Due to all the attention that the media has given it, Hoodia Gordonii products have quickly risen to be one of the most popular products in the diet supplement market today.

There are, however, some things you should be mindful of when you are selecting which Hoodia product to buy. Although there are several varieties of Hoodia plants, the Hoodia Gordonii alone is known for the ability to suppress a person's appetite.

The effects of Hoodia have been known for centuries by the'Sans Bushmen', a primitive tribe. A study of the native plants that this tribe consumes was conducted by the C.S.I.R. (Council for Scientific and Industrial Research) during the mid-1990's.

The researchers were interested in finding out whether certain foods offered protection from toxic compounds. They discovered during animal testing that Hoodia Gordonii was non-toxic and had the added benefit of suppressing the appetite.

The ingredient responsible for appetite suppression was isolated and dubbed 'P57' or the 'Hoodia cactus extract'. The C.S.I.R. then sold the rights of 'P57' to Phytopharm, a British pharmaceutical company.

So, if they sold the rights of 'P57' to 'Phytopharm', how can there be so many Hoodia products on the market? Basically, this is due to the patent laws. The fact is that only 'Phytopharm' can extract the active molecule called 'P57' from Hoodia Gordonii and use it in their product line. However the whole natural plant, the Hoodia Gordonii plant, cannot be patented. This results in other companies producing supplements made from Hoodia Gordonii and selling them legally.

Anyone who is thinking of giving Hoodia a try should be sure that any product they purchase contains genuine South African Hoodia Gordonii.