Those of you who know me have heard me bemoan the ridiculousness of the HCG Protocol diet, and finally the FDA is declaring it “fraudulent and illegal.”

This popular weight-loss product, which can be found online or at retailers such as GNC,  promises dramatic results when paired with a 500 calorie diet. That’s insanely low. I personally know people who have used it or who have been pressured to try it, and it’s nothing more than a quick-fix crash-diet that involves an oral appetite suppressor.

So what is HCG? It’s short for Human Chorionic Gonadotropin, a hormone made by the placenta during pregnancy. While this hormone is approved as a prescription treatment for infertility and other conditions, it is not approved for weight loss.

Elizabeth Miller, the leader of the FDA’s Internet and health fraud team, says that there is no evidence that these products are effective for weight loss. “While they may not be dangerous,” she adds, “they’re at least economic fraud.”

Additionally, though HCG products often boast a homeopathic label, they are not actually recognized by in the Homeopathic Pharmacopoeia, according to Miller. This makes them both unapproved and illegal.

You can read more here.