Hoodia Gordonii: The Anti-Fat Plant? Hoodia side effects and benefits

The hoodia plant is a spiny succulent (similar looking to a cactus) that grows in the Kalahari desert in Africa, mostly in the arid areas of South Africa, Botswana, and Namibia. San Bushmen (who are one of the world's oldest hunter-gatherer tribes), have known about the hoodia plant for countless generations. Rock paintings of the San Bushmen go back more than 20,000 years. The nomadic Bushmen, who live in this harsh and arid desert, use the hoodia gordonii plant as an appetite suppressant during their long marches and hunting trips through the vast desert. I am not aware of any human studies published with hoodia gordonii supplements for weight loss. Below I mention one rodent study that I came across that showed hoodia did reduce appetite.
   For a highly effective product with hoodia gordonii extract that helps you eat less, see Diet-Rx natural appetite suppressant. I have tested Diet Rx with patients and the results have been remarkable.

Dr. Sahelian's comments on Hoodia gordonii plant as a diet pill
Hoodia supplements appear to be effective for appetite control in many, but not all, users. Since there are hundreds or thousands of hoodia products on the market, in a variety of extract potencies and quality of raw materials, it is difficult to give an evaluation that would apply to all products. We've had feedback from hoodia gordonii supplement users regarding appetite control, and the results are mixed. Overall, though, it seems about 50 to 60% of the feedback has been positive. Close to 100 percent of Diet Rx users notice appetite suppression.

Hoodia Extract 400 mg,
Hoodia Gordonii extract 20:1
Note: This hoodia product is a 20:1 extract which means it is 20 times as concentrated as regular hoodia plant. Four hundred mgs of hoodia extract equals about 8,000 mg or 8 grams of the actual plant.

Hoodia gordonii is a succulent found in the Kalahari Desert of South Africa. The San Tribesmen of the Kalahari have been using hoodia as a food source for thousands of years.

FREE DIET RX BOTTLE
Click here to buy Hoodia Extract supplement, FREE BOTTLE Diet Rx with hoodia extract for appetite suppression, hundreds of supplements on sale, or to sigh up to a FREE supplement research newsletter
Subscribe to a free Supplement Research Update newsletter. Once or twice a month you will receive an email with a discussion of several studies on supplements and natural medicine topics, including a review of hoodia gordonii studies, and their practical interpretation by Ray Sahelian, M.D.

Hoodia Gordonii Supplement Facts
Hoodia gordonii Stem Extract (20:1) - 400 mg *

Suggested Use: 1 or 2 hoodia capsules in the morning before breakfast on an empty stomach.
* Hoodia daily value not established.

Diet Rx has Hoodia extract, Green tea extract, and 2 dozen herbs and nutrients
All Natural Appetite Suppressant
Decreases appetite so you eat less
Helps you maintain healthy blood sugar levels
Helps you maintain healthy cholesterol and lipid levels
Provides a variety of antioxidant from two dozen herbs and nutrients
Provides healthy fiber
Improves energy
Balances mood
Improves mental concentration and focus
Improves will power and choice of food selection

Hoodia powder versus hoodia extract
Which form of hoodia gordonii is better? We really don't know the answer to whether hoodia powder or hoodia extract is better since no studies have been done comparing the two.

High Quality products formulated by a medical doctor
Mind Power Rx for better mental focus, concentration, and mood; Diet Rx which helps you eat less. It really works to curb appetite; Good Night Rx for better sleep; Eyesight Rx with lots of antioxidants for better vision; MultiVit Rx a daily comprehensive multivitamin for more energy and vitality; Joint Power Rx for healthy joints; Prostate Power Rx for a healthy prostate gland; Passion Rx for sexual enhancement in men and women; and Veg Rx with Coq10 and carnitine supplies the missing nutrients in a vegetarian diet.
 

