There are many different kinds of Hoodia, but only Hoodia gordonii has been shown to have appetite suppressant qualities. For this reason it is vital to check that any product claiming to be Hoodia actually contains pure Hoodia and in particular Hoodia Gordonii rather than any other type.
Hoodia gordonii came to attention in 1996, when the diet of the San tribe was studied by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, or CSIR. While the CSIR were studying the different plants eaten by the San tribe, they stumbled across the hunger suppressing qualities of Hoodia gordonii.
Put simply, when Hoodia gordonii was added to the diet of animals, the animals lost weight. Testing continued and in 1997 CSIR was able to figure out precisely what it was that caused Hoodia gordonii to suppress the appetite. They obtained a patent for this molecule and licensed it to Phytopharm, who designated the molecule
P57.
The bushmen were not happy about the millions being made by Phytopharm, because they were not receiving a cent of compensation. After a lawsuit filed by Roger Chennells, the San people's representation, CSIR and
Phytopharm were required to compensate the bushmen for the Hoodia gordonii that never would have been discovered had it not been for them.
When purchasing any Hoodia diet supplement, be sure that the Hoodia is grown in Africa and that a portion of the proceeds goes to the San tribe. Hoodia grown anywhere else is not authentic Hoodia!
Although you can purchase supplements containing Hoodia gordonii, it is not available in its natural form just yet. By 2008, Phytopharm hopes to release a series of food products such as energy bars that contain pure
Hoodia gordonii in it's most basic form.
BBC News correspondent Tom Mangold ate raw Hoodia in the wilds of Africa in 2003. He reported that after experiencing an immediate sense of well-being,
he lost all desire to eat for an extended period of time. Such is the power of this new natural supplement.
There are lots of products on the market that contain Hoodia gordonii. Simply adding Hoodia to a sensible diet and exercise plan can greatly increase your chances of shedding unhealthy extra pounds.
