Is Hoodia For You?

SEATTLE - Have you heard about Hoodia? It's the “revolutionary” new ingredient in all sorts of weight loss supplements sold at health food and online.

Even Amazon.com sells the stuff. Clearly, Hoodia is hot! And it’s easy to see why.

The ads promise that Hoodia will help you shed the pounds without feeling hungry because it contains “a miracle molecule… that fools the brain into believing you are full.”

Besides losing weight, the ads claim you’ll feel better, because Hoodia has “a feel-good aphrodisiac quality.”

Hoodia has another big selling point – it’s natural and not a stimulant. Many of the products containing Hoodia boast that they do not contain caffeine.

So just what is Hoodia? It comes from a succulent cactus that grows in South Africa's Kalahari Desert.

The San people (formerly known as “Bushmen”) who live there chew the plant's stalks before going on long hunting trips. They believe it increases their endurance, and curbs their appetite and thirst.

Is Hoodia for you?

"In its August issue, the UC Berkeley Wellness Letter advises readers not to “take a chance” with hoodia supplements right now, because no one knows if it’s safe, especially when used regularly.

There’s been almost no testing to see if these Hoodia supplements work, explains Dr. John Swartzberg, who heads the editorial board at the Wellness Letter.

”The only study we could find,” he says “was not published, was very short, and had lots of limitations."

Hoodia sales have been boosted by a number of news reports, including coverage by ABC, the BBC and 60 Minutes. (Read: African Plant May Help Fight Fat)

These reports focus on the Hoodia that grows in South Africa. As Dr. Swartzberg points out, Hoodia is grown in China, Mexico, even the U.S. (Texas), and scientists do not know if these other varieties contain the active ingredient that has been identified in the South African Hoodia plants.

“Even if somebody claims it's 100 percent Hoodia, you have no idea whether it is or not,” Dr. Swartzberg cautions. “You have not way of knowing if it's pure and what else is mixed in with it.”

“The bottom line advice,” he says, “don't take Hoodia until we know a lot more about it and you know the product you're buying is pure and safe.”

For More Information:

Hoodia Review: Natural Appetite Suppressant for Weight Loss?

The Cactus Diet