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What is the best diet for weight loss?
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The hCG diet is the best way to lose weight

Taking hCG and making cuts to food intake can have drastic returns.

Context

The hCG diet is a method of slimming down that developed during clinical trials in the 1950s. HCG, or human chorionic gonadotropin, is a naturally occurring drug produced during pregnancy. This, coupled with extreme calorie reduction, stimulates weight loss and produces quick results. After the publication of Kevin Trudeau's book ''The Weight Loss Cure, What THEY Don’t Want You To Know”, the diet gained mainstream popularity.

The Argument

The hCG is a diet option relevant to people who wish specifically to use body fat. Dr. Simeons, a British scientist, found that young boys who received hCG lost weight, specifically fat. HCG targets the hypothalamus gland, and therefore Dr. Simeons believed that this body part was active in the regulation of body fat. The current form of the hCG diet involves taking drops of the hCG hormone. This can be bought at many pharmacies, usually after a consultation, and are often quite expensive. The hCG diet also demands that the follower eat a couple of very small meals a day, often restricted to around 700 calories. [1] The highly restricted diet results in rapid weight loss due to the decreased amount of calories being consumed. Furthermore, the hCG hormone aids in restructuring the body's fat composition, making its distribution more effective and thus aiding fat loss.[2] By directly targeting body fat and metabolism, the hCG diet is the most effective way to lose weight.

Counter arguments

Weight loss is short-term. Some research has linked HCG weight-loss products to a possible increase in cancer risk. HCG might encourage the production of androgen cells, which could result in the growth of certain types of cancers.[3] As a prescription medication, HCG is used mainly to treat fertility issues. HCG is not approved for over-the-counter use, nor has it been proved to work for weight loss.[3] The book "The Weight Loss Cure 'They' Don't Want You to Know About." was highly controversial. It's author, Kevin Trudeau, was banned from infomercials and was ordered by a federal court to pay five million dollars profits from his book.[4] He is currently in a federal prison for criminal contempt. He is obviously a highly untrustworthy figure, and as one of the main proponents of the hCG diet, this casts grave doubts on the diet's true effectiveness.

Proponents

Premises

[P1] In order to lose weight it is necessary to lose body fat. [P2] The hormone hCG targets body fat and speeds up the metabolism, directly aiding in fat loss. [P3] Taking hCG therefore helps to decrease body fat and therefore lose weight. [P4] The diet also involves a very restricted calorie intake. [P5] All these factors combined therefore mean it's the best way to lose weight.

Rejecting the premises

References

  1. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/weight-loss/expert-answers/hcg-diet/faq-20058164
  2. https://www.dailymercury.com.au/news/is-the-hcg-diet-all-its-cracked-up-to-be/3559509/
  3. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/weight-loss/expert-answers/hcg-diet/faq-20058164
  4. https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2008/10/kevin-trudeau-banned-infomercials-three-years-ordered-pay-more-5
This page was last edited on Wednesday, 22 Jul 2020 at 18:13 UTC

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