The plant known scientifically as, hoodia gordonii, has quickly established a reputation for being a miracle weight loss cure. With all "miracle cures," however, the truth is somewhat more nuanced. To answer the question, is hoodia effective, we need to first look at how hoodia works.

In theory, hoodia works by tricking the brain, specifically the hypothalamus, into thinking you have consumed large amounts of food. As a result, the brain tells you that you are full. The active ingredient in hoodia, P57, is responsible for this trick. When you eat, the food in your body is broken down into sugar. When the sensors in the hypothalamus recognize the sugar in your body, it shuts down your desire to eat. P57 is 10,000 more powerful than blood sugar (glucose). Without eating any food, P57 can trick your brain into thinking you have consumed large amounts of food when in fact you haven't eaten a thing!

So is hoodia effective and does it really work as described? Phytopharm, an UK based pharmaceutical company, put it to the test in the 1990's. It studied 18 morbidly obese volunteers; half were given genuine hoodia gordonii and the other half was given a placebo.

The volunteers in the study took the supplement or the placebo for a total of 15 days. Those who were given hoodia ate some 1,000 less calories each day than they had previously to the study. These volunteers made no other lifestyle changes, did not increase their exercise regimen, and were unaware of the effect hoodia was having on their appetite. They experienced a natural reduction in appetite with no effort on their part. The study results seemed to answer the question, is hoodia effective?

Not so fast. Experts point out that the study was too small and wasn't peer-reviewed to provide any conclusive answers. In addition to this limited and often criticized study, there have been very few studies to answer the question, is hoodia effective? Most of the evidence we have today about the effectiveness of hoodia is anecdotal.

When answering the question, is hoodia effective, we must also look at the supplements themselves. Only supplements that contain 100% pure genuine hoodia gordonii have the potential to suppress appetite. Many supplements which claim to have 100% pure genuine hoodia gordonii, contain little or no hoodia gordonii at all!

Hoodia supplements, like all supplements, are unregulated. Companies that sell hoodia supplements can virtually say anything they want about their products. It's up to you, the consumer, to do your due diligence before buying. In order for hoodia supplements to be effective, they must contain 100% pure hoodia gordonii. Check the ingredients label of any hoodia product you are considering before purchasing.

One way to determine if hoodia supplements contain 100% pure hoodia gordonii is to look for a CITES certificate on the the company's website. These certificates are granted by the South African government (where hoodia gordonii is imported from) and have only been given to a few companies. Reputable companies selling hoodia supplements will display their CITES certificate. Be aware of fakes! They can usually be easily spotted as the information on the certificate will be blurred or whited out. Real certificates will clearly display all the information for you to read.

So is hoodia effective? Possibly. There are only a few studies that say yes conclusively and if it does, only 100% pure hoodia gordonii will work. The best way to answer the question is to try it yourself and see what results you get.