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Saturday, 14 July 2007 |
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Hoodia gordonii is an herbal supplement recently being marketed for weight loss. The hoodia gordonii herbal supplement utilizes the active ingredient being called p57, which acts as a natural appetite suppressant. The plant has also been known to suppress thirst in extreme temperatures. Although hoodia gordonii has only recently been marketed as a weight loss herbal supplement, the properties of hoodia gordonii to suppress weight loss and thirst have been known and used for thousands of years.
The Kalahari originally ate the cactus like plant to suppress hunger and thirst during long journeys across the desert. These properties were further discovered by a European anthropologist in the late 1930’s. Further interest in hoodia gordonii as a weight loss herbal supplement came with the banning of the herbal supplement ephedrine. A rush for the next miracle weight loss pill was on, and previous studies about hoodia gordonii resurfaced. However, hoodia gordonii is still difficult to obtain due to the fact that it is very rare and hard to grow.Hoodia gordonii only thrives in extreme heat and humidity. The semi-desert is the only place that this type of climate can be found. Therefore, not many growers of hoodia gordonii exist, and without the growth of the plant the weight loss supplements cannot be created. It is important to note that hoodia gordonii has not yet been approved by the Food and Drug Administration. In fact, it has yet to be fully considered for approval. Not enough is yet known about how hoodia gordonii actually works, or what long term side effects may exist. There is also a question of whether or not a given company or brand actually holds pure hoodia gordonii as indicated in their advertising. Since the herb is so rare, it is highly unlikely that every manufacturer of hoodia gordonii weight loss supplements actually use the amounts of the herb that they claim. In fact, it is estimated that as much as eighty percent of the weight loss supplements claiming to have hoodia gordonii have none at all. In the end, hoodia gordonii is a proven and natural appetite suppressant. However, more needs to be known about this cactus like plant. Further studies and improvements in processing for commercial use will be required before this weight loss supplement really hits the stands. |
