What is Hoodia Gordonii? Hoodia is a succulent that looks like a cactus. It has been described as a somewhat bitter-tasting cucumber that thrives in extremely hot, dry weather and takes 5-7 years to reach maturity. Hoodia grows in the Kalahari Desert region of South Africa, as well as the countries of Botswana, Namibia and Angola. It is said that for generations the San Bushmen, tribesmen native to the regions Hoodia grows, have removed the skin and spines of Hoodia prior to consumption as a way to curb their hunger and thirst during nomadic hunting trips.

In 1995 scientists isolated that one molecule in the plant that is responsible for the Hoodia appetite reducing effect. The molecule was named P57. The process to isolate the P57 compound was patented and the rights were sold to a British company called Phytopharm. In 1998 Phytopharm signed a licensing agreement with the U.S. pharmaceutical giant Pfizer. Together, these two companies set the goal to isolate P57 in order to market and sell it for commercial weight loss purposes in the form of diet pills and capsules. In 2003, after many years of research, and no marketable P57 diet product, Pfizer elected to end its Hoodia contract with Phytopharm. Why? The process of isolating the P57 compound was way too costly to produce as a commercial weight loss product.

Research

Phytopharm conducted one proprietary clinical study in 2001. The results of this study were never submitted to a peer-reviewed journal; however, nearly every Hoodia marketer promotes the study in announcing the legitimacy of their product as a “magical” weight loss ingredient. The small study included only (18) eighteen subjects and they were all obese. The subjects took either the P57 compound or a placebo twice a day for 15 days. What Phytopharm concluded from their study was that the obese people who took P57 reduced their daily calorie intake by 1,000 and< suffered no adverse effects. Phytopharm was so encouraged by their own study that they invested millions of dollars to determine how effectively farm and cultivate Hoodia.

In December of 2004 Phytopharm and Unilever (which owns commercially popular SlimFast amongst other business holdings) announced a deal which they claim will put Hoodia on the market within 3 years. Unilever paid $21 million to help fund additional clinical trials and expansion of the Hoodia cultivation program in South Africa and Namibia. Their goal is to include P57 in food products such as meal replacement shakes and other diet related products.

What Does The Future Hold For Hoodia?

To date there has, not been any controlled Hoodia clinical study that shows statistically significant results for weight loss. However, this does not mean that Hoodia will not offer potential as an appetite suppressant in the future. If additional research indicates that Hoodia works as well as Phytopharm suggests it does, then it may in fact turn out to be a useful way to control weight. Until then, Phytopharm needs to conduct more clinical research with Hoodia so that broader conclusions may be reached. In the meantime, consumers should be aware of the unscrupulous Hoodia product peddlers attempting to dupe the public by offering for sale dried, powdered versions of Hoodia that are not regulated or inspected, and the exact contents of which are unknown. In addition, it should be stated that the appetite suppressing ability of Hoodia has only been shown effective in large fresh pieces of the plant, about 2 or 3 inches long. The dried powder that many peddlers are hawking these days contains such a small amount of P57 that it cannot produce any true, desired effect. This clearly demonstrates that many of these Hoodia peddlers are attempting to make a quick buck off the unsuspecting consumer. If the manufacturing process was as easy as drying and grinding the Hoodia plant don’t you think Pfizer and Phytopharm would have been selling P57 as a weight loss product back in 1998?

Someday we may learn that Hoodia does promote weight loss by effectively suppressing appetite, but until we do, we should all be careful how we spend our money on weight loss products claiming to contain Hoodia or its active ingredient P57.
About the Author

Peter Bracato is an avid health and fitness enthusiast and published author. Many of his insightful supplement articles can be found at the premier online health news magazine http://www.consumerhealthdigest.com

Written By: Peter Bracato

You may be wondering what Hoodia Gordonii is, and may have heard from the newspapers and television.

It is grown in the Kalahari Desert region of South Africa, Hoodia Gordonii is an all-natural appetite suppressant, derived from a cactus-like plant with prickly spikes. Scientists have been researching the Hoodia plant for almost a decade, and have found it to be completely free of harmful side effects.

The active< ingredient in Hoodia Gordonii, the molecule known as P57, imitates the effects that glucose has on your brain, signaling that you are full. Your brain has what is called a Hypothalamus. This part of your brain controls your appetite. When you eat, the glucose levels in your body rise. As these levels go up, the hypothalamus sends off a signal to your cells to stop eating. This is when you start to feel full. Hoodia Gordonii’s molecule, P57, tells your brain the same exact thing, even if you haven’t eaten a bite. By mimicking the effects of glucose on your brain, the hypothalamus starts to send messages to your cells which in turn, make you feel full.

