Does Hoodia Work for Weight Loss?

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) banned diet pills which contained ephedra and the market was clamoring for a new miracle drug for weight loss. Hoodia came on the scene as a miracle herbal drug which claimed to suppress appetite. For those who want to know whether Hoodia works for weight loss, there have been mixed reviews about these diet suppressant pills. Hoodia came into limelight after a 60 minutes T.V report about this herb from Africa. Hoodia diet pills have an extract from the Hoodia Gordonii plant found in the deserts on Namibia and South Africa. The plant is similar to a cactus plant and has a succulent stem, it flowers roughly after 5 years.

African tribes living in the Kalahari desert used the Hoodia Gordonii plant to suppress their appetite on long hunts. Anthropologists who researched on the bushmen of Kalahari stumbled upon this eating habit and soon pharmaceutical companies were spending millions of dollars to research its application as a weight loss supplement. One scientific study was able to identify a molecule which they name 'p57' which seemed to have diet pill application.

Some studies done on animals showed that when given Hoodia supplements animals lost their appetite and were able to lose weight. A study done on obese people suggested that Hoodia works well as an appetite suppressant, although the study was not published, it set the ball rolling for Hoodia as a diet pill. It is marketed extensively as a diet supplement and companies claim that it has no side effects.

The answer to the question how does Hoodia work, is fairly simple, when consumed the Hoodia molecules send a signal to the hypothalamus gland in the brain that the stomach is full. This signal is what triggers the body to stop craving food. Most overweight people are emotional eaters and diet suppressants work wonders for such people.

If you are wondering does Hoodia work for weight loss, it seems to work for some people but for others it has no effects. Some studies into the real truth about Hoodia and weight loss found that it had no effect on people who did strenuous exercises. It was not able to suppress the craving for food in people who followed a good workout routine.

Companies who market Hoodia diet pills and Hoodia patch, claim that the molecule in Hoodia is about 10,000 times stronger than glucose. The companies which market Hoodia even offer free trials if you want to know how fast does Hoodia work. There are no conclusive studies which indicate that Hoodia works for weight loss.

Side Effects

Like the effectiveness of the Hoodia appetite suppressant pills is not clinically proven, the side effects are also not conclusive. Abuse of these pills can have negative effects on a person's health, suppressing hunger for a long time is not a good idea. Taking pills will also suppress thirst, and this could be detrimental to one's health.

Metabolism of Hoodia is also not known and there is a possibility that the pills could cause liver damage. Other Hoodia diet pills side effects include diarrhea and stomach cramps, which can be very unpleasant, even though if they don't have any long-term effects.

There is no scientific proof to answer the question does Hoodia work for weight loss, still people who are desperately seeking a quick fix for their weight problems try everything that comes their way. Taking appetite suppressants or weight loss pills should be one of the last options in your weight loss plans and should be considered only after consulting with a doctor.