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What Are The Side Effects Of HCG Diet?
Hi I am in phase 2 of hcg diet, about day 15. Last week I had bad ankle/foot cramp on an ankle that lasted about 20 minutes. Later my ankle was stiff as if I had rolled it. This is an ankle that I badly sprained years ago and I still roll it occasionally. I have taken Tums lately, thinking that maybe I am not getting enough calcium in my diet.
Sat, 27 Feb 2016
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Hello, you may possibly have an electrolyte imbalance or low magnesium. There are many deficiencies that can cause cramping.
I never advise the HCG diet as it has been associated with many negative side-effects. Human Chorianic Gonadotropin or HCG has never shown any evidence to be effective for weight loss and the Food Drug Administration has sent such programs letters of warning.
The low calorie level is too low and can cause many imbalances. For men, 800 calories is not enough to keep your brain functioning well and, as you have seen, avoid complications.
Taking tums is not a good way to get calcium in your diet. Furthermore it will alter the pH of your stomach unnecessarily. Are you taking a multivitamin with a separate calcium with D? That might solve the cramping. Take the multivitamin in am, separate from calcium/D.
I also would advise you, if you were my patient, to seek out a doctor and get a blood test done for potassium, magnesium, calcium, a CBC with differential, fasting blood sugar. Almost everyone is deficient in vitamin D so I would either suggest a test or go ahead and supplement with 800 IU/day of vitamin D3. Vitamin D3 has not shown any adverse effects with high dosages according to recent literature.
In the future, I suggest you consider a long term solution to weight loss involving lifestyle change, nutrition education and increasing your fitness level. Healthy Regards, Kathryn Shattler, MS,RDN
Hello, you may possibly have an electrolyte imbalance or low magnesium. There are many deficiencies that can cause cramping.
I never advise the HCG diet as it has been associated with many negative side-effects. Human Chorianic Gonadotropin or HCG has never shown any evidence to be effective for weight loss and the Food Drug Administration has sent such programs letters of warning.
The low calorie level is too low and can cause many imbalances. For men, 800 calories is not enough to keep your brain functioning well and, as you have seen, avoid complications.
Taking tums is not a good way to get calcium in your diet. Furthermore it will alter the pH of your stomach unnecessarily. Are you taking a multivitamin with a separate calcium with D? That might solve the cramping. Take the multivitamin in am, separate from calcium/D.
I also would advise you, if you were my patient, to seek out a doctor and get a blood test done for potassium, magnesium, calcium, a CBC with differential, fasting blood sugar. Almost everyone is deficient in vitamin D so I would either suggest a test or go ahead and supplement with 800 IU/day of vitamin D3. Vitamin D3 has not shown any adverse effects with high dosages according to recent literature.
In the future, I suggest you consider a long term solution to weight loss involving lifestyle change, nutrition education and increasing your fitness level. Healthy Regards, Kathryn Shattler, MS,RDN
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