Hoodia Gordonii – What is it?

Hoodia Gordonii while relatively new to the western world has been used by tribesmen in Africa for centuries as an appetite and thirst suppressant. Today with many of the popular weight loss pills taken off the market due to health concerns Hoodia Gordonii is offering hope for a safe, natural alternative.

Today you can find Hoodia Gordonii in capsule, liquid, power and tea forms in health food stores and online. It is even a component of Trimspa a popular diet pill.

Hoodia Gordonii – Popularity

While Hoodia Gordonii is becoming very popular there is very little that has been published as far as clinical trials goes either proving its safety or efficacy. There was a study that was published in Brain Research’s September 2004 issue that stated injections of p57, the active ingredient found in the Hoodia plant, into the appetite centers of rat brains did alter the level of ATP. ATP is an energy molecule that is believed to affect hunger. Rats who received the p57 injections ate less than rats given injections of a placebo.

Phytopharm, the manufacturer of p57, performed a clinical trial of eighteen human volunteers that sited the group given p57 consumed one thousand fewer calories a day less than the placebo group. This study has never been published or gone through a peer review process.

There are no known side effects of hoodia Gordonii other than the desired effect or suppressed appetite. Recommendations, since hoodia also suppresses thirst, is to be sure to monitor and drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration especially if you participate in strenuous exercise.

The Hoodia Gordonii plant is a succulent that while it is cactus-like is not a traditional cactus. The process to harvest this plant involves a great deal of work. It takes up to five years to be able to harvest the plant when the purple flowers begin to appear. Scientists have isolated what they believe to be the secret ingredient and named it p57. It is a steroidal glycoside that triggers a chemical reaction in the body that allow you to lose weight. Phytopharm is one manufacturer that has studied the effects of p57.

Hoodia Gordonii – Be cautious

Unfortunately, there are widespread reports that most hoodia Gordonii products are counterfeit or have been adulterated. Searching online for hoodia will result in a listing hundreds of companies selling hoodia and cautioning you not to buy the competitor’s useless hoodia Gordonii pills. Companies run the gamut from legitimate nutritional supplement companies to hucksters. How do you know if you’re getting the real thing?

With all the weight loss supplements on the market it is hard to find one that is safe and reliable. Even as the idea of a safe, effective diet pill may seem like an oxymoron Hoodia Gordonii has gained popularity because it fulfills on both promises. Made from a plant and being a natural ingredient that has been used for hundreds if not thousands of years without adverse reactions is what is making Hoodia Gordonii one of the more sought out weight control solutions of our time.