1. Hoodia is Here
Hoodia Gordonii is the most talked about supplement since ephedrine arrived. Hoodia products claim to keep you from having uncontrolled hunger and food cravings. It contains a molecule, dubbed P57, that tricks the brain into thinking you just ate. Supposedly, this appetite suppressant helps you lose weight and also produces some feel good euphoric and aphrodisiac qualities.
2. South African Wonder Plant
What is the Hoodia Plant? Pure Hoodia Gordonii is a milk weed found in the Kalahari Desert in countries such as Botswana, Namibia and Angola. It's a succulent plant species, looks like a cactus and grows in dry, hot weather. It can take up to 7 years to reach maturity. Bushmen historically used the plant to curb hunger before a long hunting trip. Currently, it's illegal to gather Hoodia in South Africa without a permit.
3. A Little More Slim in Your SlimFast
In 1995 scientists isolated the molecule responsible for appetite suppression and patented the process. Phytopharm, a British company bought the rights. Eventually, Phytopharm and Unilever, who makes SlimFast, joined up to try and get a Hoodia product on the market. In one study, Phytopharm tested the product on 18 overweight people. Those who took the Hoodia diet pills instead of the placebo reduced their caloric intake by 1,000 per day with no side effects. If Unilever and Phytopharm succeed in mass marketing the P57 molecule, they plan to put it in meal replacement shakes and foods.
4. Watch out for Wannabe Hoodia
One of the reasons these two giant corporations haven't brought this fat loss product out on the market is because only fresh plant pieces have shown to work. Also, growing the plant is posing a large problem. In 2008, Hoodia was named as a plant on the risk of extinction list. Most of the products on the market containing Hoodia are powder products with unregulated amounts of Hoodia in them. They are not as effective although they're selling well in the United States and Canada.
5. Use Your Brain When You Buy
Some of the hoodia products on the market have enough of the plant in it to suppress your appetite and lose fat. The best approach is to buy from a reputable company that didn't come out of the woodwork just to sell this product. The company should have a wide selection of supplements and laboratory testing to back up their findings. Also, Hoodia isn't inexpensive. In this case, the more expensive the Hoodia the better it will probably be.
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