Appetite control and hoodia research
It was in the 1960s that scientists first discovered that when rodents were given hoodia gordonii, they practically stopped eating. According to news reports, researchers in South Africa discovered hoodia gordonii contains a previously unknown compound, not known to be present in other plants, which has since been named P 57. Apparently the license was sold to a British pharmaceutical company, Phytopharm, who in turn sold the development and marketing rights to Pfizer Corporation. Studies with hoodia gordonii are being conducted at this time. A preliminary report in the news media which I can't find in medical journals indicates that hoodia gordonii is able to suppress appetite in humans. Here is a study with hoodia gordonii done with rats.

An appetite suppressant from Hoodia species.
Phytochemistry. 2007 Jun 29; van Heerden FR, Marthinus Horak R, Maharaj VJ, Vleggaar R, Senabe JV, Gunning PJ.
School of Chemistry, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X01, Scottsville 3209, South Africa.
Two pregnane glycosides were isolated by fractionation of the dried stems of Hoodia gordonii. Compound 1 was tested for its appetite suppressant properties in rats by oral gavage at 6.25-50mg/kg and the results showed that all doses resulted in a decrease of food consumption over an eight day period and a body mass decrease when compared to the control sample receiving only the vehicle.

Growing hoodia gordonii
The hoodia gordonii plant is difficult to grow and requires just the right amount of water, sunlight and temperature. It takes five years for the hoodia succulent to grow to full maturity.

The Sad San Story -- A short history of the San Bushmen
Relatively small in stature, the San Bushmen first made contact with Western explorers in the 1920s. They were treated unkindly (some of the explorers even hunted them like animals) and by the 1930s the Bushmen population was so decimated that a wide section of the Kalahari desert was officially turned into a game preserve and the San were allowed to live off the land. Unfortunately as a result of the Apartheid laws in South Africa in the 1950s, the San were forced to settle in a makeshift township on the edge of the Kalahari desert. They were forbidden to hunt and ended up living in poverty and squalor... to this day.
     In July 2004, it was reported in the news that more than 200 bushmen from the Kalahari desert took the Botswana government to court over their forced eviction from ancestral lands. They are challenging a 2002 decision to resettle them outside the Central Kalahari Game Reserve, which was their home for tens of thousands of years.

Is hoodia a diet pill?
I'm still trying to evaluate the feedback from users of hoodia gordoni. Thus far I tend to lean towards the probablility that hoodia gordonii is in fact helpful to curb appetite, but I still need many more case reports from hoodia users before coming to a firmer opinion. In the meantime, I am convinced that Diet Rx with hoodia extract is a potent appetite suppressant.

Hoodia wide effects
Thus far there have not been any reports in the medical literature regarding hoodia side effects. I have talked to a number of people who have taken this plant, and none reported any significant hoodia side effects. However, the longest any of them had taken hoodia gordonii was 3 weeks. Therefore, I don't know if hoodia has side effects if taken for prolonged periods. The San Bushmen consume hoodia gordonii on a regular basis and it appears that they are healthy although I don't know how often they eat the hoodia fruit. Plus, most hoodia gordonii users in this country are taking the hoodia extract and not the whole hoodia cactus fruit. As more people take this popular supplement, it is likely that hoodia side effects could surface.

Chemical composition of hoodia gordonii
Hoodia has many components, including C21-steroidal derivatives, namely gordonosides, along with goodigosides, and oxypregnane glycosides. P57AS3 (P57), an oxypregnane steroidal glycoside, is believed to be the active constituent from this plant in terms of appetite suppression. P57 increases the content of ATP by 50-150% in hypothalamic neurons which may be one of the mechanisms by which hoodia works as an appetite suppression.

