Final Post on Hoodia Gordonii

It is necessary to do a little research, before you can be sure that the product you are buying is genuine hoodia gordonii. There are many varieties of the hoodia plant, but only genuine hoodia gordonii is believed to be a natural appetite suppressant. The Food and Drug Administration does not approve health supplements as they do prescription drugs, so there is no FDA approved hoodia. Consumers must protect themselves by looking for certain things, before they buy.

Many people have heard about genuine hoodia gordonii. News reporters have traveled to Africa to sample the plant. Phytopharm, a British pharmaceutical company is currently researching the effects of extracts from the genuine hoodia gordonii plant. If Phytopharm ends up releasing a prescription form of hoodia, it will have to be approved by the Food and Drug Administration before it can be sold in the United States. But, currently there is no FDA approved hoodia. While the FDA does regulate the manufacturing practices of health supplement companies to a certain extent. The FDA does not approve or disapprove dietary supplements. It is only in rare cases when the FDA will make a statement about a health supplement.

Many health supplement companies are marketing products which claim to contain genuine hoodia gordonii for use by dieters as natural appetite suppressants. While most of these companies are undoubtedly delivering reliable and high quality products, there have been reports which state that some of these products do not contain any genuine hoodia gordonii, at all. So, how can the consumer have any confidence in the products that he or she is buying? If there is no FDA approved hoodia, then what should the consumer look for?

The first thing to look for is a CITES document. Wild growth of genuine hoodia gordonii is protected from exportation by legislation in southern Africa, the only place that genuine hoodia grows. In order to legally export genuine hoodia gordonii, a manufacturer must have a CITES license. Legally exported hoodia is grown on farms. A reputable supplement company should be willing to make their licenses available for inspection by consumers. While this is not an FDA approved hoodia product, it has been approved for export by the South African government.

The second thing to look for is chemical analysis reports. Samples of genuine hoodia gordonii are compared by independent testing facilities with samples of the health supplement in question. By the time genuine hoodia becomes a health supplement, it looks like a fine brown or light green powder, baring no resemblance to the genuine hoodia plant. But labs can still test this powder using microscopic and other techniques to determine if the powder is genuine hoodia gordonii or not. While these tests are not required by the FDA, since there is no FDA approved hoodia products, responsible manufacturers do have these tests performed.

Phytopharm has invested millions of dollars researching genuine hoodia gordonii and it’s potential as an appetite suppressant. They are concerned that p57, the active molecule in genuine hoodia gordonii may not be present in large enough quantities to have an effect on a person’s appetite. Since there is no FDA approved hoodia currently on the market and even Phytopharm’s product may not be a prescription drug (the only hoodia that would be FDA approved) since they are now partnered with Unilever, makers of Slim Fast, food products and over-the counter medications. The chemical analysis reports of the better hoodia products do show the presence of the p57 molecule.

Dieters who have tried the appetite suppressants currently on the market report mixed reviews; as with most health supplements. Even genuine hoodia gordonii only works for some people. No one is claiming that healthy diet and a reasonable exercise program are not important for weight loss. While genuine hoodia gordonii products may help to curb a person’s appetite, it will not magically melt the fat off of a person’s body. Any company that makes such a claim should be reported to the Federal Trade Commission. The FTC investigates reports of deceptive claims made by health supplement and other companies. The FTC also offers guidelines for identifying weight loss scams. These can be viewed at the official FTC website.

So, while there is no FDA approved hoodia, customers can protect themselves by educating themselves. A reasonable money-back guarantee also inspires confidence and manufacturers of most genuine hoodia gordonii products will issue refunds on unopened bottles if the product fails to produce desired results.

For more information about genuine hoodia visit the Hoodia Info Blog.

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More About Hoodia Gordonii

If you ate too much over the Thanksgiving holiday, you may be thinking about dropping a few pounds. Could a cactus help you lose that weight?

WBAL-TV 11 News reporter Donna Hamilton reports on what some doctors are calling promising news for overweight Americans.

Hoodia gordonii grows in the Kalahari — 100,000 square miles of desert in South Africa. The San Bushmen who live there have eaten the hoodia cactus plant for centuries. They say it helps stave off hunger on long hunting trips.
 
But can hoodia help Americans who suffer from too much food too readily available and too little exercise of any kind?

Dr. Richard Goldfarb thinks it works. He is the medical director of research and development at Bucks County Clinical Research. He says hoodia isn’t a stimulant but it works on the brain.

Goldfarb: “It kind of fools the mind and body — feeling of a fullness.”

There are several companies that sell hoodia online. They claim hoodia simply decreases your appetite, and if you’re not hungry, you’ll eat less.

