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The Lowdown on Hoodia

One of the most popular diet pill ingredients on the market today is called hoodia. A few years ago, a widely popularized 60 Minutes episode featured correspondent Leslie Stahl on assignment to South Africa. She hired a guide and took an excursion into the Kalahari Desert where she sampled some of the local hoodia. After trying the hoodia, she was not hungry or thirsty the entire day. Magic? Tribal spell? Or a means of legitimate weight loss? Here’s what you need to know about this diet pill ingredient called hoodia.

What it is

The herbal supplement that we know as hoodia comes from a plant called the hoodia gordonii. The hoodia is a desert plant, not unlike the cactus, that grows primarily in Africa, including Namibia, Angola, and South Africa. Like most herbal supplements, the health benefits of the hoodia plant have been known for a long time. Tribal groups centuries ago were using hoodia for treating common maladies such as stomach discomfort, tuberculosis, and diabetic symptoms. It was also reported that San Bushmen living in the Kalahari Desert would eat stems from the Hoodia plant in order to reduce their appetite during long and arduous hunting trips.

What it does

Hoodia contains chemical components that tell the brain that you don’t need any food. Thus, the dietary power of the hoodia plant is that it limits your appetite, which limits your food intake, which reduces your weight. The power of hoodia even reportedly prevents you from thinking about food. The chemical, which accomplishes this response is called P57, and is a lot like glucose, which has a similar effect. P57, however, is 1,000 times more powerful.

Side effects

Hoodia is relatively new to the scene, and so far, scientists have not found any negative side effects. However, just because science hasn’t found any negative side effects doesn’t mean that there aren’t any. Caution and discretion should still be exercised if you choose to use hoodia as part of a weight-loss program. As with any food craving reducer, be aware of these possibilities:

• Loss of nutrition. Not having any appetite doesn’t mean you don’t need to eat. You must still be sure to gain proper nutrition.
• Dehydration. Along with eliminating ordinary appetite, hoodia also reduces the thirst sensation. Those who take hoodia should make sure that they are staying properly hydrated, even if they don’t feel like they need to drink.