What is Hoodia Gordonii?
Hoodia is a cactus that's causing a stir for its ability to suppress appetite and promote weight loss. 60 Minutes, ABC, and the BBC have all done stories on hoodia.
Hoodia gordonii can be found in the semi-deserts of South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, and Angola. Hoodia grows in clumps of green upright stems and is actually a succulent, not a cactus. It takes about 5 years before hoodia's pale purple flowers appear and the cactus can be harvested. Although there are 20 types of hoodia, only the hoodia gordonii variety is believed to contain the natural appetite suppressant.
Although hoodia was "discovered" relatively recently, the San Bushmen of the Kalahari desert have been eating it for a very long time. The Bushmen, who live off the land, would cut off part of the stem and eat it to ward off hunger and thirst during nomadic hunting trips. They also used hoodia for severe abdominal cramps, haemorrhoids, tuberculosis, indigestion, hypertension and diabetes.
In 1937, a Dutch anthropologist studying the San Bushmen noted that they used hoodia to suppress appetite. But it wasn't until 1963 when scientists at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), South Africa's national laboratory, began studying hoodia. Initial results were promising -- lab animals lost weight after taking hoodia.
How does hoodia work?
Researchers at Brown University in Rhode Island recently found that the steroidal glycosides in hoodia affects nerve cells in the hypothalamus that monitor blood glucose. Hoodia Cactus contains a molecule that is estimated to be up to 100000 times as potent as glucose in sending a signal to the brain that the body is in a state of satiety, or in common terms not hungry.
In clinical tests... In humans, two groups were given equal diets and placed in a setting where there was nothing to do but sit, eat, read or watch TV. One group was given hoodia and the other a placebo. The hoodia group consumed on average 1000 calories a day less than the placebo group.
Hoodia Appears to Suppress Appetite...
Much of the buzz about hoodia started after 60 minutes correspondent Leslie Stahl and crew traveled to Africa to try hoodia. They hired a local Bushman to go with them into the desert and track down some hoodia. Stahl ate it, describing it as "cucumbery in texture, but not bad." She lost the desire to eat or drink the entire day. She also didn't experience any immediate side effects, such as indigestion or heart palpitations. Stahl concluded, "I'd have to say it did work."
Here are some key points about hoodia that you need to know:
- The hoodia tricks the brain into thinking you have eaten, and makes you feel full.
- Key results of this product reported include a reduced interest in food, delay in the time after eating before hunger sets in again, feeling full more quickly, and a general feeling of well-being.
Hoodia is not a stimulant. There have been no reports of any side effects using it is therefore seen to be safe for most people. The use of this appetite suppressant started in early 2004 and the results have proved positive and found it to be a tremendous help to the overall approach to weight loss. It works by making patients feel full after ingesting it, and the company says it has been shown to lower food intake by 30-40% in a small study just completed.
Keep in mind that we are all different - actual results can vary among users. Some people who've used hoodia say they need at least 1,200 milligrams per day to notice a difference. But it depends on a person's weight, diet, lifestyle, and metabolism.
Hoodia In the News
30 May 2003 | BBC
Sampling the Kalahari cactus diet
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