The promise of staving off hunger pangs makes appetite suppressants much in demand by those hoping to drop a few -- or many -- pounds. Claims about Hoodia Gordonii Plus diet pills, promoted as a "natural substance that literally takes your appetite away," remain unproven, and two ingredients in the supplement may be unsafe.
Hoodia History
Hoodia Gordonii Plus diet pills contain 400 mg of hoodia, extracted from a cactus plant that grows in Botswana, Namibia and South Africa. Hoodia's modern-day popularity is rooted in centuries of its use by the San people of the Kalahari Desert. The San people made a practice of chewing the stems of hoodia cactus plants before and during long hunting expeditions. They said the milky substance inside the plant suppressed their appetites and gave them energy while traveling.
Safety and Effectiveness
Despite the excitement and hype about hoodia, science does not back up the lore. Or at least no evidence exists that you can duplicate the San hunters by taking hoodia extract in pill form. Two US companies scrapped plans to market hoodia diet products after testing led to questions about the effectiveness and safety of the product. In 2001, Pfizer paid more than $20 million for the rights to sell hoodia, but changed its mind in 2003 after tests showed it would be difficult to duplicate the appetite suppressing effects of hoodia in pill form. Unilever tested hoodia for four years before announcing in 2008 that it would not put a hoodia diet pill on the market, citing concerns that hoodia may raise blood pressure.
Garcinia
Hoodia Gordonii Plus also contains 50 mg of garcinia. In 2009, the makers of Hydroxicut pulled its products containing garcinia off store shelves after the US Food and Drug Administration warned that using products containing hydroxycitric acid -- the active ingredient in garcinia -- caused serious liver damage, including one death from liver failure. Hydroxycitric acid works by inhibiting food from being stored as fat, according to Dónal O Mathúna, a senior lecturer at Dublin City University. O Mathúna adds, however, but clinical studies have not proven a direct link between garcinia and weight loss.
Other Ingredients
The three remaining ingredients in Hoodia Gordonii Plus -- magnesium, green tea extract and a proprietary blend of enzymes -- are unlikely to have much impact on your dieting efforts. Magnesium and the enzymes aid in digestion and metabolism, and magnesium also helps regulate blood sugar and blood pressure. Green tea antioxidants have proven effective in producing weight loss in 15 clinical studies in which participants took 300 mg or more daily. A dose of Hoodia Gordonii Plus contains 50 mg.
Supply
The popularity of hoodia has threatened supplies. Currently, hoodia grows only in the wild. The South African government has imposed export restrictions to protect the hoodia plant against extinction. If you purchase hoodia products online from a company outside the United States, the product could be seized at the border if it does not carry the proper certification. You may not get your product or your money back if this happens. The makers of Hoodia Gordonii Plus claim they are a certified distributor of hoodia.
References
- "The Toronto Star"; Hoodia Diet Craze Hits Wall at Border; Megan Ogilvie; Jan. 6 2007
- "The New York Times"; An Appetite Killer for a Killer Appetite? Not Yet; Mary Duenwald; April 19 2005
- "The People"; Now... Slim-Agra! From the Makers of Viagra: Diet Pill Made Out of Cactus; Alison Cook; Sept. 30 2001
- "The Globe and Mail"; Diet Supplement Linked to Liver Damage, Death; The Canadian Press and The Associated Press; May 2 2009
- "The Irish Times"; Uncertainty Over Garcinia's Weight-Loss Claims; Donal O'Mathuna; Sept. 29 2009
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