baby. It’s not that the HCG is dangerous for your baby it’s because the low calorie diet just doesn’t have enough calories for you and a baby. So don’t be pregnant or nursing on the diet. But after you are done with the diet you are fine to get pregnant.
But other than those basic precautions it’s extremely safe. I personally have coached hundreds of people and haven’t seen anything out of the ordinary.
But what I have seen is that everyone loses the weight. Even those with thyroid issues and other serious conditions that haven’t been able to lose the weight in the past do extremely well.
So make sure you are healthy enough to go on a low calorie diet, but after that you should be OK to do this amazing diet. In fact think about how unhealthy it is to NOT do the diet.
It always amazes me when someone has 100+ pounds to lose and they are worried about this proven diet. They should be worried about the 100 extra pounds of fat they need to lose and how it’s effecting their health!
In fact once they start losing the weight they feel great, usually stop taking the myriad of medications they are on and are much, much healthier. I feel comfortable in saying that this diet has saved many people’s lives.
I think that people have worries about starting the diet more as a way to delay it and have an excuse to not take action, but that’s a subject for another article.
So take the first step and get started. And as always please post in the comments below with your questions and updates on progress!
{ 142 comments… read them below or add one }
Hi I have been on for 3 days and I vomited and had extreme bowel movements. I assume that’s normal due to that’s the only way the fat will leave. My question Is will the nausea end or does it continue??
No, that’s not normal at all and that’s not how the fat “leaves”. You will be burning the fat for energy as long as you are following the diet plan. Sounds like you just got sick, nothing to do with the diet, you just happened to get sick. So get better and then jump back into your round. You shouldn’t have any vomiting at all. I would guess you got food poisoning, probably on a loading day.
Hello! I’ve just started my first round of HCG and have already lost 6 pounds!!!
I also just had a few questions.
Is it ok to take normal multivitamins while on the HCG or is it just restricted to whole food vitamins?
Also, I’m only on day 6 of Phase 2 but today i noticed i didn’t lose any weight in respect to yesterday. Is it normal to stagnate so early in the process?
Yes, you can take a multivitamin. And good job on the 6 pounds! It’s normal to have a slow day after losing so quickly. As long as your diet is correct you will continue to lose, just keep going.
I’ve been on HCG for a few weeks now and am so stunned at how easy it all fairly is.
i do have one query. My Doctor has informed me that I need to have a blood test , will the HCG affect the blood test at all? Or should I wait until I’m off the diet.
Great job. And you are fine to have a blood test.
Hi, susan. I did the hcg diet about two months ago and lost about 15 pounds. I did not finish my drops though, I quit about the 15 or 16th day of my 21 day protocol, because I was rarely home to cook meals and eat the right things. After the diet I weighed 169 and I haven’t gained anything back. Anyways I’m writting because I noticed very tiny purple and red viens, not protruding but just like my skin is a little Iridescent, right below my breasts on my rib cage on both sides. And I know I’m white, but I’m not that white. I have an olive tan skin tone. Does this have anything to do with the hcg? It doesn’t bother me at all, its just there. I never noticed it until I started taking the hcg. Thanks for all help.
No, it has nothing to do with HCG. Just because something happens to you during the diet or after does not mean it was the HCG or the diet. Our brains like to link things together like that but it’s a trap. It has nothing to do with the diet.
Hi. I am considering the HCG drops to lose 20-30 pounds. I am from Australia and was wondering how long the shipment takes to arrive? Also, I have hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism and am on the oral contraceptive pill to keep my levels of estrogen stable. I also have asthma. My doctor doesnt know much about the HCG and we are both concerned that it may interact with these conditions.
Also… I’ve heard you cannot use liquid foundation whilst using HCG? I use Revlon colour stay liquid foundation with revlon powder. Is this safe to use?
Thanks in advance for your advice! Cheers
Well I don’t sell or ship HCG so I have no clue about shipping times. Just contact who you order about that. And the product I used shouldn’t react negatively with your meds at all. But again, ask who you order it from. And you should use mineral makeup while on the diet, don’t use oily based products.
I am debating whether to begin with HCG to help me lose about 20-25 lbs. I have always been able to exercie and watch what I eat – but with getting older and the schedule of my family – I am not able to maintain those 2 things on a daily basis. Is it worth making this drastic of a change for that amount of weight? Also, I live in the upper midwest where we are entering our very cold time of the year. I have read the many comments about not using lotion. First of all, lotion is mandatory where we live in the cold months, so what are options to use? Secondly, why is it suggested not to use lotion? And why can you you not have contact with oils? Thank you!
