Hoodia Goordonii Review
Review At A Glance
Hoodia Gordonii is the botanical name for an African succulent plant in the milkweed (Asclepiadaceae) family. Hoodoba is the name of the company marketing what they describe as this "stoneage wonder plant" as a weight loss supplement, claiming that it suppresses appetite, and increases energy.
How Does It Work?
A combination of molecules labelled P57 is the active ingredient in the plant.
Who Is It Good For?
The FDA, while stating the supplement is "reasonably safe" for adults to use as a weight loss aid, states that children under 18 and pregnant or lactating women should NOT use the product.
Keys: The 30 Minute Workout
As an example of a company selling hoodia gordonii-based products: Hoodoba Pure contains Hoodia gordonii (400 mg or 750 mg capsules are available) and Hoodoba Hi-Potency Elixir contains 500 mg of Hoodia gordonii, with no other ingredients. Hoodoba Plus contains these active ingredients, plus cellulose and silica:
- Magnesium (as magnesium aspartate) - 100mg
- Manganese (as manganese sulfate) - 2mg
- Hoodoba Fortified Proprietary Blend: 990 mg: Certified Pure South African
- Hoodia gordonii (aerial stems), Spirulina, Biogenic amines, Galangal rhizome extract, Cinnamon twig extract, Phytase, Enzyme Blend: Aspergillus oryzae, Amylase, Cellulase, Lactase, Lipase, Protease, Bioperine® (black pepper extract).
Pros
- The FDA states that hoodia gordonii has a "reasonable expectation of safety."
- Some trials of the active ingredient in the plant had promising results: a study of obese people in the U.K. See: http://www.phytopharm.co.uk/hoodia_faq.html
Cons
- The FAQ on the Hoodoba site states that it can take as long as fifteen days for the supplement to "kick in" and begin suppressing your appetite; some people may not find much of a change in appetite.
- Some Web sites warn that many supplements being sold with hoodia gordonii may be frudulent and contain little if any of the plant; it pays to do some research to make sure a company is honest.
- Appetite suppression alone is no guarantee of sustained weight loss; only substantial lifestyle changes make a difference long-term.
- The products on the market now are expensive: e.g. a 20-30 day supply of Hoodoba's elixir is $54.00.
Further Thoughts
Important to point out: a company called Unilever obtained the global rights to the active ingredient in hoodia gordonii, P57, from Phytopharm in December 2004, and the company expects to have its first products available before 2007.
