Sent to you by Jane Kennedy NP, MPH

There is currently a lot of buzz about hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin, a hormone that is naturally produced by our bodies), and I have been getting a lot of questions about it. Who wouldn't be interested in losing weight quickly and in a big way? In this edition of the newsletter, I will talk about what we know, what we don't know, how it works, and related information about the creation of a healthy lifestyle.

Weight gain is a multi-faceted health issue rather than the result of the simplistic formula of "more calories in than out." Weight gain can be associated with a dysfunction of metabolism, autoimmune and other inflammatory processes like food allergies, stress (often with adrenal malfunction), low thyroid, sex hormone imbalances and other hormonal malfunctions, poor nutrition, and many other issues. Weight obviously is also affected by eating habits, such as excessive portions, poor food choices, cravings, and eating for emotional reasons.

Whatever your weight issue, identifying the underlying mechanisms and addressing them is an important first step. This includes assessing your lifestyle practices such as food choices and eating patterns, use of basic nutritional supplements, level of exercise, as well as emotional issues. The health benefits from having a healthy weight are too long to list (just think of every disease being less common!), but they are very much worth the effort -- and we FEEL so much better!

In addition to my longstanding work with many patients in establishing hormonal balance and healthy lifestyle practices of good nutrition and exercise, I have had the opportunity in the past year and a half to work with women who desired to use the hCG protocol for weight loss. Most recently, I decided to do it myself along with several other women who wanted to experience it firsthand. My personal experience is that this protocol is doable, but takes discipline and attention to detail. It re-focused my own healthy lifestyle practices and has given me increased energy and an improved sense of well-being while losing a substantial number of pounds! Yea! But here is my professional take on it:

HCG is present in all our cells, and occurs in both sexes. Women naturally produce the highest level of hCG during pregnancy. In that case, it serves to prevent malnutrition of the fetus when the mother does not eat enough calories by triggering the mother's body to burn fat in order to provide the necessary calories for the growing fetus. This can be up to 4,000 calories per day, or more.

ATW Simeons, MD, previously known for his treatment and diagnostic testing of malaria, spent many years in India where he observed malnourished and severely underweight women giving birth to healthy, robust babies. This led him to years of study about issues of body weight, then hCG, and finally a successful protocol for weight loss.

In the 1950s, he discovered that overweight people had low metabolism and continual hunger with enormous food cravings, and that they stored fat in the body as a survival mechanism. The areas of storage are around the hips and thighs, waist, stomach, buttocks, joints, and organs. In women it also includes the back of the upper arms, and in men the upper chest, back, and neck. These stores are released only after 90 days of fasting (to prevent starvation) or during pregnancy. Regular dieting and exercise don't even touch these stored fats.

Dr. Simeons developed his hCG protocol over many years of working with people who would come to Rome and stay at his "spa" for the duration of the diet. His work was very effective, and thus very popular with Hollywood stars, politicians, heads of state - those who could afford it. You can find Dr. Simeons' writings on his hCG protocol by searching online for "Pounds and Inches." His approach has been successfully used over the years with relatively little notoriety in several areas around the globe, and has more recently been trumpeted by Gary Trudeau in his book "The Weight Loss Cure 'They' Don't Want You to Know About".

Under the protocol, hCG is introduced by daily injections (or now, also by either homeopathic drops or tablets) which, according to Dr. Simeons, causes the body to burn fat. You eat 500 calories a day from very specific sources (good protein with selected vegetables and fruits - no fat and no additional carbs), and actually do not feel hungry (or very little hunger). This process is followed for 21 or 42 days during which most people report loosing 1-3 pounds per day. At the end of that period, you continue to eat a very precise diet for 3 weeks before going back to a regular, healthy diet and consistent exercise. The protocol can be repeated for additional weight loss after taking specific breaks.

What is truly exciting about hCG is that it appears to re-set the hypothalamus, which flips the internal switch on your metabolism so that it functions normally. This gland, found in the brain, regulates fat storage in the body, manages hunger, and supports the pituitary and thyroid glands.

When the hypothalamus dysfunctions (which is followed by pituitary dysfunction), it creates an imbalance of many of our hormones and is felt to be a primary underlying cause in weight gain. Exercise, diet and emotions are always important factors in weight loss, but particularly at mid-life, we must give attention to the hormones of our bodies that regulate metabolism if we are going to be successful in keeping off the weight that has been lost through any program.

It is best to do this program under medical supervision, starting with a one week preparation phase during which you eat well, eliminate things like heavy caffeine use, alcohol, and sugar, and engage in gentle daily exercise. As a medical provider, I do weekly checks of changes in your muscle mass, fat mass, water, and detox. This assures us that you are losing fat and water rather than muscle.

Success seems to be determined by strictly adhering to the program of taking the hCG, eating only the specified foods, and getting gentle exercise. Sometimes, lab testing before beginning the program can give helpful information.

The FDA has approved hCG for use as a fertility drug (at much higher doses), but not specifically for weight loss. In fact, the FDA requires medical providers to include the following statement any time they say anything about hCG and weight to the public:

"HCG has not been demonstrated to be effective adjunctive therapy in the treatment of obesity. There is no substantial evidence that it increases weight loss beyond that resulting from caloric restriction, that it causes a more attractive or 'normal' distribution of fat, or that it decreases the hunger and discomfort associated with calorie-restricted diets."

I do not make any claims about hCG, but only share what patients and I personally have experienced and how we think it may work. I would certainly welcome more studies on hCG and the protocol to learn more about this important weight loss approach.

As with everything in life, there are potential side effects. Anyone using hCG should watch for the onset of headaches, irritability, restlessness, slight water retention, tenderness of breast tissue, swelling of the injection site (if injections are used), or depression. Side effects typically are passing phenomena. If you have gout, however, hCG treatment is not recommended since it can cause the condition to flare significantly.

There is a rare, severe side effect, the development of ovarian hyper- stimulation in women, which could be indicated by symptoms of pain in the pelvis, swelling of feet, legs, hands, abdominal pain and swelling, difficulty breathing, diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, decreased urination and weight gain. This condition would need immediate medical attention and cessation of the hCG. Again, it is indeed very, very rare.

Nothing takes the place of a healthy diet, regular exercise, and balancing of sex, thyroid, adrenal, and other hormones as a good foundation for a healthy weight. And, some may find it useful in achieving a healthy weight to rebalance their metabolism through the appropriate use of hCG. No matter what you think about hCG, do something to support a healthy weight for your body, and its long term positive benefits will be a gift you give yourself!

Be well!
Jane

Jane Kennedy
Nurse Practitioner

Gordon Medical Associates