Human Growth Hormone (HGH)
After failing miserably on other fad diets, I figured I would double-down on stupid. I was commuting to work one day in 2011 and heard this captivating radio commercial that advertised an HGH supplement that helped all these purported people lose weight. Also, they advertised a free trial for the first 100 callers, and they would monitor the progress for science reasons. I called them and quickly found that it would in fact cost me $60 and the free trial was one bottle of the HGH, but you had to buy $60 worth of additional bottles. It was a total sales ploy and I fell for it. I went ahead and bought the mandatory bottles and it all arrived a few days later.
I read the instructions and it was interesting. You basically eat 3 normal meals, and the HGH was supposed to suppress your hunger between meals. If you felt hungry, you were supposed to place the drops of HGH liquid, with a dropper, under your tongue and hold it for a minute or so. If you still felt hungry, you were supposed to use more drops. I’ll admit, it either did indeed suppress my hunger, or provided an adequate placebo effect, because I felt my feeling of hunger subside some time after using the drops. I distinctly recall using the drops while hunting one day. I didn’t want to loudly scare off any deer by eating snacks, so I used the drops and they successfully satiated my hunger the entire morning.
I managed to lose roughly 10 pounds on the HGH diet. However, I wasn’t convinced it was actually the cause of my weight loss versus the fact I was just eating 3 healthier meals. It did probably help eliminate snacking, but I quickly lost interest as well as questioned how much it really helped me. Also, the commercials quickly went away, and I never got a call about the research that was supposed to a part of the program, so I discontinued using it. In hindsight, synthetic hormones used for appetite suppression can’t possibly be healthy, so I’m glad I stopped. Naturally, with all fad diets, I quickly gained the weight back, and a few extra pounds for good measure.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this blog is based entirely upon my experiences and observations. I am not a medical professional and you must do your own research and consult your doctor before making any changes to your eating, fitness, medication, or supplements. This general information is not intended to diagnose any medical condition or to replace your healthcare professional.