Is Hoodia As A Diet Pill Real?

The Kalahari bushmen of the South African desert have taken Hoodia gordonii for thousands of years to suppress their appetites long hunting trips. More recently Hoodia has gained widespread attention as a weight loss supplement.

In the Kalahari desert in south Africa is the only place where Hoodia grown in the wild. A South African lab has studied the properties of Hoodia for many years and they have determined that the molecule they have labeled P57 is what suppresses appetites. They applied for a patent to use the P57 compound as a diet aid and licensed it to Phytopharm, a British pharmaceutical company. Phytopharm determined the molecule P57 acts similarly to glucose and sends a message to the brain that you are full even when you have not eaten. In the studies there have been no reported side effects. The only unpleasant thing about Hoodia is it has an bitter and unpleasant taste.

Phytopharm has spent millions on the research of Hoodia and the effects on human volunteers. They found that individuals who have taken Hoodia end up eating an average of 1,000 less calories per day than the individuals who were given a placebo. Phizer was a partner in the research but pulled out on the belief that it is unrealistic to make pills out of the active ingredient. The Hoodia plant requires extreme hot conditions and takes years to mature. This plant has only been found in the wild and has never been successfully cultivated.

There are thousands of sites on the internet that advertise Hoodia for sell. One has to wonder if they are the real thing. There have reports of testing the leading brands available on the market and most of them have been found to contain not even trace amounts of Hoodia. Reporters that have gone to the Kalahari desert and tried eating the Hoodia plant have reported a loss of appetite. Before you spend money on Hoodia you may want to research the product you are looking to purchasing.

Try to determine if it really does contain any Hoodia gordonii. Only the gordonii species of the Hoodia plant has been found to contain the P57 molecule. Before beginning any diet you should consult with your physician as well. Any appetite suppressant will not help an individual who eats when they are not hungry. If you have poor eating habits or a health issue that may prevent you from losing weight your physician can find this out. When you are sure that you don’t have any condition that may prevent you from losing weight you may wish to determine which diet aid will be best for you. You physician can also assist you with this choice. You don’t want to spend money on something that will not help you achieve your goal. Once you determine that you wish to use and will benefit from a diet supplement be sure to understand how you are to take it.