Side Effects of Hoodia

Hoodia is safe to use ...

Hoodia is a succulent which grows in the South African desert. Bushmen in the region have long used a subspecies of the plant called Hoodia Gordonii as an appetite suppressant during multi-day hunting trips. South African researchers determined that an active ingredient (labelled "p57") in Hoodia Gordonii signals the brain that a person is full even if they haven't eaten.

The researchers patented Hoodia p57 as a diet aid and sold it to a British pharmaceutical company which markets Hoodia as a natural appetite suppressant without any known side effects.

Unlike diet aids which cause palpitations and other side effects, pure Hoodia is completely safe to use. Researchers have conducted tests on laboratory animals, and a limited number of human volunteers and concluded that Hoodia does not have any unwanted side effects. To date, physicians have not observed side effects among monitored consumers who use pure Hoodia, or harmful interactions between Hoodia and other prescription medication.

There are some precautions that must be taken when using Hoodia. It is so effective that the user is cautioned to continue to consume a sufficient amount of calories each day. One must also drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration since Hoodia suppresses thirst as well as appetite. Since the effects of Hoodia on diabetics, pregnant or nursing women is unknown, it is not recommended that these individuals use Hoodia.

Unfortunately, due to the cost and limited availability of Hoodia, the majority of "Hoodia" diet pills on the market only contain trace amounts of the plant. Instead, they are filled with other appetite suppressants like green tea, cornstarch or miscellaneous fillers. One confiscated batch of imitation Hoodia contained sawdust! Hoodia combinations may cause side effects including nervousness, sleeplessness or allergic reactions.

In order to avoid potential health problems, consumers should investigate the Hoodia product before purchasing it. There are chemical analyses reports published on the web that indicate the percentage of actual Hoodia in the supplement. Legitimate companies also have CITES documents permitting them to export the plant.

Provided one uses a product containing genuine Hoodia Gordonii, it is a safe and effective weight loss product.