You have probably heard about Hoodia Gordonii, a supposedly magical plant grown in Southern Africa that’s supposed to help you lose weight by suppressing your appetite. But you probably do not know much more about it.

Hoodia Gordonii, or simply Hoodia (pronounced HOO-dee-ah), is a plant that grows principally in South Africa; but can also be found in Namibia, Botswana and Angola. It has cactus like leaves not unlike those of a traditional cactus plant. Traditional Khoisan Bushmen used Hoodia Gordonii to suppress hunger during their travels across the Kalahari, as well as to treat indigestions.

Loose Weight with no Pain

A lot of excitement about Hoodia Gordonii stems from its ability to suppress appetite. Weight loss programs, especially one’s that do not involve strenuous activities are bound to arouse much interest in the western world especially in the United States where the number of people who are overweight is on the increase.

The South African government agency called CSIR did isolate the active ingredients in Hoodia Gordonii in 1977, which they called p57 and finally patented it in 1996. Research published in 2004 in Brain Research, a medical journal, suggested that p57 could have an effect on ATP, which is a body molecule responsible for hunger.

There are even claims that consumption of Hoodia Gordonii reduces food intake per day, based on a study by Phytopharm, a UK company closely involved with the plant. These claims were never verified by independent peers, denying Hoodia Gordonii, whether effective or not, any acceptability in the scientific world.

Beware of being hoodwinked by Hoodia Marketing blitzkrieg

Thousands of websites, marketing coupons as well as junk mail all claim to be selling Hoodia Gordonii. Studies have shown that majority of the products that claim to contain the active ingredients for Hoodia Gordonii are just big fat lies.

According to some researchers of note, it is entirely possible that Hoodia Gordonii would help you shed those extra pounds, but some of the pills being currently marketed are simply inadequate for the right dosage.

Like many other substances having medicinal value, it is not a guarantee that Hoodia Gordonii will work for everyone. For some it may have no effect at all. According to Mike Adams, a natural health researcher has written that Hoodia Gordonii may be of no use (in suppressing your appetite) when it comes to certain forms of carbohydrates. He further notes that if you engage in some strenuous activities, you will still probably end up eating your normal rations, Hoodia or not.