Hoodia Plant Diet
Review
Hoodia Plant
Diet Review - Hoodia is a wild plant that grows in the
deserts in South
Africa. Commonly referred to as a cactus, it
is succulent, like the Aloe Vera plant. There are 15
different types of species of hoodia, but only one –Hoodia
Gordonii seems to reduce appetite.
Hoodia was observed to learn how it mimics as an appetite
suppressant. In 1963, scientists at the
Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR),
South Africa's national
laboratory, began studying hoodia. They claimed that lab
animals lost weight after they were given hoodia gordonii.
The South African scientists, working with a British
company named Phytopharm, isolated what they believed to be an
active ingredient in hoodia gordonii, a steroidal glycoside,
which they named p57.
One researcher explained the findings as follows; when glucose
sugar is recognized by nerves in the brain, it causes a spike
in blood sugar and signals your body that it is full. The P57
in hoodia reacts 10,000 times more than glucose, sending a very
loud sign that you are full, leaving you no craving to
eat.
In 1937, a Dutch anthropologist studying the San Bushmen noted
that they used hoodia gordonii to repress hunger. In
1995, Phytopharm obtained a patent and a license on P57.
Phytopharm has invested over $20 million on hoodia
research.
Ultimately pharmaceutical giant Pfizer learned about hoodia and
expressed interest in developing a hoodia supplement. In
1998, Phytopharm sub-licensed the rights to develop p57 to
Pfizer for $21 million. Pfizer returned the rights to
hoodia to Phytopharm, who is currently working with another
company,
Unilever.
What we like about this plan The appetite suppressant
seems to work for most people. The most influential
reviewer was Leslie Stahl, 60 minutes reporter, who went
to South
Africa for a
report on the plant. After eating a sample from the
local bushman, Leslie admitted she was full for the
entire day. There are many different forms of
hoodia gordonii, capsule, powder or liquid of tea forms
in health food stores. Hoodia is also found in the
popular diet aid
TrimSpa.
What we dislike about this
plan It is hard to find solid unbiased information
on the internet on this product. Many “reviewers” are
also selling Hoodia products. The product prices are also
very highly
overpriced.
How healthy is this plan? Although there has been
no negative press to date, the verdict is still out. This is
the new “ephedra”…and we all know that was banned by the FDA
after many negative side effects were related to the substance.
People with diabetes should be cautious about using
hoodia. One of the statements about how hoodia works is
that it signals the brain that it has enough blood sugar.
This may make it possible for a person's blood sugar could drop
dangerously low while taking hoodia. With the regular hunger
mechanism turned off, the normal warning signs may be covered
up until it's too late.
Hoodia is believed to suppress
not only appetite but thirst. There have been unverified
reports of consumers in Africa who took hoodia to take the feelings
off hunger pains away, but became severely dehydration because
they didn't feel
thirsty.
Here’s The Bottom Line Let all the media hype
and mass production (due to the huge commercial demand for
Hoodia Gordonii, the herb is commercially farmed on a limited
number of farms in South Africa. As with all dietary
supplements the FDA has no regulations on Hoodia. In
addition, counterfeit Hoodia products are widespread. If
you are still tempted to try
hoodia, there are two
certifications that a dieter can look for to confirm that a
product contains South African hoodia gordonii. They are
the C.I.T.E.S. certificate and the Analytical Report.
Products which display one or both of these certifications on
their websites or package can be purchased with
conference.
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