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What are hoodia side effects? Is hoodia safe? Dieters want to know. There is no short answer to this question. Known hoodia side effects amount to nothing more than thirst suppression, requiring dieters to drink water, even when they are not thirsty. But, is hoodia safe? It should be. Other succulents like aloe provide the active ingredients in many patented medicines and are considered safe for most people. If hoodia side effects are similar to those of aloe, then it should not be used by pregnant women. Aloe increases menstrual flow and is used to treat amenorrhea, which is a lack of menstrual periods in women of child-bearing age.

There are several reasons that it is difficult to answer the question; is hoodia safe. Clinical research has not been completed. The available research supports claims by the health supplement industry concerning appetite suppression. There is also evidence to support the statements concerning increased energy and metabolism. What the research can not do is provide an absolute answer to questions about hoodia side effects and safety. It is understandable that dieters are cautious. It has not been long since ephedra was removed from the market and memories of Fen-fen related deaths are still fairly fresh in the public’s mind. It is difficult to recommend a product when so little is known about it. But, one thing is certain, hoodia is not a stimulant.

Most appetite suppressants contain stimulants. If an overweight person is about to purchase an appetite suppressant, then the answer to the question; is hoodia safe, should be answered a little differently. Hoodia side effects do not include any of those associated with stimulants. It does not increase heart rate or blood pressure. If a person is deciding between hoodia and a product containing a stimulant, then the safest choice is hoodia.

Phytopharm is the company that is best suited to answer the question; is hoodia safe. Phytopharm was the first company to work with the scientists at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research in Africa. Phytopharm states that, “…the safety data are consistent with a satisfactory overall safety profile…” Phytopharm is still conducting research concerning hoodia side effects and is not yet ready to release its patented product, but has invested millions of dollars in creating hoodia plantations in Africa. This seems to indicate that they believe the outcome will be positive.

In March 2006, Consumer Reports concluded, “Given the very scanty evidence that hoodia works and the even scantier evidence that it’s safe, particularly for long-term use, we do not recommend the use of hoodia-based weight-loss products.” It is difficult to understand why consumer reports would make such a broad statement. For one thing, most dieters would not need to use hoodia on a long-term basis, so hoodia side effects related to long term use are irrelevant. For another thing, Consumer Reports does not make similar statements relating to weight loss products containing stimulants. In these articles, they state that stimulant containing appetite suppressants should only be used by otherwise healthy individuals. This would be a more unbiased statement. The Consumer Reports article may lead individuals to believe that, “no” is the answer to the question; is hoodia safe. When in actuality, there is no evidence of adverse hoodia side effects and no evidence suggests that hoodia is not safe.

People love to eat and with a lot of delicious food readily available, who wouldn’t want to? But this has caused obesity and being over weight. That is why year after year people spend billions of dollars on products that claim to help them slim down. Recently, a new product came along — Hoodia Gordonii.

Hoodia Gordonii

Actually Hoodia Gordonii is a name of a plant from the Kalahari Desert in the southern part of Africa. It is cactus-like succulent plant that has been used for centuries by the San Bushmen around the area as food.

In 1963, scientists from the Council for Scientific Research and Industrial Research (CSIR) conducted a research and screened bush foods. As a well-known bush food of San Bushmen, Hoodia became part of the research. In the screening process, extracts of the plants were made and tested to determine for toxic effects. The scientists have observed that the extracts from the Hoodia plant caused a decrease in the body weight and appetite on the animals on which it was tested on but it did not appear to be from toxic effects.

Weight Loss and Hoodia Gordonii

The discovery of the effects of hoodia gordonii prompted scientists to do more research on it. Phytopharm, a British company, was able to isolate what they believed to be an active ingredient of the hoodia gordonii that they named p57. The ingredient p57 has been tested on animals specifically on rats. They injected p57 on the test subjects and it showed promising results. The rats with p57 ate less and lost weight compared to other rats without the p57. To explain in layman’s terms, what hoodia does is it tricks the brain into thinking that the body is already full and it has already eaten.

Phytopharm also conducted a clinical trial that involved 18 human subjects. In this clinical trial, it has been found that the subjects, after taking in hoodia, lost 1000 Kcal per day compared to a control group taking in placebos.