Well it’s up to you. If you want the 25 pounds gone then yes, the diet is great. It’s just for a few short weeks, you can do it for a few short weeks. It’s not like a lifetime thing. And the nice thing is it teaches you how to eat after the diet plan so you are ready to keep the weight off when you go off the HCG. And you can use mineral oil for lotion purposes. Other oils and lotions contain fat which can slow down your weight loss. Check the main page of my blog and you’ll see more info.
I am on Mirina and have just started the diet. I am on day 2 of Phase 2. I am scheduled to have the Mirina changed on Thursday. My question is two-fold:
1. Will the hCG cause my Mirina to be ineffective? (we do not want to get pregnant – kids are grown, we are in our 40s – so if I need to be extra causious I will)
2. Will the pregnancy test they give me before the doctor changes out the Mirina cause me to test positive?
Thank you!
Lisa
The product I used does not effect birth control at all. So just keep taking it as directed. And the pregnancy test depends on what you are taking. If you are on injections it could give you a false positive. I don’t use injections and this is one of the reasons why. But if you aren’t using injections then you won’t get a false positive.
I want to start the hcg diet but I do have asthma. Do i have to stop the medications? I do take Adviar twice daily. That is the only medication. Also, I do not want to stop using my makeup. I do work with the public and need to always be presentable.
Please advise.
Thanks
NEVER stop your medication unless your doctor tells you to. And you can use mineral makeup, so no worries.
I have been overweight all of my life. But recently, nothing I did too include starvation resulted in weight loss. Now, after three months of the HCG with a two to three week break every month. I have started losing weight on HCG. I don’t do the diet strict and still I’ve lost 42 pounds and down a size. So, I know HCG works.
Hey. My name is Sabrina, I’m 5″7 and 192 pounds. My doctor says I should be around 150-160 pounds with my body structure.
I have a few questions about the HCG diet before I order it.
I just quit smoking ciggarettes after 12 years of smoking, and hoping to make myself healthy again for my children ( 3yrs and 18mths ) I have 42 pounds to lose, and I could get myself to 185 but can never get any lower. Is the 40 day kit good for my goal ? I also have the Mirena ( IUD ) will the HCG affect it ?
I’m also allergic to peppers, and seafood, will that affect diet ?
Thanks for the info !
Hi Sabrina. Start a 40 day round. You’ll probably need to do a 40 day round and then a shorter round after that to get the last bit. If you were a guy you could lose it all, but most women can’t in that amount of time. But a 40 and a shorter round will get rid of all of it. Good for you for stopping smoking! And no, your IUD is fine, just follow the directions and you’re OK. And your allergies won’t effect the diet, just don’t choose seafood for your meals.
Hi! This is my 2nd time doing the HCG diet. The 1st time I lost 80 lbs in 3 months (it was 6 weeks post-partum that I began). It has been 8+ months since I have lost that weight! I want to lose another 10-15 lbs but for some reason it’s not working at all this time around. I’m following the diet precisely and am not working out. After 2 weeks of losing nothing I quit for a week and have just started all over again 2 days ago with the loading days. Tomorrow begins the VLCD and I am looking for advice/tips to make it work like it originally did…thanks:) Or do you think I need to give my body a longer break from the HCG?
Have a good coach look at your diet plan. The cause is always in the food eating. Also, do you have 10-15 to lose and still be at a healthy weight? The diet won’t help you go below a healthy weight so do check a weight chart.
Hi, I am on day 22 of round 1 and have lost 24 lbs and 11 inches! So I’m excited about that part! The part that concerns me is that 10 days into stage 1 I got my period. It lasted for almost 2 weeks, which is not normal. It stopped for a few days and now I’m lightly spotting. Is that normal?
This is my second time doing this diet, first time was in 2009, and I had no issues at all. So I’m concerned this time.
Thanks
Great job on the losses! And the diet can make your period a little weird, it’s from the drastic change in your diet, not the HCG. So I wouldn’t worry at all, it’s common.
Once on the diet, what guarantee is there that our weight will stay off and would we have to continue on or with Hcg to keep the weight off? I guess by then our bodies should be well adjusted to the 500 calorie intake that we shouldn’t have problems keeping it off. Is that correct?
