They're good questions. Hoodia is a fairly recent addition to the weight loss arena. It's been available commercially since about 1997, then it grew in popularity after it was shown on Oprah in 2004.

There have been no serious side-effects reported during all this time. The San Bushmen of the Kalahari Desert have been using the Hoodia Gordonii plant for centuries to help keep their hunger at bay while on long hunting and gathering trips in the Kalahari Desert. And they used to rely on Hoodia as a regular part of their diet in times of famine.

So it would seem that Hoodia is safe to take as an appetite suppressant... if we take it the same way the San bushmen have done for countless centuries.

They've used it the whole plant, either fresh or dried, but leaving out the flowers or roots. It's worked for them like that - it would make sense if we did the same. So you need to buy Pure Hoodia. Adding anything to the plant may change its natural balance, and so lessen its ability as a good appetite suppressant.

On the same note, just because the whole plant is considered safe, (with all its ingredients in place) doesn't mean a drug extracted from the Hoodia plant is necessarily safe. 'P57' is the active constituent in Hoodia; but to remove that one molecule and use it on its own is probably not a great idea.

Regarding whether Hoodia is safe to take - we found 3 areas we want to highlight. These should be seen as general precautions, not necessarily side-effects:

1. Occasionally, Hoodia may reduce the thirst signals in some people, as well as the hunger signals. Now, if Hoodia had 'switched off' the thirst signal, you wouldn't realise you were thirsty. So it would be wise to make sure you're drinking plenty of fluids thoughout the day.

Adults should drink 2 litres of water each day. When you're dieting, you need to drink more than that, to help detox your body. So it might be a good idea to pour yourself a 2 liter bottle of water each morning, and make sure you sip it throughout the day.

2. The second point is still undecided. Two experts - one a leading endocrinologist at Brown Medical School; another a weight loss specialist; have a difference of opinion on the way P57 is broken doen in the body. Dr MacLean (the endocrnologist) found that P57 was easily broken down by the liver. But Dr. Steelman (the weight loss expert) expressed concern that because P57 was processed by the liver, it could cause difficulties in obese people, because they often have liver abnormalities that could compound any possible side-effects.

Two seeming differences of opinion. MacLean saying P57 was 'easily' broken down by the liver; Dr. Steelman saying that many obese people suffer from liver problems. It therefore makes perfect sense, that if you are significantly overweight and/or have liver problems, to seek medical advice before taking Hoodia.

3. People with diabetes need to be more careful when using Hoodia. Remember that Hoodia works by triggering their brain into thinking their blood sugar levels are higher than they actually are. Since diabetics already need help regulating blood sugar levels, it could cause a problem if they don't eat when they're supposed to, and their blood sugar level drops too low.

To put these points into perspective:

Being overweight is directly linked with high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, and resistance to insulin (a precursor to Diabetes). This set of risk factors has been termed Metabolic Syndrome X. It is thought to affect over 70 million Americans and is now a common cause of premature death and/or disability.

In this light, Hoodia could be an important factor, along with exercise and lifestyle changes, to combat metabolic syndrome, and reduce the risk factors associated with any or all of the above conditions.

Overall, pregnant or nursing women; young children; and people with liver disease should avoid taking Hoodia for weight loss. Anyone taking Hoodia supplements needs to make sure they drink plenty of water during the day, and eat adequately for their needs.

To summarise: "Is Hoodia safe to take?" Yes, Hoodia certainly seems to be an effective appetite suppressant. There are countless testimonials to confirm that. The only caveat being to make sure the Hoodia you buy is pure Hoodia that hasn't been changed or modified in any way.