During early 2001 Phytopharm, a company that purchased the patent rights for Hoodia, performed testing using placebos and real Hoodia in a controlled clinical study in overweight people. Healthy volunteers were divided into two groups, one group received the Hoodia Gordonii while and the other received a placebo or a control pill. Both groups were asked to continue their normal eating habits and routines. The end results were as follows:

The group that were taking Hoodia Gordonii lost significant weight with no side effects and it was found that they had eaten much less than in normal circumstances. Without being aware of it they reduced their intake of calories by a 1000 and more calories per day. The control group had consumed 1000 calories and more per day just as they would have done in normal circumstances.

This study proved that the molecule called "P57" by Phytopharm really did have appetite suppressing qualities that were incredibly effective. The molecule "P57" works on the hypothalamus of the brain which is the part of the brain that controls your feeling of hunger and thirst. By doing this it stops compulsive eaters and normal people that desire to lose weight from snacking at unhealthy times because they will have no desire to eat. "P57" is more powerful than glucose which is the property that works on your hypothalamus and will tell you that you are not hungry and thus still any need to eat at all.

Diabetics would need to be careful when using Hoodia as a weigh loss supplements because your body when hungry causes spikes in insulin levels which is known as hormonal hunger. These signals that your body needs sugar would be suppressed by pure Hoodia Gordonii.

You still need to eat though because your body does need food and water to function but while taking Hoodia as an appetite suppressant your body will consume fat because you need the fuel for your body's energy.

The reason that Hoodia Gordonii are so effective as weight loss supplements is that they are the best way to lose weight ever discovered on the market. If you consume fewer calories you will of course lose weight. This starts with cutting out unhealthy snacking. After a certain period of time you will also train yourself into new eating habits and because there is no Yo-Yo dieting this is obviously the best form of weight loss in the world. Because there are no side effects when using it for weight loss makes it even no desirable.