As of now, there are no known side effects of hoodia. Though researches are still on going to ensure the safety of people who are taking it.

Hoodia gordonii is now sold in powder, capsules, liquid and in tea form and can be bought from health food stores. One thing you should know about this is that hoodia gordonii is not a drug. Despite the fact that pharmaceutical companies are trying to isolate p57 to create a drug, the hoodia gordonii out in the market is still entirely natural.

The effects of hoodia gordonii may vary from person to person. Some experience the effects of hoodia a few minutes after taking it and some take as long as a couple of weeks. This would also depend on the person’s metabolism.

But taking hoodia gordonii can only do so much in helping a person lose weight. It should also be supported with a good routine of workout and exercise to have an effective weight loss regimen.

Hoodia Remedy – hoodiaremedy.com

Even though Hoodia Gordonii is so popular these days, it has very humble origins. Many people who use products made from this plant do not realize that it only actually grows wild in the Southern African desert in the countries of Namibia, Botswana and South Africa. There have been some reports that you can also find some of the plants in desert areas of Zambia and Zimbabwe too. It does not grow anywhere else even though there are many similar cactus-like plants in most countries. That is the reason that it is considered an endangered species and is protected by international laws. You need a license to farm and trade it. So what does this mean for your weight loss?

First, since this plant is protected, it means that not everyone will have access to it so you need to be careful of fake Hoodia products or products that contain very little Hoodia ingredient. There are a lot of companies promoting weight loss diet products that they are claiming are authentic or genuine. Check their website for a certificate showing the origin of their product. You can also contact them to confirm. If it is not African, then you need to be careful about buying from them. Now that you know what you need to look for when choosing authentic Hoodia Gordonii, you need to know how it works.

Second, the San people of Botswana have been using the plant to suppress their appetite when going on long hunting trips for thousands of years. They say that it used to give them stamina and after taking it they didn’t feel hungry for days. Research has since identified the molecule P57 in Hoodia plants which fools the brain into thinking that you are full even when you haven’t eaten any food. So the way it works is that it kills your appetite so that you don’t have to eat as much. Every weight loss expert will tell you that in order to lose weight, you need to consume fewer calories, exercise regularly and eat a healthy diet.

Clinical studies conducted in the UK have shown that taking Hoodia Gordonii can cut down your calorie intake by as much as 1000 calories per day by suppressing your appetite. To put this into perspective, on average, men in the western world consume around 2600 calories per day and women consume about 1900. Also, 3500 calories equals to a pound of fat. So if you cut down by a thousand calories you will start to lose weight.

Hoodia Gordonni is a popular weight loss supplement today that works by tricking your brain into thinking that you’re full and triggering feelings of fullness. Whole Hoodia powder contains varied amounts and levels of organic material, antioxidants, fiber and biologically active material, which have been tested to condition the brain into thinking the stomach is full.

Though more research is still being done to try and isolate this plant’s wonder molecules, analysts believe that it is the combination of the whole Hoodia plant that creates the appetite suppressing aspects.

P57 IS The Chemical That Makes Hoodia Potent

The plant has an ingredient, or element that can presumably be developed into a capsule and can hold back one’s appetite and then eradicate the problem of obesity. The hoodia plant contains a previously unheard-of appetite suppressant molecule, which is known now and called P57. Use of hoodia for losing weight is skyrocketing due to the fact that it has no presumed negative side effects.

As with any weight loss program, the vital aspects of diet and exercise should also not be forgotten. Take note that the basic rule for effectively losing weight is to burn more calories than you consume, and the supplement helps you consume fewer calories by reducing your interest in food, delaying the time before hunger sets in again, and giving a feeling of fullness more quickly

Check The Actual Content Of Hoodia Extract In A Supplement

Whenever you purchase a product that says it uses Hoodia extract, it is neither

genuine nor effective, simply due to the cost involved. In order for a manufacturer to produce a supplement that has a 20:1 extract, they would need 20kg of Hoodia, for example, to make 1kg of the extract.

With the high price and limited supply of real Hoodia, it may not be cost effective to waste 19kg of this precious resource to produce only 1kg, and if the producer did – they probably would need to charge at least $200 for a bottle of 60 capsules. It would be best to verify the exact extent of Hoodia to ensure that you’re buying one that is truly potent.

