hCG is a hormone that the body produces when a woman is pregnant. It is produced by the placenta and begins appearing soon after the embryo is fertilized. During the first few weeks of a pregnancy, the levels of this hormone will double every few days.
Around the 12th week of pregnancy, the levels will peak and begin to fall after this point. Studies are now showing that the levels of hCG found in the body while pregnant can actually reduce the risk of breast cancer developing after a woman turns 50.
These studies showed that the increase of the hormone actually help prevent breast cancer because it helps epithelial cells of the mammary glands to mature. This process can help to prevent DNA damage of the cells.
Along with preventing cancer, there are other benefits to hCG levels in the body. For example, it has been shown to aid in the ability that a woman has to lose weight. In fact, there are specific diets available that use hCG hormones to help increase the amount of weight that is lost.
However, these diets should be relied on with caution because they can actually be a bit dangerous. Many who rely on this diet find that they are not able to get the amount of nutrients that they truly need to remain healthy.