NJ Weight Loss & Preventive Care

HCG (Human Chorionic Gonadotropin)

Patient Education Guide — What It Does, Why a Physician Would Prescribe It, and What the Evidence Says

NJ Weight Loss & Preventive Care Clinics PA
Physician's Offices: 420 Route 46 East Fairfield NJ 07004 & 1605 E Evesham Road Voorhees NJ 08043
(908) 598-0509  |  Jbock@njweightloss.us

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Important Disclaimer — Read Before Using This Page

This information is not intended for use by unlicensed individuals or by licensed professionals who lack adequate training and experience in assessing patients for peptide or hormone therapy. All clinical decisions and dosing must be made in consultation with a licensed, experienced physician and a licensed, experienced compounding pharmacist, and should be supported by published clinical studies.

The information presented here has been compiled using Artificial Intelligence, statements from videos and websites by apparent qualified professionals, and available published research. We strongly encourage exhaustive independent research before considering any therapy. Anyone starting a medication they have never taken before should take an extremely conservative approach.

Nothing on this page or in these videos should be taken as medical advice. These materials are provided only to help begin your research. All dosing and treatment decisions should be made between you and your medical providers after proper evaluation. We are not affiliated with any of the doctors whose videos appear on this page.

HCG (Human Chorionic Gonadotropin) FDA-Approved Off-Label for Weight Programs

Category: Hormone Therapies — Peptide Hormone (Weight Programs & Hormone Support)

What it is. HCG is a naturally occurring peptide hormone—a glycoprotein first identified in pregnancy, where it mobilizes fat stores for energy. As a prescription drug, HCG is FDA-approved for specific fertility and hypogonadism indications. Its use in weight-loss programs—the protocol Dr. Simeons described in "Pounds and Inches"—pairs prescribed HCG with a structured very-low-calorie diet under medical supervision. In men, HCG is also used clinically to stimulate the testes' own testosterone production, which is why it appears in hormone-support protocols, including alongside or instead of testosterone replacement when preserving natural production and fertility matters.

Why we offer it—and the honest framing. Our HCG Diet programs are among our longest-running physician-supervised offerings, with structured 4, 6, 8, and 9½-week protocols that include HCG, B12, and supplies. Full transparency, because our patients deserve it: HCG for weight loss is an off-label use, and controlled trials have concluded that the weight lost on the protocol is driven primarily by the very-low-calorie diet rather than the hormone itself—the FDA requires HCG labeling to state it is not effective adjunctive therapy for obesity. Many of our patients nonetheless report that the supervised protocol structure, appetite tolerance, and accountability produce results they could not achieve alone. That is a legitimate clinical observation—and it is also exactly why medical supervision, not internet homeopathic drops, is the only responsible way to run this program.

What to know before starting. Prescription HCG requires medical evaluation. Cautions include prostate cancer (HCG can stimulate androgen production), hormone-sensitive cancers, pregnancy (HCG diet protocols are not for pregnant women despite the hormone's origin), thrombosis history, and edema-prone conditions. Reported side effects include headache, fatigue, irritability, and fluid retention. Very-low-calorie phases require monitoring—which is built into our program. Avoid all over-the-counter "homeopathic HCG" products; the FDA has warned against them, and they contain no meaningful hormone.

Published Evidence: Controlled trials and meta-analyses (Lijesen et al., Br J Clin Pharmacol, 1995) found no significant difference in weight loss between HCG and placebo when both groups followed the same very-low-calorie diet—the diet does the heavy lifting. In male hypogonadism, by contrast, HCG has solid evidence for stimulating endogenous testosterone and preserving intratesticular function, which is the basis of its FDA-approved indications.
Key Study: 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." Br J Clin Pharmacol. 1995;40(3):237-43.

Recommended Videos

HCG Diet Plan — How it Works and Why it Works

Dr. Janine Talty, DO, MPH — HCG Diet Plan — How it Works and Why it Works

HCG and Weight Loss: What is the HCG Diet Protocol?

Doctablet — HCG and Weight Loss: What is the HCG Diet Protocol?

Does the HCG Diet Actually Work? What the Studies Really Say

Dr. Ben Bikman — Does the HCG Diet Actually Work? What the Studies Really Say

Video Sources & Independence

The videos linked on this page are provided solely for educational purposes. None of the physicians or channels featured are sponsored by, affiliated with, or compensated by NJ Weight Loss & Preventive Care Clinics, its physicians, or any individuals associated with our practice. We have selected these videos because they offer thoughtful, evidence-based discussion of mechanisms and clinical considerations. Viewers should evaluate all sources independently.

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