Not many.

So what is it about Hoodia specifically, that is causing all this fuss?

Besides its appetite suppressing qualities, it is the fact that there have been no known side effects in any human trials yet. This does not mean there will never be side effects, as Hoodia is only new on to the scene, but there is more reason to hope that Hoodia will be safe that there is for any other type of weight loss pill in the same stage of development. The reason for this lies in where Hoodia was first discovered as a potential weapon in the fight against fat.

The species of Hoodia that is causing all the rage is the Hoodia Gordonii Species that is a native of the Kalahari Desert in South Africa. On the internet, you will find versions of Hoodia from China and Mexico, but its only the South African version that has shown these appetite suppressing properties. It was thought about for controlling hunger because the native people of the Kalahari ' the San Bushmen ' have been using Hoodia for centuries to do just that. They would take Hoodia before their long hunting trips so that they don't get hungry. Remarkably, the San continue to consume Hoodia, even after all these years, because of its effectiveness. This does not provide conclusive proof that it is totally safe, but it does provide greater hope.

What is known for sure is that there have been positive results from testing pure Hoodia Gordonii from South Africa to control hunger, even in the United States. That is why there has been so much publicity for it, and why its in such high demand.

Hoodia actually works by stimulating the part of your brain that controls your hunger. This part is called the Hypothalamus. When the Hypothalamus is stimulated, it signals to the rest of your body that you are full, and so you have no desire to eat. Results have shown that people who take Hoodia don't feel hungry for up to a full day from when they take the Hoodia.

Overall, the selling of Hoodia in America has been beneficial - it has given so many people hope they can finally take control of their body. There are some definite drawbacks though.

You should be made aware that the Hoodia Industry is just like other over the counter medication industries - it is very loosely regulated. Combine this with the massive demand and, before you know it, there are seemingly hundreds of suppliers of Hoodia. The unfortunate thing about this is that only a small handful of these suppliers actually sell the version of Hoodia that works. The rest are trying to make a quick dollar by cashing in on the craze.

So before you decide to buy Hoodia, especially from the internet, it is very important that you do your research. You have to be a detective and dig as much as you can, being very careful about the which sources you get your information from. You need to be very picky, remember for every genuine supplier there are dozens and dozens of opportunists wanting to get at your hip pocket.