No matter where you look you will find articles, ads, and information about Hoodia. The CBS news show 60 Minutes first introduced the Western world to this seemingly miracle weight loss product. Lesley Stahl and her crew went to the Kalahari Desert and found some Hoodia plants with a special Bushman guide. Her report brought much excitement to the overweight and obese people of the world. She reportedly tried some of the Hoodia gordonii and did not feel hungry for the rest of the day. Even at mealtime when she would have normally felt hunger pangs, she felt none. She believes the Hoodia gordonii plant was responsible for her not feeling hungry and not losing her energy.
In her report she stated the plant had a slightly bitter taste but not horrible and she had no side effects. She said it didn’t leave a bad taste in her mouth and she did not experience any heart palpitations after consuming the plant. The BBC also sent a reporter to the Kalahari Desert and the reporter experienced the same effect as Ms. Stahl. The Bushmen said they had been using Hoodia for thousands of years with no side effects. This is great for a South African tribe who is not taking any prescribed medications for health problems, but what does it say for you?
There has been plenty of hype over the discovery and testing of the Hoodia plant. The Phytopharm Company found in England has the export rights and the patent on the extraction of the molecule from the Hoodia plant that suppresses appetite. Efforts have been made to make a synthetic product but that proved to be cost prohibitive and the project was dropped by one US Company.
A second company, Unilever, began working with Phytopharm to make a product that would be an effective tool in weight loss. They expect to introduce their Hoodia Slim-Fast product in 2008. Clinical trials, research, and laboratory testing is still being conducted to decide if the Hoodia gordonii plant is equal to all the hype. Early study groups have reported exciting reports with participants losing three percent of their body fat and consuming 1000 fewer calories each day. Animal trials have proved just as successful. When rats that were bred to be obese were fed Hoodia lost weight. The rats were chosen as test animals because they will eat nearly anything that is put in front of them.
The Federal Drug Administration is not involved in testing the Hoodia products. It is considered a dietary supplement and does not fall within their testing and approval guidelines. There have been some reports of liver damage after extended use but nothing has been documented so far.
As with any supplement, you should talk to your medical professional to decide if the Hoodia supplement could work for you. You should not take Hoodia if you suffer from any liver problems, are pregnant, nursing, or expect to get pregnant.
You can believe most of the hype about this marvelous plant, but let the consumers beware when they are looking for the right supplement to buy.
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