The use of hCG for weight loss is once again gaining momentum with the help of 7 millions sales of Kevin Trudeau’s latest book, “The Weight Loss Cure.” Dozens of new websites including hCG Diet Info (www.hcgdietinfo.com) and numerous sub-sites to weight clinics and weight loss practitioners are springing up almost overnight. According to the editor of the hCG Diet Info website, their traffic levels have gone from a few dozen hits a week to several thousand a day almost immediately following Kevin Trudeau’s nightly infomercials.

Fact or Fad? Well, the jury is still out. hCG manufacturers declare that the hCG fertility drugs such as Pregnyl which are described in Trudeau’s book, have no effect regarding weight loss. On the other hand, long-term weight loss professionals and physicians offer thousands of hcg diet success stories. Research and reviews are posted on Dr. Belluscio’s website, hCG Obesity (www.hcgobesity.org) who also happened to have developed the highly demanded oral hCG pills.

The hCG weight loss protocol is declared to not only help an individual lose weight regardless if the dieter uses hCG injections or pills, but to perform a metabolic recovery, where the hypothyroid is said to be reset, boosting the metabolism and increasing the person’s ability to burn fat at a much higher rate. hCG is also said to break down body fat, causing rapid weight loss by mass even before registering on a scale. Simultaneously, it is said to protect the endogenous fat and muscle which the body needs to stay healthy, but also avoiding sagging and loose skin known of excessive of weight loss.

The debate amongst practitioners of these protocols argues that the original hCG diet protocol developed by Dr. A.T.W. Simeons should not be modified, as suggested by many, including Kevin Trudeau. However, thousands of dieters are following Trudeau’s advice, finding little wrong with adding large amounts of tea and organic foods to their menu as opposed to the extremely strict 500 calorie diet described in Dr. Simeons manuscript, “Pounds and Inches” (can be found at www.hcgdietinfo.com for free.) Dr. Belluscio, a devoted follower of the Dr. Simeons hcg diet protocol, reminds dieters of the extensive research that went into Dr. ATW Simeons work.

Claims of the diet being unhealthy are plenty, with questions on the use of natural hCG and the fact that it’s produced from the urine of pregnant women- however, most hCG on the market such as Pregnyl is actually synthetic. In addition, concerns that a 500 calorie diet is stressful to the body and specifically on the muscle tissue of the heart, are met with the explanation that the fat being burnt releases thousands of calories into the system before being expelled.

Regardless of these issues, hCG sales are spiking- not only for the substance itself but for related information and supplies. Unfortunately, along with this comes fraud- particularly from faux websites claiming to sell hCG and other prescription drugs. A warning from hCG Diet Info was released recently, after the editor was contacted by a woman who had wired $500 US Dollars through Western Union to a website claiming to be an overseas pharmacy offering hCG but never heard from them again. To avoid this, hCG Diet Info strongly advises hCG dieters to seek their hCG treatment through a nearby provider but if purchasing hCG on the internet, they warn individuals not to wire money via Western Union and to request reviews of sites before making a purchase.