The History of Hoodia
Even before the rest of the world found out about Hoodia and its appetite-curbing properties, it was the Xhomani San Bushmen of South Africa who first discovered the plant. The native tribesmen of the Kalahari Desert have been eating this plant for more than a hundred years to keep hunger at bay during those long hunting expeditions. Hoodia was the San Bushmen's best kept secret, up until 2004 when it was introduced as one of the best natural weight-loss and appetite suppressant products.
Known to the world as Hoodia, this medicinal plant is also called by a variety of names. The plant's Latin name is Hoodia gordonii and its other names include Ikhooba, Xhoba or Xhooba, Ghaap, South African desert cactus, Hoodia cactus, Bushmen's Hat, and Queen of Namib. Because of cactus-like appearance, the Hoodia has always been mistaken as a member of the cactus family. In reality, Hoodia is a succulent -- with its green and upright stem, purple-colored flowers, unpleasant smell, and bitter taste. The Hoodia gordonii has more than 13 known species, which grows exclusively in the arid areas of South Africa. Because of its rarity, the Hoodia gordonii is a well-protected plant.
Hoodia gordonii thrives in places where the temperature is high. The Kalahari Desert is just one of the few places where Hoodia gordonii grows abundantly. For this reason, it is hard to grow and cultivate Hoodia in other places. This means that unless you turn your backyard into a mini-desert with the exact climactic and soil conditions as the Kalahari, you will not succeed in growing Hoodia.
It was a Dutch anthropologist who first noted the significance of Hoodia gordonii as an appetite suppressant. In 1937, the anthropologist studied the life of the San Bushmen and found out that the tribesmen eat Hoodia to curb their hunger. Following this discovery, a group of scientists from the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) conducted several clinical studies to prove the appetite-curbing properties of Hoodia. They first tested the plant in rats and the effects were astonishing.
The scientists from CSIR attempted to discover the component or ingredient that gives Hoodia its appetite-suppressing powers. They finally succeeded in 1957, and named the molecule P57. They patented P57 in 1997 and sold the license to a bio-pharmaceutical company in Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom. The bio-pharmaceutical company then collaborated with the New York-based pharmaceutical giant, Pfizer in 1998 to conduct further studies on Hoodia. Pfizer intended to determine the active ingredients in Hoodia and to market it as an anti-obesity drug. However, this task proved to be challenging and expensive.
In July 2003, following numerous clinical studies, Pfizer returned the rights to P57. Although it was able to identify the active ingredients in Hoodia, synthesizing them proved to be costly and difficult. This caused Pfizer to pull the plug on the Hoodia project. However, the quest to produce anti-obesity drug out of Hoodia is not yet finished. The bio-pharmaceutical company Phytopharm has recently joined forces with Unilever to continue its efforts of finally producing a commercially available anti-obesity drug.
Hoodia: Weight Loss Miracle?
If you are one of those people who are on a quest to find an effective diet supplement, you have probably heard of Hoodia. It is currently one of the most popular weight-loss products in the market. But does it work? More importantly, is it even safe for use?
The Research on Hoodia
One of the most frequently cited studies on Hoodia is the one conducted with obese individuals. In this study, a number of obese individuals were divided into two groups. The first group was given Hoodia gordonii, while the second one was given placebo appetite suppressants. The result of the study was remarkable -- with the first group reducing their calorie intake significantly each day.
How Hoodia managed to reduce the individual's calorie intake is no magic. The truth is that Hoodia contains an active ingredient that fools the brain into thinking that a person is already full. Since the person does not feel hunger, he loses his desire to eat food, which would eventually cause him to lose weight.
Hoodia and the San Bushmen
As opposed to what most people think, Hoodia gordonii is not a cactus. It is a succulent that only thrives in the deep, hot deserts of South Africa, including the Kalahari Desert. For centuries, the San Bushmen of Kalahari have consumed Hoodia gardonii to ward off hunger during lengthy hunting trips. For many years, these indigenous people have eaten Hoodia without experiencing any adverse side effect such as increased heart rate or upset stomach. However, the San Bushmen only used Hoodia sparingly; as such, further research is needed to determine whether or not Hoodia has ill effects when taken in regular doses over a long period of time.