Authentic Hoodia Takes Years To Grow

Generally, a Hoodia plant takes between 5-7 years to mature and provide appetite-suppressing properties, and can only be grown in specific regions, making authentic Hoodia extremely rare. In fact, over two-thirds of Hoodia products available on the market today are not made with real Hoodia Gordonii, the only variety of the plant to have possessed these unique properties.

Check For A CITES Certificate

CITES stands for the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, and they are responsible for the trade of endangered plant and animal species. CITES also monitors the amount of Hoodia exported, in order to make sure the plant species isn’t harvested into extinction.

Knowing if a product presents this document is a safe way to truly finding out if the supplement contains enough Hoodia, as well as better method to verify if a product is made from authentic Hoodia.

Hoodia Store – http://hoodiastore.org

Weight loss by taking supplements with ingredients that come from nature is considered an ideal option if you want to achieve positive results and what True Hoodia Slim Plex does is to make that even more possible. The product hails from Natures Wonderland, a company that specializes in producing supplements composed of natural ingredients and it took upon itself to explore the wonders of Hoodia gordonii and share the plant’s benefit to weight loss enthusiasts.

Hoodia and weight loss

Since the P57 molecule from Hoodia gordonii was discovered by researchers, it has changed the way experts and weight loss fanatics have viewed weight loss. There can never be too many weight loss products with hoodia in the market but only a few of them are able to stand out because of their quality, genuineness, and reputation. True Hoodia Slim Plex is one of those products.

What makes Slim Plex true hoodia?

Natures Wonderland’s product may sound similar to other weight loss supplements with Hoodia gordonii in them but what sets it aside from the others is the fact that it contains other ingredients that can aid weight loss. These ingredients include cocoa extracts and green tea that can help speed up the results by providing a fat burning action. Aside from that, green tea is also beneficial as an antioxidant so the free radicals in your body can be removed. On the other hand, hoodia works by controlling your appetite so you can eat less and be satisfied with less food. This helps you avoid giving in to unnecessary cravings that is often the culprit for those extra pounds.

Dosage information

True Hoodia Slim Plex is also convenient to take because you generally have to take 1 or 2 capsules everyday before meals. Each bottle contains 60 capsules and the price is just right for those who are curious on the weight loss benefits of hoodia gordonii and want to try it out for themselves.

Some who have tried them and used them regularly have suffered a lot of serious consequences and many have been pulled from the market and banned altogether. But if you want to lose weight with Hoodia Gordonii, you might be surprised at the research and information available on this supplement and how it actually works.

First, to lose weight with Hoodia Gordonii you need to understand how it works. It is a natural substance that is taken from a cactus plant that is native to parts of Africa and other such regions where natural things are usually found variously. Researchers believe that it contains a substance that works by telling the brain that the body is full. If the brain believes that the body is full it won’t produce any hunger pangs. This means that you can lose weight with Hoodia Gordonii because your cravings and overeating will be tempered.

Considering how we’re typically surrounded by food and poor food choices every minute of the day, it’s no wonder that people have such a hard time controlling their portions and snacking. But you can typically lose weight with Hoodia Gordonii since it turns off those cravings and the urge to snack incessantly.

Also, to lose weight with Hoodia Gorodonii you need to use it properly. While Hoodia Gordonii shuts off hunger pains it won’t force you to make the right choices when you do eat. You can’t fill up on junk food and sugary foods for your three meals a day and then expect Hoodia to magically burn those excessive calories.

It’s still important to eat fruits and vegetables and lean protein, not just for weight control but for your overall health as well. What good is it to lose weight with Hoodia if you’re not getting your vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and other nutrients that are contained in these good food choices? And of course exercise is also important since this too has many benefits other than weight control.

Regular physical activity helps to strengthen the heart, the lungs, and all the muscles of the body. It also helps to control blood pressure and blood sugar levels and contributes to good health overall.

This doesn’t mean that there are no Hoodia dangers at all. One common problem for those who try this supplement is that they get very dehydrated without even realizing it. This may be because Hoodia suppresses the thirst as well as the hunger so people have a tendency to forget to get something to drink while trying it. Of course that’s an easy fix – simply make sure that you’re always drinking water and other liquids when using Hoodia. Water will also help to make you feel full and also helps with digestion, so while it holds off on the obvious Hoodia dangers of dehydration it also helps with weight loss and maintenance.

