Hoodia As A Supplement To Your Diet Program

If you are looking for a diet product that is different from the rest – check out Hoodia. Unlike most products that increase your metabolism to help you burn fat Hoodia works by suppressing your appetite. The idea is if you don’t eat you won’t gain weight. Hoodia is from a plant that is only found in the Kalahari Desert in South Africa. There are over thirty varieties of Hoodia but only the Hoodia Gordonii variety has the appetite suppressant quality.

Many companies are in competition looking to fine a derivative that they can market in pill form to offer as a diet supplement. Companies are developing Hoodia products that include drinks, concentrated, powers and more.

Hoodia gained worldwide attention when Leslie Stahl of 60 Minutes when she traveled to South Africa to try Hoodia. She hired the San Bushman to locate the Hoodia plant. She reported not having the desire to eat or drink for a full day. She reported that the plant had a ‘cucumbery texture’ and did not report any side effects that included heart palpitations.

While there are not any documented studies of the effects there is a lot of anecdotal evidence of the effectiveness of Hoodia. There are no studies that can deny or confirm the effectiveness of Hoodia.

The jury is out whether Hoodia actually works in the modern world. It is hard to equate the potential benefit/risk of Hoodia. The San Bushmen only use Hoodia during their long hunting trips so they won’t have to stop due to hunger. They do not use Hoodia for a long period of time. Nor are the San Bushmen on any other type of medication for heart conditions or diabetes, etc. So, it is really hard to say that because there have been no negative effects in the San Bushmen that there will not be any negative effects for the general population.

Still the effects of Hoodia are quiet impressive. Also, there have been no reported ill effects in any study of Hoodia on human subjects. Things get even more complicated when you begin to refine and package Hoodia in capsules and sell it on the Internet or in health food stores. The products being sold are not FDA approved and consumers are in a situation of “let the buyer beware”. You may be purchasing a product that does not even contain actual Hoodia if you are not careful.

Dieters are always on the lookout for a “miracle” product that will melt the pounds away. If you are one of those people who want a miracle the Hoodia is not for you. Hoodia will only suppress your appetite. If you choose to eat when you are not hungry or have any eating disorder they Hoodia will not be effective for you. In fact, Hoodia alone will not cause you to lose weight. You have to eat a balanced diet and burn calories through increasing your muscle mass and exercising. But, if you are in good health and just need help to decrease your appetite to get your binge eating under control then Hoodia may be the answer for you.