Hoodia Gordonii as a Weight-Loss Supplement
When Hoodia was discovered several years ago, researchers immediately recognized its potential as a weight-loss supplement. It took them years before they managed to isolate the active ingredient in Hoodia that makes it an effective appetite suppressant. The active ingredient is P57, which is a molecule that is 10,000 times more powerful than glucose. As a matter of fact, this molecule is so powerful that people who have consumed Hoodia experienced results right away.
If you plan to use Hoodia, you should know that its active ingredient does not essentially affect your appetite when your hunger is caused by physical activity or when you are consuming high carbohydrates. While the active ingredient tricks the brain into believing that you are full, your sugar drops and physical requirement for nourishment can offset this effect.
For Hoodia to be effective, you need to accompany it with regular exercise. If you truly want to have successful weight loss, then you should adopt a healthy lifestyle. Likewise, make sure that you take Hoodia gordonii in its appropriate dosage. Before you take Hoodia, consult with your physician first to know whether or not it is safe for you to use. Lastly, buy only pure and genuine Hoodia to make sure that it is really safe and effective.
Is Hoodia Safe?
When it comes to natural appetite suppressants, the biggest question people ask is whether or not they are safe. This is the same question people asked when Hoodia was first introduced in the market several years ago. In reality, there is no telling whether Hoodia is really safe or not. This is because there has been little scientific research done to prove that Hoodia has indeed no short-term and long-term side effects.
Hoodia, or Hoodia gordonii, is a medicinal plant often mistaken as a member of the cactus family. It is actually a succulent, which grows exclusively in the arid regions of Africa. One of the popular places where it thrives is the Kalahari Desert in South Africa. Hoodia gordonii is a popular appetite suppressant that contains a molecule called P57, which is 10,000 times more active than ordinary glucose. This molecule was first isolated by the researchers at the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, who patented the molecule and sold its license to Phytopharm. Together with Unilever, Phytopharm continues to conduct studies on Hoodia and its active ingredient to determine if there are really no ill effects associated with it.
Some succulent plants like aloe vera are not safe for expectant women. Aloe vera is often used to treat amenorrhea to enable menstrual flow. Hoodia is also a succulent, but it is not yet known whether or not it is safe for pregnant women. Hoodia might also pose health risks to people with diabetes, although no scientific research has been conducted yet to prove this.
Hoodia gordonii is undoubtedly an appetite suppressant. Most appetite suppressants available in the market today contain stimulants that increase a person's blood pressure and heart rate. But unlike most appetite suppressants, Hoodia gordonii does not have any side effect -- at least as far as recent studies on it prove. However, Hoodia gordonii did not go through extensive research like other suppressants did. As such, there is not enough evidence to determine whether or not Hoodia really is safe. On the other hand, Hoodia gordonii is an all-natural appetite suppressant, which makes it considerably safer than artificially-made ones.
These days, there are a plethora of weight loss products that claim to contain Hoodia gordonii. Some of these products often contain other ingredients like ephedrine and have little or no Hoodia in them at all. As such, these Hoodia weight-loss products can be dangerous. Since these products do not undergo certification, there is no telling whether or not they are the real thing.
If you wish to buy Hoodia gordonii products, there are certain things you need to keep in mind. First of all, do not buy weight-loss products that are not made from pure Hoodia gordonii. Second, make sure that the Hoodia product you buy is certified by the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora or CITES. Lastly, check if the product carries the Analytical Report and a license from the Western Cape Conservation Authority of South Africa. If the product does not have any of these certifications, it only means two things: it is fake and possibly unsafe.
Does Hoodia Really Work?
The native people of Kalahari Desert in South Africa know for a fact that Hoodia gordonii works. For many years, they relied on this rare plant species to help them stave off hunger for long periods of time. Those who question the effectiveness of Hoodia might as well ask the correspondents of CBS and BBC who flew to South Africa to learn more about this miracle weight-loss plant. These reporters will be able to tell how they have tried Hoodia and became instant believers of its appetite-suppressing powers. But these reporters are not the only ones who can vouch for Hoodia being the real thing. Thousands of people have already tried the plant and become convinced of its effectiveness.
Even science is aware of the appetite suppressing powers of Hoodia gordonii. The experts from the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) of South Africa studied the plant for many years before they were finally able to identify the ingredient that gives the Hoodia its appetite-curbing property. P57, a molecule that tricks the brain into believing that a person is already full, has also been studied by major pharmaceutical companies and the results were reported to have been nothing short of remarkable.