Much research still needs to be done and no doubt as time goes by researchers may uncover more Hoodia dangers than what has already been found out, but so far all the reports are very favorable. There seems to be very few side effects with Hoodia and it also seems to be very effective, so why not give it a try and see if it works in your case? Try it once to have satisfaction, you’ll be satisfied by it.

If you go to the market and online, you can find lots of hoodia weight loss products. All of these products claim that they can make you lose weight effectively.

If you have done your research like I do, you will find that there are some of these products that work, there are some that do not at all and one productthat is truly effective is Hoodia gordonii plus.

Hoodia gordonii is a cactus like plant that only grows in South Africa, not in Mexico, China or US. This plant has been in existence for long period of time but only recently when it was discovered by scientists. Scientists tested this plant in order to determine if it was non-toxin since they found out that San people were eating the plant. Yes, San people ate the plant for long period of time to suppress their hunger and thirst when out for long hunting. When they tested the plant they discovered that it has an active molecule which they called p57 because it was their 57th project at that time.

It works by tricking your mind into believing that you are full and satisfied. This technique is definitely a powerful one, since you will not overeat because you believe and feel that you are full and satisfied. No matter how tempting the foods are, you won’t overeat since you feel full.

Western Cape Conservation Authority of South Africa approved Hoodia gordonii plus as 100% pure.

It is widely spread that this product has no harmful chemicals that can give you side effects that can harm your body and health. With this reason, there are increasing numbers of dieters that switch to this diet pill in losing weight.

Yes, there are lots of hoodia products out there, but when you are seeking for one that can aid you to effective weight loss, you have to go with hoodia gordonii plus. When seeking for website where you will be buying the product, you have to look for a reputable one. You need to buy with a website that can provide you with real product and not the fake ones, so you need to check out the certifications in which written that the product is from South Africa.

You need to gain information about the product and website first before buying in order to assure that you will be getting the genuine product which can aid you in losing weight without harmful effect.

When you buy the product, you need to read the label and follow the directions stated in the bottle in order to assure that it will take effect. Yes, taking the product can help you lose weight, but never rely everything with the product; you have to change your habits in order to help out.

You have to change your eating and exercise habits in order to see great results when taking hoodia gordonii plus. You must take foods with proper nutrients and do physical activities daily that can help you in burning out fats.

Eliza Maledevic Ayson

Hoodia Gordonii is a succulent plant that grows widely is Kalahari Desert of Southern Africa. The San Bushmen, who live on the fringes of the desert, eat this plant to suppress hunger when they go on long hunting trips.

CSIR, the South African Research Institution, realized the importance of this plant and investigated it. They isolated a long molecule, P 57, that actually suppressed hunger. The patent was sold to a British company called Phytopharm. Phytopharm in turn teamed up with Pfizer to produce a synthetic pill containing P 57.

Phytopharm conducted clinical trials, first with rats and then with humans. They claim that the Hoodia powder, 400 mg, taken for 15 days reduced calorie intake by 1,000, compared to control group. As Pfizer could not produce synthetic P 57 economically, Phytopharm arranged for cultivation of the Hoodia plant in the Kalahari Desert, and set as its target to market the product by the year 2008. The plant takes five to seven years to be ready.

Meanwhile, many companies are producing Hoodia Gordonii Pills, capsules or tincture. There is a lot of demand for this product. Many suppliers are harvesting the wild plants and exporting to USA. Compared to the demand, the supply is not enough, and there are a lot of suspicions that the manufacturers of these products are cheating the consumers.

Since Phytopharm has purchased the patent taken by CSIR of Hoodia Gordonii as a weight-loss medication, other companies are very cautious. They do not market it as a weight-loss medicine but just as Hoodia Pills or capsules, without any other claim. Their advertising about the appetite-suppressing effects of Hoodia is more than enough to make the consumer understand that Hoodia is an aid for a weight-loss program. Phytopharm has tied up with Unilever, a food product giant, to market Hoodia shakes and bars. But that would not be available until 2008.

In the meantime, users of other products need to be very careful if they do not like to be disappointed. There are twenty varieties of Hoodia plants, and only Hoodia Gordonii is effective in use as a weight-loss aid. But any manufacturer of diet medication can claim that their product is 100% Hoodia, using any one of the other nineteen plants. They would be legally correct, and it is up to the consumer to be vigilant.

