Hoodia is the name of a type of succulent found in Africa. It’s proper name is Hoodia Gordonii and for years it was used by the San people, otherwise known as "bushmen" in Africa to suppress appetite while on hunts or long treks.
The First Studies On Hoodia
The South African Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has conducted some limited studies on the plant but has not been able to find any notable hoodia side effects except of loss of appetite and loss of thirst. The CSIR first isolated the compound in hoodia that causes appetite suppression in 1977 and named it P57. In 1996 the CSIR patented P57 as a weight loss supplement and licensed it to the UK based company Phytopharm.
Phytopharm later entered into a partnership with Pfizer. Pfizer later let the rights to P57 go, citing difficulties in synthesizing the compound. The lead Pfizer researcher on the hoodia project, Jasit Bindra, indicated that there was some evidence of toxic effects on the liver from compounds in Hoodia that could not be removed when extracting P57. It is significant that such a large pharmaceutical company let the rights go to a compound that supposedly could be sold as a diet aid.
Consumer Reports did a limited study on hoodia and reported in 2006 that it could not recommend it as a diet aid, however there continues to be research done by other organizations on P57 as an appetite suppressant.
The hoodia side effect of loss of thirst must be considered when taking hoodia diet supplement so that dehydration is avoided. There have been no complete clinical studies of hoodia gordonii to the full side effects are unknown. For this reason hoodia should be avoided by pregnant or nursing women, the elderly or other suffering from illness.
Pure Hoodia Is Best
There are many hoodia diet supplements for sale at drug stores and discount stores. There is no guarantee against side effects from hoodia supplements that are not 100% whole herb. Some are mixed with fillers, caffeine, vitamins, etc. This is because pure hoodia is expensive and hard to obtain.
In fact, some botanists warn that the hoodia gordonii plant is in danger of extinction from over collection by African natives. Not until all hoodia comes from farms will the future of the wild plant be safe. Hoodia gordonii is only one of 12 species of succulents in the hoodia family. Many are protected under protected or endangered status.
Look for the label that says "100% Pure South African Hoodia." This label has been adopted by several manufacturers to assure consumer of genuine hoodia content.
While hoodia side effects seem to be rare and for the most part benign, you should always use caution and consult your physician before taking any supplement.
You should always consult with your regular physician before starting any diet program, even one that includes hoodia supplements.