So if science and the media are convinced that Hoodia can really suppress one's appetite, then that means it really works as a weight-loss supplement, right? Well, it still depends.
If the theory of "eat more, weigh more and eat less, weigh less" is true, then Hoodia gordonii will undoubtedly work since it "prevents" a person from overeating by stifling his appetite. After all, clinical studies have shown that those people who took Hoodia gordonii have significantly reduced their calorie intake. However, the truth is that the Hoodia is not a direct solution to weight-loss. For it to really work for people who wish to shed pounds, the following should be kept in mind:
Buy only genuine Hoodia gordonii. If you truly want to experience the appetite-curbing powers of Hoodia, then make sure you buy only products that are made from pure and authentic Hoodia. Check if the product was licensed by the Western Cape Conservation Authority of South Africa and if it has a permit from the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.
Know your dosage. Before taking Hoodia, you should first know what dosage will work for you. What might work for some people may not work for you. Likewise, be sure to only take the right dosage of Hoodia. Taking it in excessive amounts may be dangerous.
Exercise and diet. As already mentioned, Hoodia gordonii is not a direct solution to weight loss. It only helps by curbing your appetite so you will not be tempted to overeat. Hoodia helps you lose weight by reducing your calorie intake. Thus, it still needs to be accompanied by a balanced diet and a good exercise routine to truly work. As such, know which diet plans and exercise routines would work best with Hoodia to help you lose weight.
Hoodia vs. Other Weight-Loss Supplements
There is perhaps no other natural appetite suppressant today that is more famous than Hoodia gordonii. The plethora of weight loss products that claim to contain Hoodia is proof of this. However, there are several companies who have taken advantage of Hoodia's popularity and released products that are fake. These products claim to contain Hoodia but are just actually placebo supplements. More often than not, these fake Hoodia products contain ingredients that are either unnatural or dangerous.
People who come across Hoodia often wonder whether or not it works. The answer is it does, although quite differently from any other weight-loss method. The thing is that in order to lose weight, a person must burn more calories than he consumes. The bigger the difference between the calories consumed and calories burned, the more weight you lose. With this equation, a person can only do two things to successfully lose weight -- either trim down his calorie intake or burn more calories through rigorous physical activities.
Unfortunately, not many people have the luxury of time to engage in physical activities on a regular basis. As such, they turn to finding other means to lose weight. This is where weight-loss products come in. Most of the weight-loss products such as ephedrine and orlistat on the market today help people lose weight by burning calories. However, the problem with them is that they often have adverse side effects such as gastrointestinal problems, stroke, and heart attack. For this reason, many health experts advise against using these weight-loss products.
Hoodia gordonii works the other way. Rather than burn calories, Hoodia gardonii helps you lose weight by reducing your calorie intake. Hoodia does this by taking away your desire for food by tricking your brain into believing that the body already had its fill. Since you already feel full you will not be compelled to eat, so you actually reduce the number of calories that go into your body. In response to this, your body burns stored calories or fat instead. As a result, you lose weight.
Since Hoodia only suppresses appetite and not burn calories, you should accompany it with a good exercise routine; otherwise, it will not work as well. Keep in mind that Hoodia is not a direct solution to your weight problem but rather a tool to help you solve it.
The great thing about Hoodia gordonii is that it does not have any ill effects. When you take Hoodia, you will not experience the side effects commonly associated with other weight-loss pills. No pulse racing, nausea, bloating, and upset stomach. The indigenous people of Kalahari Desert in South Africa have been eating Hoodia for ages and they do not experience any ill effects after consuming it. Scientists who have studied Hoodia have not found any adverse side effect either. This means that Hoodia is safe and effective, as long as it is the real thing. So before you buy any Hoodia product out there, make sure that is authentic and pure.
Hoodia Appetite Suppressant
For so many years, people have been on a quest for the ultimate natural appetite suppressant. As a result, many natural appetite suppressants have been discovered and offered to the public. These appetite suppressants proved to be effective; however, those people who used them found out that they also have adverse side effects. These natural appetite suppressants became widely used for quite sometime -- up until they were removed from the market.
You have probably heard of the recently-introduced diet supplement called Hoodia. This so-called miracle weight-loss supplement was launched on 2004 and has immediately gained popularity. As a matter of fact, Hoodia became so famous that two major broadcasting networks, BBC and ABC, did a documentary about it.
