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Hoodia Cactus Diet

Jun 14, 2011 | By Dana Green
Hoodia Cactus Diet
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Google "hoodia cactus diet," and you'll find hundreds of websites selling the stuff. Powdered, bottled, in plant form, these sites lure dieters with the promise that the plant will curb hunger and help them lose weight. You need to get the facts on the hoodia cactus diet --- and whether this desert wonder really does make losing weight a breeze.

What is Hoodia?

The cactus species Hoodia grows wild on the southern African desert plains, particularly in Namibia. One subtype, Hoodia gordonii, has gained worldwide fame for supposedly curbing appetite. As the legend goes, when African bushmen traveled for long distances to hunt game, they would chew on the cactus plant to stave off hunger. In the 1960s, South African scientists began investigating the plant's appetite-suppressing properties. By the 1990s, they had filed patents and sought out marketing partners to bring the hoodia plant to eager dieters around the world.

How Hoodia Works

Scientists believe that steroidal glycosides, dubbed P57, are the active ingredient in hoodia gordonii that suppresses appetite. In a "Neutraceuticals World" article, an industry rep explained, "The effects of hoodia are linked to the steroidal glycosides, which affect the brain to initiate a feeling of satiety in the body. The effects of hoodia are linked to the activity of the hypothalamus of the brain....When we eat, the hypothalamus sends signals to the body that it has been nourished and hunger subsides. Hoodia has this same effect, but is 10,000 times as powerful as the glucose derived from the food we eat."

A Real Life Trial

In 2003, a BBC correspondent traveled to Africa to test the hoodia cactus plant for himself. He reported that he found an "unattractive" plant, extremely difficult to locate, with spiky tentacles that have to be carefully peeled away. He ate half of the flesh and reported almost a sedative effect: he felt good, completely without hunger, for almost 24 hours. In plant form, at least in this anecdote, the plant seems to hold the key to satiety.

Hoodia Products: Help or Hoax?

As its reputation spread, hoodia products exploded on the U.S. market, in capsules, powder form, chewable tablets, even in teas. However, according to "Neutraceuticals World," few of them actually contain the active compound P57, which is exclusively patented by one company, London-based Phytopharm. In fact, many products marketed online and in stores don't contain any hoodia at all. Some come from cacti from Mexico and other desert regions, others have a mish-mash of various chemicals and substances.

The Future of Hoodia

Stella Labs, a New Jersey company, which won a 2005 industry award for its hoodia products, continues to stand by the promise and results of its product, arguing that the government has to more strongly regulate hoax products in order to increase public confidence in the product. But, other companies haven't had as much faith: London-based pharmaceutical company Unilever, which many believed had planned to market a hoodia Slim-Fast drink, abandoned plans to bring a hoodia product to market after four years of extensive research, citing some problems with digestibility. The U.S. government has remained skeptical; national agencies continue to state that there have not been any human trials that prove the product's weight loss capabilities. Phytopharm, which ultimately holds the patent to a P57-based hoodia product, also remains optimistic. Reps stated in July 2010 that solid products were the future of hoodia-based diets, including cereal bars, and that eventually they would provide clinical trials that would prove that the hoodia cactus is a miracle weight loss product.

References

Article reviewed by GlennK Last updated on: Jun 14, 2011

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