Should You Take HCG Drops During Menstruation?

Of all the questions about the HCG diet, one of the most frequent is whether women should keep taking HCG drops during their menstrual cycle. HCG drops are becoming more and more popular, and so this question gets asked even more than before. It's certainly something worth talking about so there's no more confusion.

Dr. ATW Simeons is the researcher who invented the HCG diet protocol. In his book on the diet, "Pounds and Inches: A New Approach to Obesity," he strongly advises women to not take HCG during their menstrual cycle. We don't know why, and Simeons never provided a particular reason. However, we do know that Simeons successfully coached thousands of women on the HCG diet protocol. Despite anything you might find online, our best approach is to use his experience. Hunger should not be a problem during your menstrual cycle, but will come back swiftly when it's over unless you start taking your HCG soon.

Weight loss generally slows down during your menstrual cycle. This is caused by the retention of water, which always rises during this time. Don't panic, and don't worry. Above all, don't cheat, as this will lead to a true weight loss stall and/or gain. Although women tend to lose a little less weight than men overall on the HCG diet, it's entirely normal. Your extra water weight will leave quickly as soon as your period is over.

Before straying from the guidelines laid down by Dr. Simeons, we should have strong, convincing evidence to do so. We have not seen enough evidence to say that taking HCG drops during your period is OK, and we continue to support Dr. Simeons' original method.

However, there is a difference between HCG drops and the original injections. Because of their different formulation, homeopathic HCG drops have milder side effects. Some women have tried taking HCG drops during their cycle and reported good results. A few have reported heavier bleeding and cramping. Most said their weight loss did not slow down as much. This seems to be a good sign, but without more evidence we still believe it to be rather uncertain. It's always best to follow the original protocol. Stopping HCG drops during the menstrual cycle still has a strong track record of satisfying results.