Hoodia Gordonii Review

What You Should Know

For several years now, hoodia has been a topic of heated controversy among weight loss professionals. The main claims made regarding Hoodia Gordonii are that it is a potent appetite suppressant. Since the federal ban on ephedra some years ago, many have searched for a dietary replacement to assist them in their weight loss goals. Unlike ephedra, which acts as a stimulant, hoodia acts exclusively as an appetite suppressant. Derived from a cactus-like succulent grown in the semi-deserts of South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, and Angola, early bushmen were known to cut off and eat the bitter stem of the plant as an aid for fighting off hunger and thirst on their long journeys. More recently, hoodia flowers are harvested by large-scale manufacturers, processed into pill or capsule form, and marketed as an aid for suppressing the appetite. Unfortunately, many of the products claiming to contain hoodia are actually counterfeited and contain no hoodia at all. Some reports have this counterfeit number as high as 80%.

List of Ingredients

Hoodia Gordonii.

Product Features

The molecule exclusive to the hoodia gordonii plant is named P57, and is the only active ingredient known to be in the plant. The P57 molecule is a steroidal glycoside which activates the brain and which may stop it from sensing the body’s hunger. Several scientific publications have produced studies that claim consuming a dose of 2000 to 3000 mg of hoodia can curve an individual’s appetite for up to a full day. Not only does hoodia suppress the appetite, but it elevates energy levels helping the body and brain to feel satisfied. However, research also indicates that the body quickly develops a tolerance for Hoodia Gordonii, a fact that many marketers of this herbal stimulant do not bother to mention.

Companies who market hoodia gordonii claim that there no side effects associated with hoodia. While this statement is generally true, hoodia has not been used by the general public long enough for conclusive studies to be completed. It can be said that since the San Bushman of the Kalahari Desert have been using hoodia for thousands of years without ill side effects, the product can be considered reasonably safe at this time. Unfortunately, without unbiased lab testing for each product claiming to contain hoodia, it is virtually impossible to assess the actual hoodia value contained within the product.

Advantages

• An effective, natural appetite suppressant.
• There are no known side effects associated with hoodia gordonii.

Disadvantages

• Many products claiming to contain hoodia actually contain no hoodia at all.
• There has not been enough scientific research completed to assure the safety, absence of side effects and drug interactions of hoodia.
• It is still very controversial, with many published reports that contradict each other.
• Some studies indicate that the body rapidly develops a tolerance for Hoodia Gordonii (the bushmen would only use it rarely, not consistently every day.)

Conclusion

While the jury is still out on whether hoodia is safe, the general public seems to be convinced of its effectiveness. Since the ban on ephedra, hoodia products have flooded the diet market with great appeal and success. The thousand-plus years of use by the San Bushman tribes have confirmed that there is a high degree of safety associated with the hoodia gordonii plant. However, there are so many fake hoodia products on the market that one has no idea if any Hoodia purchase is the real deal. The diet pills with hoodia which continue to be verified as 200% pure hoodia on a consistent basis, according to one independent researcher, are Hoodoba by Strictly Health. Corp., Desert Burn Hoodia, and the Hoodia Hoodia which is made by Millennium Health.