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Although their initials sound similar, comparing HCG vs. HGH is akin to saying night is the same as day. HCG and HGH are two distinctly different hormones. You cannot substitute one for the other as they do not provide the same benefits.
The reason some people talk about HCG and HGH together in the same category is for their role in weight loss. Although both Trusted sourceWhat Is the HCG Diet, and Does It Work?Health LineGo to sourceHCG and HGH can help stimulate the targeting and burning of unwanted fat, they go about it differently.
Another comparison of HCG and HGH is their influence on testosterone. Both hormones do contribute to testosterone secretion. However, their use here is also not the same. In men, HCG will help improve testosterone production and is sometimes used to treat male infertility. HGH does help increase testosterone, just not to the degree of HCG.
Further examination of the HCG and HGH difference is highlighted in the sections below.
What is HCG and What Does It Do?
HCG stands for human chorionic gonadotropin. This hormone is most often associated with Trusted sourceHuman Chorionic Gonadotropin: The Pregnancy HormoneAmerican Pregnancy AssociationGo to sourcepregnant women , as it helps to provide nourishment to the growing fetus when nausea inhibits food intake by the mother. HCG allows the body to release stored fat for use as nutrition and energy.
For that reason, a comparison of HCG injections vs. HGH therapy turns up the weight loss difference. A weight loss program called the HCG Diet enables adults to maintain a 500-calorie-a-day diet for six weeks while using HCG injections. The HCG tricks the brain into thinking more food was consumed, so the body does not enter starvation mode. A starving body will hold onto stored fat, instead pulling energy from the muscles. HCG maintains muscle integrity while promoting the burning of stored fat.
Adults can lose between a one-half and one and one-half pounds a day with the HCG Diet. They follow specific guidelines as to what they can and cannot eat during this time. The HCG weight loss plan eliminates all dairy, carbohydrates, fats, and sugars from the diet.
When comparing HCG vs. HGH for weight loss, the effects are extremely different. HCG works right away whereas HGH provides much slower results.
What is HGH and What Does It Do?
HGH is human growth hormone, a chemical messenger that aids metabolism, cellular regeneration, immune, brain, libido, and other vital functions. Maintaining adequate HGH levels is crucial for a healthy mind and body.
A comparison of HCG versus HGH yields many differences. Whereas HCG brings about rapid weight loss, but only with very restricted caloric intake, HGH does not require any dietary changes. HGH is not a diet, nor is it advertised or sold as such. While anyone who is overweight and has no contraindications can get HCG from a weight loss doctor, HGH is only available to adults with growth hormone deficiency.
A look at HCG vs. HGH shows that doctors do prescribe HCG as a dietary aid. HGH therapy is a medical treatment to reverse hormone deficiency.
Which Is Better HCG or HGH?
It is not accurate to define “which is better, HCG or HGH.” They are two very different therapies, prescribed for very different purposes. HCG is used in combination with a calorie restricted diet as an effective form of medical weight loss. HGH is used to treat patients suffering from a growth hormone deficiency (GHD). Although weight loss and increased lean muscle is a benefit of HGH therapy for patients with GHD, HGH is not intended to be a weight loss solution.
How much weight can a typical adult expect to lose with HGH therapy?
If you are overweight and growth hormone deficient, you can expect to lose roughly ten percent of your body fat during a six-month treatment period. However, that does not necessarily mean you will be losing weight. Many people gain approximately the same amount of lean muscle mass during that time. Your body will still take on a more physically toned appearance.
How Do I Know When to Use HCG vs. HGH?
There are two simple rules to remember when it comes to HCG vs. HGH:
- HCG can be used as a weight loss aid when taken under the supervision of a doctor experienced in the HCG Diet. Real HCG, just as with HGH, is only available as an injectable. Pills, drops, and sprays are homeopathic products and not real HCG. Do not attempt a very low-calorie diet without doctor supervision.
- HGH injections are only prescribed to treat growth hormone deficiency. They are not a dietary aid, although overweight adults will experience a significant decrease in belly fat.
- A final word on this subject focuses on taking HCG and HGH at the same time. Under no circumstances do we recommend an HCG and HGH stack. Doing so could be dangerous for the body. If you are considering either HCG or HGH, please contact our hormone clinic for a free consultation to determine what is best for you.
Can You Take HGH and HCG at The Same Time?
There is little or no evidence to suggest that any kind of increased benefits are achieved by taking HCG and HGH at the same time. In fact, doing so could result in some dangerous drug interactions. Therefore, it is not recommended that patients take HCG and HGH at the same time. Doing so could be dangerous for the body.
Does HCG Increase HGH?
HCG does not increase your levels of HGH. Studies have shown that HCG use in men does have some anabolic effects, or helps to build muscle. However, this is not because HCG raises HGH levels, but because it can raise testosterone levels. HCG is used as a treatment for some men with low testosterone. Specifically, HCG is recommended for men who have low testosterone, but want to avoid the negative impact on fertility that testosterone replacement therapy can have. There are some doctors who believe that using testosterone along with HCG might improve symptoms of testosterone deficiency while preventing some of the unwanted side effects of testosterone injections, such as lowered sperm count. However, again, HCG is never recommended to be used with HGH.
How to Use HGH Successfully With HCG
The only way to use HGH successfully with HCG is to use them separately. You and your doctor will need to decide which is more important to you based on your present condition and wellness goals.
Deciding what you want to achieve first, is the best way to decide when to start either HCG or HGH therapy. For example, if you are clinically obese, and your immediate goal is medical weight loss, then going on an HCG diet program may be the first place to start, before addressing any hormonal imbalances with growth hormone therapy.
On the other hand, if you are looking for the many ways that HGH can help you to age more optimally, and you have been found to be suffering from age-related GHD, your doctor may recommend a course of HGH first.
Either way, the decision will be up to you and your doctor when to most successfully use HGH and HCG – separately – but, never at the same time.
Under certain circumstances, HCG and HGH can be used successfully together – but not simultaneously.
Now that you know a little bit more about the roles HCG and HGH can play in weight loss, why not contact us today and learn more about the many life-changing benefits of HCG and/or HGH therapy.
- Margarita G.L. Anapliotou, Dr Evangelos Evangelou, I. Kastanias, Maria Liparaki, Panagiota Psara, N Goulandris
- Mikkel Andreassen, MD, PhD, Rikke Beck Jensen, Senior Hospital Physician, Niels Joergensen, PhD, Anders Juul, PhD
- Jean Cailleau, Guido Verhoeven, MD, PhD, Sigrid Vermeire
Effect of growth hormone cotreatment with human chorionic gonadotropin in testicular steroidogenesis and seminal insulin-like growth factor-1 in oligozoospermia
Association between Growth Hormone Receptor Polymorphism (exon3-deletion), Serum Insulin-like Growth Factor I, Semen Quality and Reproductive Hormone levels in 838 Healthy Young Men
Independent control of the production of insulin-like growth factor I and its binding protein by cultured testicular cells