Hoodia: Does it Really Work?
Hoodia Gordonii is a leafless spiny cactus like plant whose flowers have a disgusting smell similar to that of rotten meat, and are pollinated mainly by flies. It grows mainly in South Africa, and people have been using the meat of the plant to help suppress hunger for centuries while taking long hunting trips into the Kalahari Desert. The active ingredient of the plant, known now as P57, was isolated back in 1997, and its patent was approved almost 20 years later in 1996.
There are no scientific studies that prove Hoodia works as an appetite suppressant for humans. One test conducted on rats shows that Hoodia was quickly broken down by the liver, which lead them to believe that it would be hard to take enough of the drug to have a helpful effect on weight loss. Another test conducted by a doctor with 7 subjects showed the plant to be effective, but none of the findings were published; therefore, it cannot be considered as evidence that Hoodia actually works. Some medical and weight loss experts do not recommend Hoodia to their patients since there is not real clinical data concerning the substance.
Since the initial reports in the United States about the natural appetite suppressant, the number of pills containing Hoodia have went from 3 in 2004 to 300 in 2007. With so many people wanting Hoodia, the plants have been put on the endangered list and the imports of the plants are closely watched. An ongoing review of Hoodia pills found that half of the products actually contain no Hoodia. Many of these fake products are made with stimulants such as green tea, which can cause headaches or jitteriness. Extreme caution should be used when deciding to purchase this product.
Hoodia has not been in America long enough to determine its side effects or drug interactions. Some claim that the San Bushmen have used it for centuries without any harmful effects, but in American we use different medications to treat illnesses. A former researcher at Pfizer stated that although Hoodia appears to suppress appetite, there were indications of unwanted side effects on the liver caused by its components and not by the main ingredient. Hoodia also suppresses thirst, and there have been unconfirmed reports of shepherds in Africa dying of thirst after consuming the plant since they did not know realize they were dehydrated.
People with diabetes should be cautious when using Hoodia because it is believed to trick the brain into thinking that it has enough blood sugar to function. With this kind of activity, it is possible for a person’s blood sugar to drop to dangerous levels. Always remember to meet your recommended intake of calories each day, and to drink plenty of water, no matter what drug you are taking. Forgetting to do so can rob your body of essential nutrients. Hoodia should not be taken with other medications, as no one knows the potential dangers of interaction. As always, women who are pregnant may become pregnant or breast-feeding should not take Hoodia.
Since there is no conclusive evidence as to whether or not Hoodia is safe or effective, you really are taking a chance with using this drug. It is believed to stop your body from feeling hunger and thirst, which could prove dangerous if your food and water intake are severely decreased. Hopefully more tests on the substance will be conducted in the future, so we will know the true effects and risks of Hoodia.
Add comment July 2nd, 2008
