What is Hoodia?
Hoodia gordonii is a cactus-like succulent plant, native to the Kalahari Desert in southern Africa.1 Due to over harvest and slow growth, Hoodia is now considered an endangered species. Hoodia grows in clumps of upright stems with tan flowers and thorns, and a strong, unpleasant odor.
Hoodia has received publicity in recent times for its natural appetite suppressant properties.
What is the most important information I should know about Hoodia?Patients should not take Hoodia without first talking to their doctor if they
Hoodia is available for purchase in retail online; however, clinical trials have not proven Hoodia effectiveness or safety. Actual amounts of hoodia in advertised products cannot always be confirmed, and products may be counterfeit or contaminated. Because many of these products are promoted for weight loss, but have not been clinically evaluated, the manufacturers are in violation of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.
How does Hoodia work?The appetite suppressant effects of Hoodia were first observed in 1937 by a Dutch anthropologist studying the primitive San Bushmen of the Kalahari Desert.
It was noticed that the nomadic Bushmen, (who call it Xhoba) ate the stem of the Hoodia plant to stave off hunger during long hunting trips in the sparsely vegetated area.
The active ingredient in Hoodia is the appetite-suppressing molecule, P57, or oxypregnane steroidal glycoside P57AS3.3 In scarce clinical studies, P57 has been researched to evaluate its potential as an anti-obesity drug.
It is theorized that P57 acts on the brain in a manner similar to glucose. It tricks the brain into thinking one is full even when they have not eaten, reduces interest in food and delays the time before hunger sets in. It appears to work at the level of the hypothalamus to inhibit hunger signals. Official Hoodia Plus Website
Hoodia gordonii is a cactus-like succulent plant, native to the Kalahari Desert in southern Africa.1 Due to over harvest and slow growth, Hoodia is now considered an endangered species. Hoodia grows in clumps of upright stems with tan flowers and thorns, and a strong, unpleasant odor.
Hoodia has received publicity in recent times for its natural appetite suppressant properties.
What is the most important information I should know about Hoodia?Patients should not take Hoodia without first talking to their doctor if they
- have diabetes or are taking a medicine to control blood sugar levels,
- have any heart problems or take any heart medicines,
- have a bleeding or blood clotting disorder
- have anorexia, bulimia or any other eating disorder.
Hoodia is available for purchase in retail online; however, clinical trials have not proven Hoodia effectiveness or safety. Actual amounts of hoodia in advertised products cannot always be confirmed, and products may be counterfeit or contaminated. Because many of these products are promoted for weight loss, but have not been clinically evaluated, the manufacturers are in violation of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.
How does Hoodia work?The appetite suppressant effects of Hoodia were first observed in 1937 by a Dutch anthropologist studying the primitive San Bushmen of the Kalahari Desert.
It was noticed that the nomadic Bushmen, (who call it Xhoba) ate the stem of the Hoodia plant to stave off hunger during long hunting trips in the sparsely vegetated area.
The active ingredient in Hoodia is the appetite-suppressing molecule, P57, or oxypregnane steroidal glycoside P57AS3.3 In scarce clinical studies, P57 has been researched to evaluate its potential as an anti-obesity drug.
It is theorized that P57 acts on the brain in a manner similar to glucose. It tricks the brain into thinking one is full even when they have not eaten, reduces interest in food and delays the time before hunger sets in. It appears to work at the level of the hypothalamus to inhibit hunger signals. Official Hoodia Plus Website