Monday, February 16, 2009

What Is Hoodia And How Does It Work?

By Carol Johnson

There is a common misconception that Hoodia Gordonii is an herb, Hoodia Gordonii is actually a plant. It is part of the cactus family of succulents. Part of the perception that it is an herb is because the supplement is commonly sold in stores that sell herbal supplements.

There around 30 types of Hoodia plants in the world, these plants are very common in Mexico. The Hoodia that is native to South Africa is the only variety that contains the molecule P57, this is the active ingredient that controls appetite. There are some companies selling Hoodia products who use the plant from other parts of the world. These products are inferior in quality and will not give you the results you are looking for.

There are many manufacturers of Hoodia, and even those that use the peak 57 Hoodia gordonii may take shortcuts. Sometimes they makes the Hoodia with other products in an effort to keep costs down. Due to the rare nature of the Hoodia plant, is expensive. Which you need to do is make sure that you are buying 100% pure South African Hoodia.

Hoodia is all natural with no known side effects. To date, no study conducted has found the cactus to have any harmful side effects. We know from history that the bushmen have taken it for centuries. They also have not had any harmful side effects. This is a definite advantage that it has over other recent supplements. The fact that Hoodia has no known harmful side effects makes it appealing to dieters.

Hoodia Gordonii may take up to 14 days to work. While some users have reported immediate effects, others have reported the effects gradually becoming stronger. Some has taken as long as 2 weeks to feel the full effects.

Because the appetite suppressant and Hoodia has gotten so much attention, there are usually many questions. Here are some facts about Hoodia and may answer some of those questions.

Hoodia is a plant called a succulent. Resembling a cactus, it grows over a foot tall and features large blossoms that are unpleasant in odor. There are many different types of the succulent, however only hoodia gordonii has been proven to assist in weight loss.

The active ingredient p57 works by affecting your hypothalamus. What happens is your hypothalamus is tricked into thinking that you are not hungry. Some people take glucose to try to achieve the same effect, but Hoodia is significantly more effective.

It takes about 5 years before the plant's pale purple flowers appear and the cactus can be harvested. Although there are 20 types of hoodia, only the hoodia gordonii variety is believed to contain the natural appetite suppressant.

Even though Western culture has suddenly discovered the Hoodia plant, the San bushmen have been using it for centuries. These bushmen which to Hoodia to ward off hunger when they went on nomadic hunting trips. Another noted side benefit of Hoodia is that it helps with hemorrhoids, indigestion, diabetes, hypertension and abdominal cramps.

It was a Dutch anthropologist who noted that the bushmen were using the Hoodia to suppress their appetite. But it wasn't for 30 years until scientists started studying the Hoodia plant. And, it was much years later that the Hoodia plant became used or available widely for diet and appetite suppression. - 16004

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