The Metabolic Classroom with Dr. Ben Bikman

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

May 27, 2025

Delve into the controversial HCG diet, which pairs hormone injections with severe calorie restriction. Discover how its historical claims of fat loss and appetite suppression have been debunked by science. The discussion reveals that any weight loss may result from extreme dieting rather than the hormone itself. Learn about the hormone's legitimate medical uses and why its supposed weight-loss benefits lack evidence. Finally, explore healthier weight loss strategies that prioritize metabolism over quick fixes.

Ask episode

AI Snips

Chapters

Transcript

Episode notes

INSIGHT

HCG Hormone Basics

HCG is a hormone produced during pregnancy that supports fetal development by maintaining progesterone levels.
Outside pregnancy, it has medical uses but its role in weight loss is unproven and controversial.

INSIGHT

RCTs Disprove HCG Benefits

Rigorous randomized control trials show HCG injections do not enhance weight loss beyond a low-calorie diet.
Placebo groups lost similar weight, disproving HCG's unique fat-burning or hunger-suppressing claims.

INSIGHT

HCG's Age-Specific Fat Effects

HCG stimulates fat breakdown in newborn fat cells but not in adult fat tissue.
Adult studies even suggest HCG may promote fat cell growth, contradicting fat loss claims.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Get the app

📢 Dr. Bikman’s Coaching Site, Insulin IQ: https://insuliniq.com

📢 Become an Insider on Ben’s website: https://www.benbikman.com

During this Metabolic Classroom lecture, Dr. Bikman unpacks the history, claims, and science behind the controversial HCG diet.

Originally popularized in the 1950s by Dr. Albert Simeons, the diet pairs daily HCG hormone injections with an extremely low-calorie diet (around 500 calories/day). Simeons claimed that HCG helps target problem fat areas, preserve muscle, and suppress hunger. Ben explains HCG’s legitimate role in pregnancy and medical uses (e.g., infertility and hypogonadism), but emphasizes that its weight loss effects are unproven in non-pregnant individuals.

Ben reviews numerous randomized controlled trials and meta-analyses, all of which consistently show that HCG provides no measurable benefit over placebo for weight loss, hunger suppression, or muscle preservation. Anecdotal success stories may stem from the extreme calorie restriction or a placebo effect, rather than any metabolic impact of HCG. He explains that even pregnancy-level HCG doses only mildly affect thyroid hormones and that therapeutic doses used in the diet are far too low to significantly alter metabolism or fat-burning.

Biochemical and in vitro studies show that HCG may stimulate fat cell growth, particularly in newborns and under high concentrations, but it does not increase lipolysis in adult fat tissue. This contradicts the idea that HCG helps “melt” fat from stubborn areas. Furthermore, its role in reducing hunger is more likely due to nausea or psychological commitment rather than true satiety signaling.

In conclusion, Dr. Bikman cautions against using HCG as a shortcut for weight loss. The extreme calorie restriction is effective but unsustainable and potentially harmful. He recommends lowering insulin by controlling carbohydrates as a healthier first step, emphasizing a protein-focused, low-carb approach over starvation and hormone injections. He encourages individuals to base their choices on rigorous science, not fad claims.

Show Notes/References:

For complete show notes and references, we invite you to become an Insider subscriber. You’ll enjoy real-time, livestream Metabolic Classroom access which includes live Q&A after the lecture with Ben, ad-free podcast episodes, show notes and references, online Office Hours access, Ben’s Research Reviews Podcast, and a searchable archive that includes all Metabolic Classroom episodes and Research Reviews. Learn more: https://www.benbikman.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.