The Hoodia has a very fascinating origin. It was said that Hoodia was already used by the natives of Kalahari Desert in South Africa for many years before it had been discovered as an effective weight-loss supplement by the Westerners. The South Africans are said to use Hoodia to stave off hunger during hunting trips. The secret ingredient in Hoodia is P57, a component that suppresses appetite by tricking the brain that the blood already has enough sugar. Those people who have tried Hoodia noticed that their calorie intake had been significantly reduced.
Since it came out on the market, a lot of people have tried Hoodia. Some of them experienced the effects of the weight-loss supplement after several weeks, while there are also those who felt the effects right away.
The biggest question about Hoodia is whether or not it is safe. So far, there have been no reported side effects of Hoodia on the body. As of the present, there is not enough data to prove that Hoodia has long-term side effects. Despite this, experts still caution the public about taking Hoodia weight-loss supplements.
People with diabetes should not take Hoodia because of its P57 ingredient. Since this component fools the brain into believing that there is already enough sugar in the blood, it could pose serious threat to their health. The P57 in Hoodia could make a diabetic person feel full when the truth is that his body actually needs food.
If you wish to try the effectiveness of Hoodia for yourself, there are certain things you need to keep in mind. First of all, make sure that the Hoodia weight-loss supplement you buy passed a verified laboratory report. Second, make sure that it came from Africa; otherwise it is not the real thing.
Third, you should only purchase weight-loss supplements that claim to be 100% Hoodia. Likewise, steer clear of Hoodia products that come in gum form and those that claim to contain high doses of Hoodia. More often than not, these products are fake as Hoodia cannot be taken in excessive amounts. Lastly, beware of cheap Hoodia weight-loss supplements. The Hoodia is a rare plant species, and as such, is expensive to obtain.
What is Hoodia Gordonii?
You have heard of Hoodia but what exactly is it? More importantly, what does it have to do with weight loss? Read on to find out more.
Hoodia gordonii, better known as Hoodia, is a medicinal plant. It thrives in the deep deserts of South Africa where temperatures are high. It grows abundantly in the Kalahari Desert, although it can also be found in other African countries like Botswana, Namibia, and Angola. The San Bushmen, a group of indigenous people who live in and around the Kalahari Desert, have been eating it for years to keep hunger at bay during hunting excursions.
The appetite-suppressing powers of Hoodia prompted the researchers at the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) to study the plant. They conducted several experiments in hopes of isolating the unique ingredient in Hoodia that makes it an effective appetite-suppressant. Their efforts paid off and they named the ingredient P57, which is actually a molecule. CSIR patented P57 and sold its rights to Phytopharm, a bio-pharmaceutical company. Not long after that, Phytopharm teamed up with pharmaceutical titan, Pfizer. Together, the two companies sought to identify the active ingredients of Hoodia to produce an anti-obesity drug.
Phytopharm and Pfizer succeeded in isolating the active ingredients of Hoodia. However, they found out that synthesizing Hoodia for commercial use is difficult and expensive. For this reason, Pfizer returned the license to Phytopharm. The latter then collaborated with another pharmaceutical giant, Unilever, in hopes of continuing the studies on Hoodia. Both Unilever and Phytopharm hope to release the anti-obesity drug in the worldwide market sometime in 2008.
The science behind Hoodia's appetite-curbing powers is actually quite simple. The P57 molecule in Hoodia was believed to be 10,000 times more active than glucose found in normal food. This molecule affects the hypothalamus, which is the part of the brain responsible for metabolic processes. When a person eats Hoodia, the hypothalamus senses the high level of glucose in the body. In turn, it sends signals to the nerve cells that the body already had its fill. Simply put, Hoodia kills your desire to eat.
Clinical studies revealed that those people who consumed Hoodia reduced their calorie intake by a significant amount. Since weight gain is associated with calorie intake, this only means that the fewer calories a person takes, the bigger his weight loss will be. Calories are present in almost all food we eat, and as such, they cannot be avoided. By suppressing your appetite, you lose your desire to eat, thus reducing the number of calories you add to your body.
One of the advantages of Hoodia over other natural appetite suppressants is that it has no side effects. Other natural weight-loss products can cause your heart to beat faster and your stomach to be upset. As of the present, scientists have found no short-term and long-term side effects associated with Hoodia. So if you are looking for a safe and effective way to shed those extra pounds the natural way, try Hoodia.