There are a lot of diet pills on the market today, some work and some don’t. Some weight loss supplements indicate they contain hoodia. But what is this hoodia?

Hoodia gordonii is a cactus-like plant that is native to the Kalahari Desert in South Africa that was traditionally consumed to suppress appetite. The active ingredient in hoodia is the appetite suppressing molecule, P57, which acts on the brain in a manner similar to glucose, tricking the brain into thinking you are full even when you have not eaten and reducing interest in food.

Marketers claim hoodia will lead to rapid weight loss but health experts point out no conclusive research has proven that hoodia effectively suppresses hunger. In a small study sponsored by a supplement company, researchers found that hoodia may influence the part of the brain that controls hunger, although, more research is needed to verify these findings.

Hoodia marketers also claim that hoodia has no side effects because the Bushmen of South Africa have been using it for thousands of years without any apparent side effects. However, hoodia has not been around long enough in North America and has not been subjected to safety testing to determine if there are any side effects or drug interactions.

There have been some indications, though, that hoodia may have unwanted effects on the liver caused by components other than P57 that could not be easily removed during processsing. If this is true, then hoodia may interact with medications being taken for blood pressure, diabetes, cholesterol, depression or other such diseases.

You should always talk to your healthcare professional before taking a natural supplement, including hoodia, especially if you have any of the following health conditions:
• If you have diabetes or if you are taking a medicine to control your blood sugar levels.
• If you have any heart problems or take any heart medicines.
• If you have a bleeding or blood clotting disorder or take a medicine to increase or decrease the clotting of your blood, like aspirin or heparin.