what do you think about hoodia?

Answer 1

Dangerous. It's unproven and the long-term effects are unknown. People think that because it's herb-like that it's safe.

Wrong.

If you want to lose weight, watch your diet, eat fruits and veggies, drink water, learn why you overeat and exercise.

Some pill isn't going to solve your problems. Sorry.

Answer 2

The use of Hoodia has long been known by the indigenous populations of Southern Africa, who infrequently use these plants for treating indigestion and small infections.

In 1977, the South African Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) isolated the ingredient in hoodia - now known as P57 - which is responsible for its appetite-suppressant effect, and patented it in 1996. The CSIR then granted United Kingdom-based Phytopharm a license, and they collaborated with the pharmaceutical company Pfizer to isolate active ingredients from the extracts and look into synthesizing them for use as an appetite suppressant. Pfizer released the rights to the primary ingredient in 2002. Paul Hutson, associate professor in the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Pharmacy, told the Wisconsin State Journal, "For Pfizer to release something dealing with obesity suggests to me that they felt there was no merit to its oral use". Pfizer states that development on P57, the active ingredient of Hoodia, was stopped due to the difficulty of synthesizing P57. Jasjit Bindra, lead researcher for hoodia at Pfizer, states there were indications of unwanted effects on the liver caused by other components, which could not be easily removed from the supplement, adding "Clearly, hoodia has a long way to go before it can earn approval from the Food and Drug Administration. Until safer formulations are developed, dieters should be wary of using it."
It has not been scientifically proven if Hoodia works as an appetite suppressant. No published peer-reviewed double-blind clinical trials have been performed on humans to investigate the safety or effectiveness of Hoodia gordonii in pill form as a nutritional supplement.

One scientific study has been published in which the extract was injected directly into the brains of rats. The author of the rat study said that P57 was easily broken down by the liver, so it might be hard to take in enough of it to ensure that it had an effect. MacLean cautioned that currently available supplements might be inadequate, stating "I question whether there is really enough of the active ingredient in there to do much."
I went to the website that sells it and it just looks like another of those money-makers preying on the overweight.

Answer 3

It is a desert plant indigenous to parts of South Africa, Namibia, Namib Desert.
It has been used by bushmen to curb hunger on long treks.

How marketed: In TrimSpa X32. Also, the UK pharmaceutical co. Phytopharm is trying to develop weight-loss products based on hoodia.

Authentic Hoodia costs $225/kg USD on the open market (as of 1/06).

What does it do? It has been shown to reduce appetite in humans.

Efficacy: When fed to animals, they lost weight.

Safety: No published double-blind trials have conducted on humans.

Hoodia is not a stimulant.

Things to look for and questions to ask when thinking about taking ANY dietary supplement:

Are there clinical studies that support the use of this product/compound for weight loss?

If so, were the studies being used as demonstrations of effectiveness conducted on human subjects?

Is there the same dose/ingredients in the marketed product as in the studies?

Is there any (reliable) safety information available?

Will it interact with a medication you are currently taking… and will it lead to health problems in the future?

Answer 4

I tried Pure Health Labs Hoodia pills and they made me vomit a few hours after I took them. 3 or 4 times, I believe.

Answer 5

i've taken supplements with hoodia as the active ingredient and i never really liked it. i'm very caffeine sensitive. i would feel jittery and anxious all throughout the day. i noticed that it also made me irritable which isn't pleasant for other people that you're around. i suggest only taking it if you have a pretty high tolerance for caffeine.

Answer 6

hoodia does indeed diminish appetite. But since most folks in this country are overweight because they eat for emotional reasons, appetite rarely is the problem.

Answer 7

hoodia will hood wink you! junk!

Answer 8

I dont have an Idea of who or what it is

Answer 9

I like to smoke it.