Where do I even start? First off, the diet isn’t 500 calories, just a name. You don’t count calories and the diet is much higher in calories. But that’s beside the point as you just eat the food on the list in the right amounts. And if after the diet you go back to old habits, you will get your old results again. That’s true with any diet plan or exercise plan. We get fat because of what we eat. The HCG diet will help you lose weight quickly, then you just need to adjust to a healthier diet after. You don’t need to eat such low calories, just make smarter choices. Just educate yourself on what a normal diet consists of. The HCG diet will help you see what foods are good to eat and what to avoid. Plus the maintenance phase helps set that weight point and will teach you how to eat after the plan.
I was looking into starting this diet. Right now I just eat too much and even excersizing 4 times a week im not losing any weight. My question is that I have a ton of food allergies, even to weird thing like celery, carrots and spices like cumin, cilantro etc….Is the HCG safe for me to take? what kind of food do we have to stick to? I was also reading about avoiding lotions and things. I am a nurse and work 12+ hours a day and wash my hand frequently. Is this going to be a problem. ? Just lots of questions to make sure this is absolutely safe and something for me. How long is a round of the drops? 4 weeks? Thanks- M
There’s many food options so I doubt there will be any issues. And HCG is already in your body so there shouldn’t be any issues with that, but do ask who you are working with. And lotions should be avoided, but you can get specific kinds, again, talk with your provider and they can help. You can do this : )
Will hcg effect my menstrual cycle? As in a shorter period/ light petiod. Will hcg effect my digestive system if I’m already regular?
HCG doesn’t effect your cycle, but losing weight will. You’ll just have a slightly irregular period if anything happens, then it will go back to normal as your body adjusts to your new weight. And it won’t effect your digestive system. But do remember you are eating less, so you will go less. So don’t expect to have as many BMs as you do while eating the food you have now.
I read through most of your blog, and i did not see anything about under-active thyroid. I take Synthroid. I understand I should switch to a natural product. My doctor loves to prescribe meds, so I know what his opinion would be. I am serious about the Hcg program. have any advise?
Look around, you’ll see lots of others on Synthroid. I know many people who were on synthroid and they do great on the diet plan. In fact losing weight will help a ton and after you lose weight go get a checkup and your might be able to reduce or even get off of the synthroid altogether.
thank you for doing this, the info is REALLY helpful. i bought some drops but haven’t started them yet, still researching. you mentioned in your list of comments about following the list of foods (where is that?). also, did you experience any changes in your mood? I’m currently 225, my heaviest ever. i tried exercise & diet & instead of losing weight, i gained 10 lbs! I’m hesitant to take the hcg but i need to do something. thanks for any help you can give me!
You didn’t get instructions? I hope you didn’t use a cheap provider. You really need detailed instructions and help with the diet plan. Talk with whoever you bought from and get help ASAP.
Hi I wanted to start hcg but am kind of scared. Will it make me gain more weight after I stop taking it? Or should I keep exercising after I see result?
Why on earth would it make you gain weight? That’s the complete opposite of what it does. After the diet plan you just have to eat a normal healthy diet and only eat the bad foods in moderation. If you go back to old habits you’ll get your old results. The diet plan will teach you how to eat healthier and will give you habits for a lifetime.
I was wondering what kind of moisturizers since i am using olive glossing moisturizer would make you gain weight instead of losing weight? I was also wondering if eating one meal a day would help to lose 15 pounds. How many calories a day do you recommend for intake with the hcg diet? and which works better the drops or the pills since i was planning on getting it at CVS pharmacy?
thank you for the time
wow, lots to cover in this comment. OK, first off, mineral oil is fine while on the diet. Second, no, don’t just eat one meal. It sounds like you have no idea about the actual diet plan. the HCG diet is called a “diet” because you have to follow a specific diet. Do not count calories, just follow the directions. And third, don’t buy any crap from CVS. You won’t get the support you need and you won’t get a good product. My opinion, but as you can see I’ve talked to a lot of people. Most of the people who fail are the ones who got the bad stuff from Walmart and CVS. It’s junk and there is no help. Avoid it like the plague. It’s a waste of money, so the cheap price is really quite expensive.
I had a thyroidectomy and currently take Synthroid. How effective will the Hcg be for me?
You are not alone. I can’t tell you how many people tell me they have been told they can never lose weight (by a crappy doctor) and they do great even if they are on synthroid. You’ll do great.