More about Hoodia Gordonii

Oct 06
2010

What is Hoodia?

  • Hoodia gordonii is a cactus-like succulent plant, native to the Kalahari Desert in Southern Africa.
  • Hoodia has received a lot of publicity in recent times for its natural appetite suppressant properties.

How does Hoodia work?

  • The appetite suppressant effects of Hoodia were first observed in 1937 by a Dutch anthropologist studying the primitive San Bushmen of the Kalahari Desert.
  • It was noticed that the nomadic Bushmen, (who call it Xhoba) ate the stem of the Hoodia plant to stave off hunger during long hunting trips in the sparsely vegetated area.
  • The active ingredient in Hoodia is the appetite-suppressing molecule, P57, which is licensed to the British pharmaceutical company Phytopharm who are researching its potential as an anti-obesity drug.
  • Scientists from Phytopharm say P57 acts on the brain in a manner similar to glucose. It tricks the brain into thinking you are full even when you have not eaten, reduces interest in food and delays the time before hunger sets in.

Who should not take Hoodia?

  • Do not take Hoodia without first talking to your doctor if you have  
  • diabetes,
  • heart disease or high blood pressure,
  • a bleeding or blood clotting disorder,
  • anorexia, bulimia or any other eating disorder.
  • Talk to your doctor before taking Hoodia if you have any other medical conditions, allergies (especially to plants), or if you take other medicines or herbal/ health supplements.
  • Do not take Hoodia without first talking to your doctor if you are pregnant or could become pregnant.
  • Do not take Hoodia without first talking to your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.
  • There is no information available regarding the use of Hoodia by children. Do not give any herbal/ health supplement to a child without first talking to the child’s doctor.

How should I take Hoodia?

  • The use of Hoodia in cultural and traditional settings may differ from concepts accepted by current Western medicine. When considering the use of herbal supplements, consultation with a primary health care professional is advisable. Additionally, consultation with a practitioner trained in the uses of herbal/ health supplements may be beneficial, and coordination of treatment among all health care providers involved may be advantageous.
  • Take Hoodia as directed on the package or as directed by your doctor, pharmacist, or other health care provider.

Store Hoodia as directed on the package.

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What is Hoodia Gordonii?

May 03
2010

Latin Name: Hoodia gordonii
Other Names: hoodia, xhooba, !khoba, Ghaap, hoodia cactus, South African desert cactus

Hoodia (pronounced HOO-dee-ah) is a cactus-like plant that grows primarily in the semi-deserts of South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, and Angola.

In the last few years, hoodia has been heavily marketed for weight loss and has become immensely popular.

Although there has always been a demand for diet pills, after the ban on the herb ephedra, the market was particularly ripe for the next new diet pill.

Much of hoodia’s popularity stems from claims that the San Bushmen of the Kalahari desert relied on hoodia for thousands of years to ward off hunger and thirst during long hunting trips. They were said to have cut off the stem and eat the bitter-tasting plant.

Hoodia gordonii grows in clumps of green upright stems. Although it is often called a cactus because it resembles one, hoodia is actually a succulent plant.

It takes about five years before hoodia gordonii’s pale purple flowers appear and the plant can be harvested.

There are over 13 types of hoodia. The only active ingredient identified so far is a steroidal glycoside that has been called “p57″. Currently, only hoodia gordonii is thought to contain p57.

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