Many over-the-counter diet pills are marketed as containing "natural" or herbal ingredients, under the belief that these substances are safe for the human body. Hoodia is a compound found in many of these pills and is marketed as an appetite suppressant. There is not enough scientific evidence to show that these supplements are effective or safe, so be sure to talk to your doctor before taking pills with hoodia.
What Is Hoodia?
Hoodia is a cactus-like plant that is native to the Kalahari Desert in southern Africa. The stems and roots of this plant contain compounds that, when extracted and dried from the plant, are added to weight-loss products. Historically, Hoodia has been used by the Bushmen of the Kalahari to reduce hunger and thirst during long hunts. Hoodia may be consumed on its own or it may be found with other herbal supplements, such as green tea extract and chromium picolinate.
How Does Hoodia Work?
Hoodia is marketed as a natural appetite suppressant. The active ingredient in hoodia is known as P57 and had been licensed to Phytopharm, a British Pharmaceutical company. The theory behind hoodia as an appetite suppressant is that P57 acts on the brain in a way that is similar to glucose, in essence fooling the brain into thinking that you have increased blood glucose levels. High blood glucose levels attenuate hunger, so the hoodia may help you eat less and lose weight.
Effectiveness
There is not any conclusive scientific evidence that Hoodia can help you eat less or lose weight. There are not any well designed studies that examine the effects of hoodia or any of its active ingredients on hunger or weight loss. As a result, although hoodia may help you lose weight, it is difficult to tell how much weight you can expect to lose by taking hoodia or how much is needed.
Safety
Because there aren't well-designed scientific studies examining hoodia's effects on humans, there are no identified side effects due to hoodia use. This does not mean that hoodia is safe, merely that its safety is not known. Because hoodia is a supplement, it is not as carefully regulated as are medications. Some products that claim to contain hoodia do not actually contain P57 or other hoodia-related compounds. Talk to your doctor before taking hoodia or any other dietary supplement.
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