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Hoodia Gordonii - Does It Really Cause Weight Loss?

The hoodia gordonii plant is the latest craze to hit the weight loss supplement market. This cactus-like plant is native to the Kalahari Desert of southern Africa. There has been so much hype surrounding hoodia gordonii that some of its facts have been obscured. Here is some information about hoodia gordonii, like does it really suppress the appetite and will it really help us lose weight?

African Bushmen of the Kalahari have reportedly eaten hoodia gordonii for hundreds of centuries without any bad effects. These Bushmen used the hoodia plant to suppress their appetites for several days during long hunting trips so they could bring their kill back for a community feast. Were it not for the hoodia, they would have likely consumed much of their prey during the trip itself. The anecdotal evidence about hoodia must be confirmed by modern scientific studies. Long term effects and side effects are unknown.

A few studies on the hoodia have been performed. One particular study is frequently cited to confirm the appetite suppressing qualities of hoodia gordonii. In this study, obese volunteers consumed fixed quantities of hoodia gordonii. Conditions were apparently set up to discourage exercise by the test subjects. On average, the obese test subjects ate 1,000 fewer calories daily than a control group which received a placebo.

The active ingredient in hoodia gordonii is called P-57. P-57 seems to fool the brain into thinking an empty stomach is full. Eating hoodia gordonii causes the person to not eat as much and then lose weight. An American reporter who traveled to South Africa ate hoodia gordonii and reported no hunger or thirst for an entire day. Even animals which eat the plant are said to lose weight.

Early reports suggest that hoodia gordonii only suppresses natural hunger pangs, and not those caused by diets high in sugar and carbohydrates. At this time it also does not appear to suppress exercise-related hunger. After exercise, our bodies require excess nutrition due to high blood glucose levels. The presence of excess blood glucose levels can apparently counteract the effects of hoodia gordonii.

If you want to be sure to lose weight, do it the old-fashioned way with a healthy diet and exercise. If hoodia works as stated, long-term fasting by a continually suppressed appetite is not a healthy substitute. Also beware of the fact that many weight loss products claim to contain hoodia gordonii when they do not, or they contain too little to have a significant effect. The companies developing hoodia gordonii weight loss supplements will continue to test and track the effects of the plant. Hoodia gordonii appears to be a promising part of a successful weight loss plan, but not the total solution.

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