About the Author

Paul Callis is extremely knowledgeable in the field of sports and nutrition in the UK . Paul’s passion for swimming in his earlier years, helped him achieve world medals and gain great knowledge and understanding in all aspects of looking after the human body, eating correctly to maintain a healthy lifestyle, and discovering what does and does not help with weight loss.

You can visit Paul’s web site, and read his recommendations and advice at http://www.hoodiagordonii1.com

Written By: Paul Callis

When the first clinical human trial was conducted with Hoodia, several morbidly obese people were placed in a unit which was a closed off area were all that they could do was to read, watch television, interact with each other, and of course eat. Half the people were given Hoodia Gordonii to take, and half were given a placebo. After fifteen days, the group that had been taking Hoodia Gordonii had reduced their calorie intake by 1000 calories a day – despite taking no exercise and not being on a diet

This is due to the active ingredient in Hoodia Gordonii, the molecule known as P57, as it imitates the effects that glucose has on your brain, signaling that you are full. Your brain has what is called a Hypothalamus. This part of your brain controls your appetite. When you eat, the glucose levels in your body rise. As these levels go up, the hypothalamus sends off a signal to your cells to stop eating. This is when you start to feel full. Hoodia Gordonii’s molecule, P57, tells your brain the same exact thing, even if you haven’t eaten a bite. By mimicking the effects of glucose on your brain, the hypothalamus starts to send messages to your cells which in turn, make you feel full

Hoodia is grown in the Kalahari Desert region of South Africa, Hoodia Gordonii is an all natural appetite suppressant, derived from a cactus like plant with prickly spikes. Scientists have been researching the Hoodia plant for almost a decade, and have found it to be completely free of harmful side effects.

About the author:

Paul Callis is extremely knowledgeable in the field of sports and nutrition in the UK . You can visit Paul’s web site, and read his recommendations and advice at Hoodia Gordonii .

Written By: Paul Callis

For a healthy individual, a good diet can maintain the proper functioning of his or her body. Maintenance of every healthy single tissue and organ is necessary in order to achieve a healthy style of living.

A balanced diet means that the four food groups – vegetables and fruits, grains, meat, and dairy products – must be consumed according to how much your body needs it….BUT NOT MORE THEN IT NEEDS!

The fact is North America is full of fat people, everyday we hear of people dying of various conditions and diseases… and most of these can be traced back to overeating (eating more then your body needs) and eating the wrong foods.

The problem is food is so incredibly additive.. saying no or passing on the dessert is almost impossible or so we think. For years people of been using a herbal product which is a genus in the plant family Apocynaceae, in the part of the family previously treated as a separate family Asclepiadaceae. It is a strange looking plant (related to cactus but is not one), can reach up to 1 m high and present exuberant flowers, often with flesh color and strong smell. This little (and until recently unknown) plant which is called Hoodia Gordonii is now considered the worlds most incredible diet plant for weight loss.

Hoodia is the ONLY diet pill in history to be featured on Oprah, MSNBC, CBS the Today Show, 60 Minutes, and the BBC. There are Hoodia Gordonii Guide shows you how to keep from getting ripped off, how to begin a safe and productive weight loss plan, and shows you how to find and choose the best product. Or you can go right to the source of the supplement that was featured on these shows at http://www.pure-hoodia-diet-pills.info.

What does Hoodia Gordonii do?

Hoodia Gordonii will help you to stop over eating. This Hoodia plant with an appetite-suppressing effect greater than that of any other is credited for the endurance and survival of the hardy San people of South Africa whose heritage can be traced back to rock paintings 27,000 years old has taken center stage.

Realizing that Hoodia Gordonii stops hunger and provides a state of alertness (without the jittery feeling) the Western world is consternated by the prospects. With obesity-related health problems (cancer, kidney failure, diabetes, hypertension osteoarthritis, atherosclerosis, heart disease…) on the rise and health costs soaring the entire world is focusing on Hoodia and the promise it holds.

About the Author

Discover Hoodia Gordonii, an Amazing Herbal Appetite Suppressant that Kills Your Appetite, Ups Your Mood and Gives You Waves Upon Waves of Energy — with NO Side Effects! http://www.pure-hoodia-diet-pills.info

Written By: Audrey Overman