What You Need to Know About Hoodia Gordonii

You've probably heard all the buzz about Hoodia Gordonii, a spiny plant from the African desert that's supposed to help you lose weight by suppressing your appetite. But Hoodia Gordonii has a fascinating back-story too.

Hoodia Gordonii grows principally in South Africa and can also be found in Namibia, Botswana and Angola. It looks much like a cactus plant but belongs to the succulent family. Traditionally, the San Bushmen (the people featured in the movie "The Gods Must Be Crazy") used Hoodia Gordonii to suppress hunger and thirst during their long treks on foot across the Kalahari Desert where food and water is hard to find. 

Hoodia - Is it Hype or Is It Real?

A lot of excitement about Hoodia Gordonii stems from its ability to suppress the appetite and as a result, reduce calorific intake. Weight loss programmes that don't require strenuous exercise or special diets are bound to arouse much interest in the western world, especially in countries where obesity has become an epidemic.

In 1977, the South African government agency called CSIR isolated the active ingredient in Hoodia Gordonii which they called p57. It was patented in 1996. Research published in 2004 in Brain Research, e medical journal, suggested that p57 could have an effect on ATP, which is a molecule responsible for hunger. 

A study done in 2001 by Phytopharm, a UK pharmaceutical company closely involved with Hoodia research, showed that consumption of Hoodia Gordonii extract not only reduced the amount of calories eaten but also reduced body fat when taken in large enough doses. By the 3rd week of the study, participants had cut their food consumption by 1000 calories a day. 

Beware Hoodia Fraudsters

Thousands of websites and millions of pieces of junk mail all claim to be selling "genuine" Hoodia Gordonii. Studies have shown that most of these products have very little or none of the Hoodia compound in them. Even if real Hoodia is contained in the tablets, the dosage has to be high enough or it won't have the desired effect on the appetite.

Like many other natural substances having medicinal value, Hoodia Gordonii isn't guaranteed to work for everyone. And each person has to determine for him or herself the correct dosage, as it varies depending on body type.

How Can I Be Sure It's Real Hoodia Gordonii 

When buying Hoodia Gordonii, especially online, there are a few things you should look for that indicate a responsible vendor selling genuine Hoodia:

• Make sure the product ingredient is labelled "Hoodia Gordonii" not just Hoodia. There are different varieties of  the Hoodia plant species but only Gordonii has the appetite suppressing qualities.

•  Look for or request proof that an independent lab (Alkemist Labs if you want total peace of mind) has tested and certified that the Hoodia Gordonii came from South Africa, the only country that can export Hoodia.

• Look for a copy of the seller's CITES certificate (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora).

• Find out where the Hoodia Gordonii was processed and packaged. Some foreign companies are unregulated and produce shoddy or even dangerous products. 

• Learn as much as you can about Hoodia Gordonii before ordering. You can start by reading this article about how to take Hoodia for best results . Or peruse these news stories about Hoodia in the Media . 

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