Hoodia is a new and powerful nutritional supplement for suppressing the appetite. This substance works simply by stopping the cravings for food.
This impressive plant contains a special substance which acts on the brain by sending a signal to tell the body that it is satisfied and does not need more food.
Suggested usage for Hoodia is somewhat dependent upon body mass. A recommended dosage of 50-200 mg of 20:1 extract 1 hour before meal time is a good general guideline.
There are no side effects from the usage of Hoodia, other than lack of hunger and weight loss.
How does it work?
The Hoodia Gordonii cactus has been used for centuries by the Xhomani Sans bushmen of southern Africa's Kalahari desert, to suppress the appetite during long hunting trips.
It works by making patients feel full after ingesting it, and it has been shown to lower food intake by up to 50% in small studies by pharmaceutical companies wishing to create a synthetic derivative.
Although Western scientists became aware of the plant's potential 100 years ago, it was only recently that its active ingredient was patented by the South African Council for Scientific and Industrial Research.
Subsequently, a British biotechnology company, Phytopharm, and the pharmaceuticals giant Pfizer acquired the rights to its development and commercialization as an anti-obesity drug for use in the West. Now the San people, in the first deal of its kind, will be rewarded for the development of a drug which makes use of their traditional knowledge.
Under the terms of the agreement, the San people will receive regular fees as the drug - developed from a plant used to suppress the appetite - passes various stages on the way to market.
In an interview with ABCNEWS, a spokesman for the San people who live in the Kalahari Desert, Andries Steenkamp says, "I learned how to eat it from my forefathers," as he prepared a piece of the cactus-like plant called hoodia by trimming off the prickly spikes. "It is my food, my water, and also a medicine for me."
"Hoodia stops hunger and also treats sickness," Steenkamp told ABCNEWS. "We San, use the plant during hunting to fight off the pain of hunger and thirst."
The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that obesity is rapidly reaching global proportions. According to the WHO, more than 1 billion people are overweight with 300 million of those clinically or morbidly obese (double their normal weight). The medical community reports excessive weight gain is directly related to severe medical problems including heart disease, diabetes, cancer and the onset of strokes.
There are no known side effects with Hoodia Gordonii although it is said to possess a mild aphrodisiac effect. It contains no Ephedra or Caffeine or any other stimulants.
