Hoodia’s potential was detected when the CSIR were making a study on the food eaten by the bushmen from the desert. This plant was recently discovered as a possible option for those who want to loose some weight. Hoodia was used for many centuries by a tribe from the Kalahari Desert from South Africa as a hunger suppressant.

Hoodia’s effect is that the repression of the thirst and hunger. This is the reason why this plant was used by local people on long trips. It seems like they were also feeding their hunting dogs with hoodia so that the animals would not feel the necessity to eat either. Hoodia was also useful during times of famine and it is used nowadays too.

But if you plan to use hoodia you have to be very cautious because on a long term it might be bad for your organism. Hoodia will reduce your appetite but that does not mean that you would not eat food anymore. If you take care not to make from hoodia your only food supply, it will not have any negative effects on you.

Hoodia is very similar to cactus without being related to it. It is definitely not a drug, it is a herb that contains a molecule called P57. This molecule is the cause for the appetite suppressant characteristics of hoodia. It has the effect of glucose, signalizing to your brain that you are full. Another thing that you should know is that P57 is found only in a specific variety of hoodia named gordonii. This variety of hoodia is the only one that has spines and it is succulent. The hoodia’s effects were not discovered until recently but there are already some researchers who try to isolate the molecule P57 to manufacture a pharmaceutical drug. The original taste of hoodia is acrid but the plant is sold as a supplement in capsule or as a liquid. The liquid form works sooner than the pills and has a good taste. It is usually combined with green tea extract because this way the results are accelerated more.

The gordonii variety of hoodia is protected by law in South Africa and Namibia because it is rare. The only way to harvest or grow it is with a permit. This situation makes hoodia gordonii to be quite expensive in its pure form. But the plant has the ability to decrease your appetite by approximately one thousand calories a day.

There were made many experiments, first on animals, then on humans. The general results show that hoodia really helps in loosing weight. Another result of the tests shows that even people that suffer from diabetes can use hoodia with no problem. Many people that used hoodia were very satisfied with the results this supplement had on them. The supplement is more effective when you combine it with a healthy diet and regular exercise.