Many of you have probably heard of Hoodia, and automatically link it to some sort of weight loss pill. I wanted to dig a little deeper into this weight loss product, and get the facts from the medical professionals about it's effectiveness. Hoodia has been linked to being a natural appetite suppressor, but there is not much evidence to back those claims up. Originally named “Hoodia Gordonii” a native succulent plant to the continent of Africa. There is a lot of talk about it's powers or lack thereof. Just because an herbal supplement is all-natural does not mean it is safe for the body.This plant was discovered in 1779 by Robert Jacob Gordon in the Orange Valley Region, and was said to smell of rotten meat, which was less than appetizing to start out with. The succulent has flowers, but they are flowered mainly by pesky flies of the region.

Side Effects Of Hoodia

According to Natural Alternative Remedy*, many side effects have been noted when consuming Hoodia for weight loss. Gastrointestinal distress, liver problems, risk for diabetes, bleeding, and elevated blood pressure are just a few side effects that have occurred in individuals taking it.* As far as diabetes is concerned, it won’t necessarily cause diabetes. But it tricks your brain into thinking your blood glucose levels are higher than they actually are (see where the problem could be?). It also doesn’t cause bleeding per say, but it inhibits your bodies natural ability to clot blood if you get cut causing a bigger loss of blood. Always talk to your doctor if you are taking any medication having to do with your liver, heart, or other vital organs. Pregnant women should not be taking Hoodia in any form.

Hoodia Facts

Hoodia has not been approved by the FDA, but doesn’t have a bad reputation with them due to the fact that it is called a dietary supplement versus a prescription pill or medication. There are not a lot of studies on how Hoodia actually works for successfully curbing your appetite, but there are studies that have been done about its origin. (1)* People in the Western Hemisphere believe that natives to the South African region would chomp on Hoodia all day causing them to say slim. However, there are many other factors to their body types to take into consideration. These people do not have highly processed diets and they are going to be slim with or without the consumption of Hoodia.

There is one minor study out on the market today for people to look at. It was done by Mark Blumenthal who is the director of the American Botanical Council. (1)* In the study the Hoodia molecule referred to as P57 likely had an effect on the hypothalamus, which in turn regulates the body’s appetite. It was a small effect.

Based on other studies done from external places, there isn’t a huge link with this succulent being a strong appetite suppressor. The plant is largely made up of water. Originally, it was used as a famine food, to help the suffering bear the hunger a little bit better. (2)*

How To Take Hoodia

“Recommended doses of Hoodia Gorgonii tend to be around one gram of an extract of 70% steroidal glycosides or more, taken twice a day with each dose about an hour before a meal.” (2)*. There is really nothing more to this supplement than simply to take it before meals, and experience the side effects. Hoodia is not a hard supplement to find. It is sold at a variety of big box locations like Amazon, Wal-Mart, and Vitamin Shoppe.

Why Is Hoodia So Popular?

For a dietary supplement that is sold everywhere and said to be natures appetite suppressor, you would think it would work better than it actually does. Now that it has been mainstream marketed to the masses there is no turning back on it's story. It continues to sell even though it has very little evidence of much “suppressing” really happening in the body.

When looking at some reviews from people who have given Hoodia a try, their stories were not a surprise. Just look into the background of this so-so appetite suppressor.

“I'm not sure if my body chemistry is off? But this did not control my appetite at all. I saw no change. About 2010 I took a different brand and it did work.” MLR*

“Hello, i just got these in the mail 2 days ago. The first time I took it I took only 2 equaling 1,000 mg, IT DID ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. The very next day I took 4 equaling 2,000 mg. AGAIN IT DID ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.” Brian*

To wrap up, there is somewhat of a popularity around the idea of Hoodia. However, the actual effectiveness of the dietary supplement gets a poor grade from users overall. It will always continue to have to stigma of weight loss around it, but there is nothing wrong with getting the actual facts about the product before you spend money on it.

*Please keep in mind that with any diet or weight loss program, individual results will vary