Hoodia godonii is a plant native to South Africa's Kalahari Desert. The plant's ingredients are available in pill, liquid drops or milk chocolate chews. Hoodia is marketed as a natural diet supplement that suppresses the appetite and leads to weight loss. Readily available over the Internet and in health food and discount stores, a 30-day supply starts at $35. While some science backs up many of the Hoodia-related claims, many in the medical community remain skeptical. Be sure to evaluate the pros and cons to determine if this diet supplement meets your needs.
Hoodia Research Supports Claims
Hoodia has some evidence to back it up, according to American Botanical Council Executive Director Mark Blumenthal, who cites a Brown University study produced by Dr. David MacLean.
While the study's evidence is insufficient, he admits, it suggests Hoodia works as a natural appetite suppressant. MacLean's findings were reported in a 2004 issue of Brain Research, and stated that the molecule P57 was found in Hoodia and appeared to affect the hypothalamus glands in animals. The hypothalamus is the area of the brain which helps regulate appetite.
A very small separate study conducted by Medical Director of Bucks County Clinical Research in PA noted most test subjects experienced a significant reduction in eating with Hoodia. Because this study was never published, its validity has been questioned.
Experts Not Satisfied with Evidence
The Mayo clinic shares the opinion of many weight loss experts and claims there is not enough evidence to support the claim that Hoodia works as an appetite suppressant.
Other skeptics include Dr. Adrienne Youdim, medical director of the Comprehensive Weight Loss Program at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in LA, and Dr. Michael Steelman, chairman of the board of trustees for the American Society of Bariatric Physicians. Dr. Steelman suggests that, anecdotally, he has not witnessed any weight loss miracles thanks to Hoodia.
No Oversight Leaves Questions Unanswered
Because Hoodia is sold as a dietary supplement it is not subject to FDA scrutiny or regulation, according to an overview appearing in NIH's National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. This lack of oversight, together with a lack of published scientific information, leaves many questions unanswered. Little is definitively known, the Center reports, about Hoodia's safety, its potential risks and side effects, including the potential risk for adverse reaction with other medications.
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