Goldfarb: “The appetite suppressant effect — after it accumulates in your system, after only a few days that we saw in our study has shown that people will cut their calories probably in less than half and their not desiring any additional food.”

Hamilton: “Goldfarb has done some research on hoodia — a small study admittedly — financed by a company that certifies hoodia from the Kalahari — giving it this Dex-l10 certification.”

In Goldfarb’s study of seven participants categorized as overweight, each participant was required to eat a balanced breakfast with a multivitamin in the morning. They took one capsule of pure hoodia with 8 ounces of water an hour before lunch, and repeated that an hour before dinner. They didn’t alter their dietary habits or activity levels.

Hamilton: “On average, they lost 10 pounds over the 28 day study. They reported no major side effects.”

Dr. Gary Kerkvliet, Sinai Hospital: “It does appear to have some promise.”

Dr. Gary Kerkvliet, an internist at Sinai Hospital, says it’s always exciting when something like hoodia comes along, but much more research needs to be done.

Kerkvliet: “But I think it’s very, very early to be touting it as the answer to weight control for obese America.”

We contacted the FDA about hoodia. A spokesperson for the FDA says three notifications have been submitted to them for use of the dietary ingredient hoodia. We quote, “The agency concluded that the information submitted did not appear to be adequate to establish that a dietary supplement containing the new dietary ingredient was reasonably expected to be safe.”

That probably won’t deter many Americans who desperately want to lose weight.

We asked Kerkvliet what he would tell a patient who wants to take it. He said he’d want to take a look at it.

Kerkvliet: “I wouldn’t necessarily discourage them from that at this point. I’d be interested to see how it works, but I would tell them it is not medically sanctioned for weight control and they do so at their own risk.”

We’re talking about pure hoodia in this story. There are a number of dietary supplements on the market containing various amounts of hoodia along with other ingredients. You should check with your doctor before taking any supplement.

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Hoodia – Does it Help Weight Loss?

Anna Nicole Smith lost weight using it. Newswoman Leslie Stahl dropped pounds, too. But does the weight loss supplement, “Hoodia” really work? “I’ve lost 12 pounds in four weeks,” said Rachael Hassan, used Hoodia.

Hoodia.

That’s what 28-year-old Rachael Hassan says she took to lose weight. She was anxious to shed a few pounds. Her doctor recommended the supplement. “I feel great, I was amazed because I didn’t change anything that I did.” Hoodia comes from a cactus plant found in South Africa.

Scientists discovered indigenous people who suck on the plant feel less hungry and less thirsty.

Dr. Richard Goldfarb was asked to do research on Hoodia DEXL-10. He claims he has no financial interest in the company and more than that, never expected it to work. “I was very skeptical. When I first got involved with it, I was in the total belief that it would not work and I was really amazed when we did that efficacy study to find out that it did work.” Dr. Goldfarb, researcher. The 10 people in his study used Hoodia as directed on the label, one capsule one hour before meals. They were told not to make any other life style changes. No extra exercising or dieting. The results? “After the 28 day study, they had lost an average of ten pounds and about 3.3 percent of their body weight they had lost and most of them said that during the period of about a week to ten days they noticed that instead of consuming what they would normally consume, their calories were about in half.” said Dr. Goldfarb, Researcher.

Peggy Biddle lost one hundred and sixty pounds after having Gastric Bypass Surgery. But she says her weight loss began to stop and she was snacking again. She says Hoodia kick started a new pound of weight loss. 28 pounds in 30 days. “It’s not that it makes you feel full, it’s just that you’re not hungry, it takes away that hunger a need to eat something,” said Biddle. “I’ve tried it myself and I’ve lost up to 18 pounds on it,” said Dr. Goldfarb.

It’s important to remember Hoodia supplements are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, so it’s hard to know if you are getting the real thing. Dr. Goldfarb says the product he tested “Hoodia Dexl-10″ has a permit from the Department of Agriculture in South Africa claiming it’s really Hoodia. The most common side effect was mild stomach upset and he says he even recommend it for children. You can find the brand the doctor tested at GNC stores and mand drugstores like Rite-Aid.

So is this a miracle drug?  Well — call me skeptical, because there is no easy way to lose weight.

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Healthy Eatings Tips for the Holidays

Hi All,

Found this on http://www.healthcastle.com/holiday-eating-tips.shtml

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Z-Trim for Weight Loss – More Information

Hi All,

More information about this product can be found at the Z-Trim website.

Here is a bottle label for Z-Trim > http://www.ztrim.com/images/DWEH_Bottle-Label.jpg and a bit more information from the Z-Trim website: