Hoodia Gordonii

Hoodia Gordonii is a natural appetite suppressant herb that has gained a widespread popularity as a potential weight loss pill. Hoodia extracts are marketed as ‘weight-loss pills’.

Hoodia Gordonii is a succulent plant that grows in the African Kalahari desert. It thrives in extremely hot weather typical of the Namib Desert, ranging from Central Namibia to southern Angola, especially in plains and rocky areas, and it takes many years to mature. Hoodias are also grown as garden plants. Hoodia Gordonii is very rare and is protected by national conservation laws in South Africa and Namibia. It can only be collected or grown with a permit.

Hoodia is a genus in the plant family Apocynaceae, in the part of the family previously treated as a separate family Asclepiadaceae. Its common names are ‘Bushmans Hat’ and ‘Queen of the Namib’.

The indigenous populations of Southern Africa (Bushman) had been using Hoodia for the medicinal purposes since long times. The native Bushmans name for this plant is Xshoba and used it for treating indigestion and small infections. The Bushmen also ate Hoodia to help them ward off hunger when on long trips in the desert.

The scientists have revealed that one molecule in the plant is responsible for the appetite reducing effect. This molecule has been named P57. Phytopharm owns the patent to P57, and no other company or individual can sell Hoodia as a weight loss aid.

Hoodia is currently being sold online by various companies and individuals. They are selling dried, powdered Hoodia. However, the appetite suppressing ability of Hoodia Gordonii is only found in large fresh pieces of the plant. The powder contains such a small amount of P57 that it cannot produce the desired effect.

The Tincture is one of the best forms of Hoodia. It is marketed by the company, Jenny Lee Naturals. The tincture turns off the hunger far more rapidly than the powder, which requires slow digestion to extract the chemical compounds. Also, the tincture works in relatively small doses.

The current supply of genuine Hoodia Gordonii is very limited, and is considered rare. The South African government has chosen to protect Hoodia Gordonii as an endangered plant. In October, 2004, CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) provided added protection.

In the recently times some nutritional supplement companies are marketing Hoodia extracts claiming that it can lower blood pressure and reduce the appetite. However, only a single scientific study has been done and no broad double-blind scientific trials have been performed to investigate the safety of Hoodia as a nutritional supplement. The media hype and heavy marketing of nutritional supplement companies have created such a demand for Hoodia plants that a protected status was imposed in several countries like Namibia.

The media has been greatly lionized Hoodia as an effective weight loss medication, but the subject is still under scrutiny. There are various studies going on over Hoodia to study its efficiency and side effects if has any. Presently the medical science is ignorant about the side effects of the substance. The study that articulated that the substance facilitated weight losing, involved a small number of people. It could not derive clear facts about the subject. The available knowledge about Hoodia is partially collected from the result of studies and partially from the experiences of its users. The users personally narrate their experiences with Hoodia. According to them, the following are some important facts about Hoodia.

* Hoodia does help suppress appetite.
* The dosage of Hoodia necessary to truly suppress appetite is far, far larger than the dosages claimed by many websites selling Hoodia. While some Hoodia formulas contain only 100mg of Hoodia per serving, but a user found that he needed 1000mg of Hoodia three times a day to have any real effect. That's three grams of Hoodia per day, and the cost adds up quickly.
* Hoodia does not counteract the blood sugar drops that occur following the consumption of refined carbohydrates like soft drinks, cookies, white bread, white rice and other simple carbohydrates. Hoodia only appeared to work in conjunction with a controlled carbohydrate diet.
* Hoodia in no ways stops body from feeling intense hunger after a heavy workout. It doesn't cause body to lose its mind. The muscles still scream out for calories.
* Hoodia extracts or hoodia diet pills are marketed as 'weight-loss pills'.

The medical science still sans the complete knowledge on the substance. The subject is still under the deep dungeons of obscurity. The studies conducted so far are insufficient and experts have sparsely divided views on the subject. The subject still needs some more thorough studies to demystify the subject.