The evolution of hoodia gordonii as an appetite suppressant has created a bit of a problem. The cactus takes 5-7 years to mature and this popular plant was starting to become scarce. It has become a problem for the South African government in the way of illegal trade practices.

Why does this affect the quality of hoodia gordonii? It is basic economics. Because of the necessary South African restrictions on trade, supply is low while the demand by the weight loss industry is still high.

I wanted to buy a weight loss product that was 100% pure, plus I wanted documents that proved it! So when you buy hoodia gordonii, you need to look for the following factors.

When a plant becomes endangered like the hoodia gordonii cactus, in order to preserve the species, only companies that have a CITES Certification are able to legally trade with the native country. In this case, the diet pill company that purchase hoodia has to pass certain requirements.

CITES is the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. A certification from CITES means that a company has been found to be a responsible trader of animal or plant products.

In addition when you buy this appetite suppressant online, you need to check to see that the weight loss company had their ingredients tested by an outside laboratory to make sure that their product contains 100% pure hoodia gordonii.

One of the leading labs for this type of testing is Alkemist Pharmaceuticals. They perform two tests to make sure that the hoodia gordonii used is pure. So make sure that the weight loss site or forum can show these reviews in document form proving that their hoodia gordonii is 100% pure.

What else do you need to look for? The bogus factor: Any diet pill will not work if a proper diet and exercise regime is not advised and followed. Look out for weight loss forums, sites and companies who try to sell that miracle in a bottle diet pill.

This diet pill contains p57 which will help you lose weight by controlling your appetite. It merely helped me resist tempting foods because my appetite was under control. I wouldn’t have achieved my diet goals if I had continued to eat too much.

The cheap factor: Pure hoodia gordonii plants are sold for $250-$350 per kilo. When weight loss companies produce diet pills that are sold online for next to nothing, the capsules cannot possibly contain pure hoodia.

Hunger and the desire to eat is a great disadvantage if you are trying to lose weight! Cream cakes, sweets, biscuits and all other delicious wonderful foods seem to be everywhere when you are trying to forget about the pleasure of eating.

Wouldn’t it be great to take a pill or potion that stops that craving for food in it’s tracks and enable you to shed those pounds. There are many weight loss pills on the market that claim to help you lose weight but the one that’s being talked about most for it’s astounding effects is hoodia.

Hoodia is a succulent cactus type plant and can grow up to a meter in height. There are many different species but the one that has the appetite suppressant qualities is the gordonii species.

It was used hundreds of years ago in the Kalahari desert region of South Africa by tribesmen as a thirst quencher and natural appetite suppressant during long hunting trips. It keeps you feeling full after a meal for longer and also gives you a feeling of wellbeing.

The active ingredient in gordonii hoodia is a molecule called p57. It works by sending signals to the part of the brain that controls appetite and cravings that you are full. It does this by mimicking the effects of glucose which gives energy and a feeling of satisfied fullness, so even after a small meal you will feel full for much longer.

The desire to snack between meals which is often habit will disappear. You won’t need that mid morning bar of chocolate or afternoon cake any more while you take hoodia. However you may need to take it for a couple of days before you start to experience it’s benefits.

Some hoodia products are mixed with green tea. This is fine as not only is green tea a powerful antioxidant but it has the added effect of increasing initial weight loss due to the caffeine. Tea is a diuretic and causes you to lose water in the body by urinating more often. Water stored in the body adds extra weight.

The greater the ratio of green tea to hoodia the cheaper it is. The best mix of hoodia to green tea is 20:1

This can be purchased in tablet or liquid form, but you will find it more beneficial to take it in liquid form as not only is it easier to swallow but it’s also much more readily absorbed into the body and you will notice it’s effects almost straight away.

Only about 20% of ingredients are absorbed in tablet form, the remainder is wasted as it’s passed through the body.

Hoodia should be taken as part of a healthy diet which includes lots of fresh vegetables and fruit. Exercise should also be a major part of your weight loss regime. Don’t rely on hoodia as a quick fix for losing weight as it’s vital that you get plenty of essential vitamins and minerals from a healthy diet to remain fit and healthy.