HCG is an acronym for the hormone Human Chorio Gonadotropin, which is found in both men and women, though pregnant women have the highest levels of HCG in their bodies. HCG injections or supplements are typically given to women who need help ovulating and to men who want to increase their sperm count. A daily HCG injection is also one component of the controversial HCG diet plan.

The HCG hormone can be made synthetically or extracted from a pregnant woman's urine and then processed for use by other humans. The HCG diet shots are said to benefit both men and women similarly, though experts don't recommend that women get the injections if they are already pregnant or nursing, and thus already have elevated HCG levels.

Advocates of the HCG diet believe that, by adhering to the diet plan and taking daily injections of HCG, participants can successfully reach their targeted weight. They say that dieters following the HCG diet should expect to lose somewhere between a half pound and 3 pounds (.23 to 1.36 kilograms) each day on the low-calorie, high-fiber plan [source: HCG Diet Info]. The diet has its fair share of believers. After all, any eating plan that consists of a mere 500 calories will most likely result in weight loss. But, at the same time, some people have found that the injections made no difference [source: Sylvester]. And the drug lacks substantial research, so exposing your body to such a restrictive diet may not be in your best interests.

To know if the HCG diet is right for you, be sure to read about the specifics of the plan and the possible dangers. Check out the next page for information on the day-to-day dieting plan. [source: HCG Diet Info]