• Hoodia Gordonii • Caralluma Fimbriata

Hoodia Gordonii Review

What is Hoodia Gordonii ?

Hoodia gordonii is a spiny succulent plant that is found in South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, and Angola. Other names: Hoodia, Stapelia gordonii, Bushman's Hat, Queen of the Namib, Xhooba, Ghaap. All in all there are about 13 species of Hoodia but only Hoodia gordonii has this particular trait to suppress appetite.

The plants can attain a height of 1m with clumps reaching 0.6-0.9 m. Individual plants can reach 15 cm thick. Hoodia gordonii freely branch after a couple of years of growth and can have up to 50 individual stems from a single plant. The flowers have a strong smell of rotten meat and attract a great number of flies. They may vary in color, from straw colored to dark maroons and reach up to 7 cm across.

In the past few years, Hoodia gordonii has become immensely popular for its effects as an appetite suppressant and a weight loss aid. The plant has been used for centuries by the indigenous San Bushmen of the Kalahari Desert to stave off hunger and thirst on their long hunting trips in the desert.

A Brief History of Hoodia Gordonii

Hoodia gordonii was discovered around 1779 by Robert Jacob Gordon (Dutch explorer, soldier and artist) near the Orange River. Perhaps, that is why it was named gordonii. In 1963 the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in South Africa was doing a study of indigenous foods that the Bushmen ate. Part of the study was to test for toxic effects of any plants that were consumed by the Bushmen. The study of Hoodia gordonii shown that it was non-toxic, moreover the scientists claimed that laboratory animals lost weight after they were given Hoodia gordonii.

By 1977 the CSIR isolated the active ingredient in Hoodia responsible for appetite suppression, and patented it in 1996. They called the ingredient p57 and licensed it to Phytopharm. Phytopharm collaborated with the pharmaceutical giant Pfizer to isolate active ingredients and to develop a p57 based diet pill. After a few years of attempts to make p57 synthetically, Pfizer pulled out of the deal and returned the rights to Hoodia to Phytopharm, which is now working with Unilever.

Hoodia gordonii became really popular as a weight loss supplement after 60 Minutes correspondent Leslie Stahl and her crew traveled to Africa to try the plant. They hired a local Bushman to help them find Hoodia gordonii plants. Stahl ate it, describing the taste of the plant as "a little cucumbery in texture, but not bad." She reported that she wasn’t hungry all day. She also said she didn't experience any immediate side effects, such as indigestion or heart palpitations. Stahl filmed a report that later appeared on 60 Minutes.

Today, Hoodia gordonii is marketed as an appetite suppressant for weight loss. Dried extracts of Hoodia stems and roots are used to make capsules, powders, and chewable tablets. Hoodia gordonii extract can be found in liquid form as well.

How Does Hoodia Gordonii Work ?

The active ingredient in Hoodia gordonii appears to work in a different manner than other weight loss medications. P57, a chemical in Hoodia gordonii that is responsible for the appetite-suppressant effect, seems to act like glucose in the body. Essentially, P57 works on specific areas of the brain to create a feeling of fullness. Even though little or no food has been eaten, people who take Hoodia gordonii or P57 usually report feeling full quickly and not getting hungry again as soon as they would ordinarily. Additionally, Hoodia gordonii seems to reduce interest in eating for about 24 hours after a dose.

Clinical Trials on Hoodia Gordonii

A certain number of clinical trials have been carried out on Hoodia gordonii to test its appetite-suppressant effect and its effectiveness in reducing body weight.

In 2001, Phytopharm PLC, the UK based pharmaceutical company mentioned above, conducted a double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study on overweight, but otherwise healthy individuals using the p57 extract from Hoodia gordonii. The participants were split into two groups, one received the p57 extract and the other received a placebo. The groups were told to continue their normal diet and exercise. The authors of the study reported the following results:

• the Hoodia group had a statistically significant reduction in calorie intake;
• the Hoodia group had a statistically significant reduction in body fat;
• the Hoodia group had no adverse side effects.

It was a stunning success. The study demonstrated that repeat doses of Hoodia gordonii extract were able to significantly reduce calorie intake. According to the authors of the study, it takes up to 15 days of regular intake of Hoodia gordonii to reduce calorie intake by about 1000 kcal per day. Moreover, no side effects were observed in this clinical trial that makes Hoodia gordonii different from other weight loss drugs, associated with emotional changes.

Another trial of Hoodia gordonii was carried out at Brown University Medical School in Providence. The researchers conducted a number of experiments with normal, healthy rats in which P57 was injected directly into their brains – more specifically into the area, located not far from hypothalamus, which is responsible for the control of certain physical and emotional functions, such as sleep, temperature, heart rate, and appetite. The purpose was to determine whether the appetite suppressing effect is the result of its direct action on the hypothalamus and it appears that it is. In multiple trials on rats, calorie intake was reported to decrease by between 30% and 50% during the first 24 hours after the injections, and the effect lasted for about 24 hours.

HOODIA GORDONII PLUS

HOODIA CHASER

Hoodia Gordonii Plus contains 100% pure African Hoodia gordonii extract plus other weight loss ingredients.
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Hoodia Chaser contains liquid Hoodia extract which is better absorbed by the body and starts working almost immediately.
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