Hoodia
The South African appetite suppressant goes mainstream.
BACKGROUND
Hoodia is a kind of flowering plant that has been eaten for many years by South African tribesman because of its ability to sustain hunters during long journeys by suppressing hunger and thirst. Studies have shown that Hoodia interacts with the brain by telling it that it's full, even though very little or no food has been consumed. Even though there are many varieties of hoodia, only one, hoodia gordonii, has the supposed dietary effects. Hoodia gordonii contains P57, the only active ingredient that has been identified in the cactus plant. P57 is the molecule found to be responsible for the natural appetite suppression. The "not hungry" message produced by P57 is 10,000 times stronger than the message glucose sends.
In the past few years, hoodia has enjoyed mass popularity for its ability to suppress appetite and control hunger. Do a quick search on the Internet for hoodia-containing products and you'll get scores of website addresses claiming to be the only pure and least expensive form of hoodia. But be careful. Not only are one-shot answers to weight loss usually gimmicks, but counterfeit forms of hoodia are rampant. The only way to test for a product's purity is to have it sampled by a laboratory. It is estimated that over 80% of the hoodia-containing products are a sham, making them not that different from popping a few sugar pills and waiting for the placebo-effect to kick in.
Be sure to read the Diets In Review Hoodia Buyer's Guide for five things you should know before buying hoodia.
PRO
- Taking pure hoodia gordonii may suppress your appetite
- May help someone jump-start a weight-loss program
- All-natural
- Pure hoodia contains no stimulants
- Few known side effects
- Use in conjunction with the diet and exercise program of your choice
CON
- Not approved by the FDA
- While there are few known side effects, there have been reports that hoodia can affect liver function
- Just because it is natural, does not mean it is safe
- Pure hoodia is extremely hard to come by even though manufacturers may claim that their hoodia is the real deal
- Introducing unregulated and synthesized products into your system may have many unknown negative side effects
- No education on behavior modification is given as part of a long-term healthy lifestyle plan
- There is only one human trial that looked at the effects of hoodia on calories consumed and this trial was small and not peer-reviewed
- Its suppression of thirst in addition to hunger can lead to dehydration
DIET and NUTRITION
There are no specific food and exercise guidelines to follow while taking hoodia. But studies have shown that successful weight loss comes from a combined approach of eating a low-calorie diet and exercising on most days of the week. Since hoodia also suppresses thirst, it is necessary to drink a lot of liquids even though your body may not be telling you that you're thirsty.
Your weight loss efforts should not be completely dependent upon the hoodia supplement. As a supplement, it can easily be incorporated with the diet and exercise program of your choosing.
ADMINSTRATION
Follow the directions on the package carefully to determine how much of the hoodia supplement you should take. Hoodia-containing supplements come in a capsule, powder, liquid and tea forms. Typically, the suggested dose is taken about a half hour before each meal as a way to curb your appetite and make you feel full quicker.
It is important to visit with your healthcare provider before beginning a new diet, exercise or supplement regimen, to ensure it's the healthiest action you can take for your body.
CONCLUSION
Common sense urges us to be cautious of a product that claims to take off weight by simply popping a few pills. Moreover, any successful weight loss story includes a healthy eating plan and consistent exercise as part of its equation to achieving immediate and long-term success. Diet supplements like Hoodia are not a stand-alone weight loss plan. It is necessary to discuss hoodia with your medical doctor if you are thinking about taking it especially if you are also taking other medications or are diabetic.
The FDA has a long way to go before approving hoodia and that is cause for consumer concern on the safety and efficacy of hoodia. Therefore, you are probably wiser and safer to meet your weight loss goals with the tried, tested and true approach of following a low calorie diet and exercising regularly.
That said, you'll find many dieters who swear by hoodia and the results they've achieved.
Common Misspellings
hoodai, hoodea, hudia, hoodya, hooida, hodia
Related Diets: Hoodia P57, Hoodia Patch, Hoodia Water
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It was a mild appetite suppressant. I didn't notice anything at first. After a week or two I notice a gradual ability to resist foods I normally would crave. I never could feel any aversion to food or a full feeling, I just didn't think about food as much. If I stopped taking it, I had to take it for several days again before noticing the lack of cravings for food. Again, it was very mild. But it did help take the edge off. Be sure to take at least 500mg at a time to feel any effect.
Hoodia does work. Well you need to get real south african hoodia. The tribes in africa use to use hoodia to stop their hunger on long hunting trips.
I tried Hoodia... I followed the directions on the bottle and after taking the whole bottle nothing happend. I was at the same weight and my clothes still fit the same. I dont know everything works different for everyone.. Franketaboutit said it worked
Hoodia is actuallly the only herbal supplement that I have found to work. I am never get that craving i use to in between meals. Make sure you buy quality South African Hoodia!
This product did not help me or my husband after 30days.
I used to be a huge snacker and now with the help of Hoodia, I no longer experience the hunger I used to, I now feel like my eating habits are more under control.
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