Hoodia, a plant that tricks the brain by making the stomach feel full, has been in the diet of South Africa's Bushmen for thousands of years.

CBS News, 60 Minutes, talking about Hoodia

Hoodia. What is it?

Hoodia gordonii, "Whoo De AH", is the botanical name for a leafless, spiky succulent plant that grows throughout the semi-arid areas of Southern Africa primarily the Kalahari desert. The San (local inhabitants) have rationally used Hoodia stems to stave off hunger and thirst when on long journeys, as it acts as an appetite suppressant.

Hoodia Gordonii was discovered and used by the San tribe from the Kalahari, South Africa, since prehistoric times. They chewed the bitter Hoodia plant twice a day to suppress hunger and thirst during long hunting trips. This plant contains the miracle molecule p57 that was recently translated into a obesity cure.

Hoodia products testimonials

Hooray for Hoodia! I lost 5 lbs in eleven days. Three family members including myself have learnt a great deal about Hoodia. It appears that the San tribe did not reveal all, especially the benefits for men, if you know what I mean - S.A - (USA)

Hoodia gordonii today

In the wild Hoodia takes 5-6 years to mature but is now being cultivated in as little as 2 years commercially in sustainable quantities and has become widely known for its effects as an appetite suppressant.

The Hoodia Gordonii plant originated in the southwestern part of Africa and grows best in the semi-arid areas of South Africa primarily the Kalahari. In its native habitat it is extremely difficulty to identify because it looks similar to succulents of the same family of which there are many. Only an experienced botanist or as the case in South Africa with Hoodia Gordonii a San people can identify the plant prior to it's blooming.

Research realted to Hoodia

Scientists at the South African Center for Scientific and Industrial Research were the first to successfully prove that Hoodia contains a miracle molecule that suppresses the appetite. Later, a human clinical trial was conducted by scientists in Leicester England. A group of morbidly obese men and women participated. Half the group were given Hoodia and half were given a placebo. At the end of 15 days, the group on Hoodia had reduced their food intake by 1000 calories a day. Given the average daily diet is around 2200 calories, this was a stunning success.

Mass global interest has been shown for Hoodia since Pfizer, the international pharmaceutical giant, started to research Hoodia's potential to help people with obesity. Pfizer recently discovered Hoodia and decided to invest millions into researching the plants benefits as a new drug that would help with obesity. The research published by this company has catapulted Hoodia into the international spotlight.

There are many Hoodia plants

Certainly any hoodia company out there that's selling an honest product is conducting a variety of testing, trying to find out who has counterfeit products and who has real products and trying to inform and educate their own customers about the fact that they have the real thing. But, as always, test results offered by companies who have financial interest in proving their product to be genuine simply don't carry the same weight as independent test results from an unbiased third company.

Hoodia is also known by horticulture experts as being extremely difficult to cultivate in captivity. The plants rot easily, and they won't grow in regular soil -- they need sandy soil with excellent drainage. Also, to make things even more difficult, these plants aren't pollinated by bees, they're pollinated by flies. To attract the flies, their blooms emit a strong, repulsive odor that smells a lot like rotting flesh.

To make matters even more challenging, Hoodia grown in South Africa under the San tribe's influence is required to be grown under organic conditions. That means they can't use pesticides. Entire crops have been known to vanish virtually overnight thanks to the ravages of various insects.

All this means that if hoodia really catches on with the public -- the supply will be even tighter for many years. Prices are going to go up, and eventually, only the wealthy may be able to afford the pills necessary to lose weight.

Is Hoodia plant safe?

Hoodia was eaten as a fresh food by the San tribe for thousands of years with zero side effects.

The quickness and degree of results will vary depending on the frequency of use and other factors. However, you should start to see the beginning of the weight loss process within two weeks. Please note that the same as with any weight loss supplement, better results will be realized when taken in conjunction with a healthy diet and reasonable exercise.

ow long Hoodia take to work? With-in one hour after taking 2 capsules, Hoodia will suppress your appetite for around 4-8 hours.

How Hoodia help you

It basically tricks the brain into thinking that you're full. The chemical constituents in Hoodia work within the satiety center by releasing a chemical compound similar to glucose but much stronger. The hypothalamus in the brain receives this signal as an indication that enough food has been consumed and this in turn stunts the appetite.

Hoodia enhances your mood therefore you will not become irritable or weak while you are on the program. The San Tribe could go without food for 24 hours after eating Hoodia, and in the same process hunt for food in the harsh Kalahari desert. It is therefore also known to maintain a high energy level.

Hoodia helps to curb your appetite, some has reported, suppressing appetite within 20-30 minutes after taking Hoodia, results may vary. Some may need a little more time than this before they begin to notice the effects like: A reduced interest in food and A delay in time after eating before hunger sets in.

One of the active ingredients in the herb is a chemical compound called P57, which is thought to be at least partly responsible for the appetite-suppressing effects of hoodia gordonii. But this is probably an oversimplification, since herbs typically work with an assortment of chemical compounds, not just one chemical.

For most people, the real weight loss challenge has relatively to do with dieting, exercise, supplements, or how many calories you burn in the gym. The real challenge is controlling their hunger drive. People who are trying to lose weight seem to share the exact same problem. They have trouble getting their appetite under control. Hoodia gordonii, it seems, could make that much easier. Because overcoming your own hunger drive seems almost impossible unless you get some help.

When you eat hoodia, the saying goes, your hunger will simply be gone -- gone -- for around six hours. During those six hours, you won't crave anything. You really won't want to eat at all. The food still smells good, as usual, and they taste the same if you eat them, but you don't want to eat them! At least that's what the hoodia advocates claim will happen.

To understand how all this works, you have to understand what "hunger" really is in the first place. Hunger is just an illusion. It's a signal in your brain, a chemical message that causes you to feel certain feelings and, ultimately, act on them.

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