Hoodia Gordonii Research Update
Determination of the appetite suppressant P57 in Hoodia gordonii plant extracts and dietary supplements by liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (LC-MSD-TOF) and LC-UV methods.
J AOAC Int. 2006 May-Jun;89(3):606-11. Avula B, Wang YH, Pawar RS, Shukla YJ, Schaneberg B, Khan IA.
National Center for Natural Products Research, Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Mississippi, MS 38677, USA.
Hoodia gordonii is traditionally used in South Africa for its appetite suppressant properties. P57AS3 (P57), an oxypregnane steroidal glycoside, is the only reported active constituent from this plant as an appetite suppressant. Effective quality control of these extracts or products requires rapid methods to determine P57 content. New methods of liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS) and LC-UV for analysis of P57 from Hoodia gordonii have been developed. The quantitative determination of P57 was achieved with a Phenomenex Gemini (Torrance, CA) reversed-phase column using gradient mobile phase of water and acetonitrile, both containing 0.1% acetic acid. The method was validated for linearity, repeatability, and limits of detection and quantification. Good results were obtained in terms of repeatability (relative standard deviation <5.0%) and recovery (98-103%). The developed methods were applied to the determination of P57 for Hoodia gordonii plant samples, one related genus (Opuntia ficus-indica), and dietary supplements that claim to contain Hoodia gordonii.

A United Nations conference approved a proposal by African countries to control trade in hoodia sought hungrily by drug companies for its appetite-suppressing properties. The hoodia cactus in question has been used for thousands of years by southern Africa's San Bushmen to dampen their appetites during long treks through the harsh Kalahari desert and holds the key to potentially lucrative anti-obesity drugs. The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species listed the hoodia plant in its Appendix II -- which will regulate global trade in the species -- at the behest of South Africa, Namibia and Botswana. South Africa's Council for Scientific and Industrial Research has patented the chemical entity extracted from hoodia and licensed British drugs-from-plants firm Phytopharm Plc to develop the plant's commercial potential. Phytopharm said in July it welcomed moves to protect hoodia from illegal cultivation.

Increased ATP content/production in the hypothalamus may be a signal for energy-sensing of satiety: studies of the anorectic mechanism of a plant steroidal glycoside.
Brain Res. 2004 Sep 10;1020(1-2):1-11.
A steroidal glycoside with anorectic activity in animals, termed P57AS3 (P57), was isolated from Hoodia gordonii and found to have homologies to the steroidal core of cardiac glycosides. Intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) injections of the purified P57AS3 hoodia gordoni extract demonstrated that the compound has a likely central (CNS) mechanism of action. There is no evidence of P57AS3 binding to or altering activity of known receptors or proteins, including Na/K-ATPase, the putative target of cardiac glycosides. The studies demonstrated that the compound increases the content of ATP by 50-150% in hypothalamic neurons. In addition, third ventricle (i.c.v.) administration of P57, which reduces subsequent 24-h food intake by 40-60%, also increases ATP content in hypothalamic slice punches removed at 24 h following the i.c.v. injections. In related studies, in pair fed rats fed a low calorie diet for 4 days, the content of ATP in the hypothalami of control i.c.v. injected animals fell by 30-50%, which was blocked by i.c.v. injections of P57AS3 hoodia extract. With growing evidence of metabolic or nutrient-sensing by the hypothalamus, ATP may be a common currency of energy sensing, which in turn may trigger the appropriate neural, endocrine and appetitive responses as similar to other fundamental hypothalamic homeostatic centers for temperature and osmolarity.

Hoodia Gordonii emails
Q. I'm currently taking hoodia supplement. Background: I'm 52, 5' 2", with apparently no metabolism but a normal appetite and work in a stressful place where there's food all around me. You can guess what that did. It's too early to record anything significant as to weight loss, but I'll be astonished if it doesn't happen as hoodia is willpower in a bottle! I now eat only when my stomach is growling, only a tiny amount is enough, and have been able to postpone meals and stop snacking completely. Hoodia is much better than the over-the-counter appetite suppressant that they banned a few years back. I start in the morning with 2 hoodia capsules, and may have another in the afternoon if I feel a snack appetite coming on. If night eating starts happening, I'll take another one then, but it hasn't been a problem. I tried Atkins - it works, but more slowly than when I was young and seems to plateau quickly. Hoodia plant seems to work even on emotional-based eating patters: my job is just as stressful, I haven't won the lottery, yet I'm no longer self-medicating with food. I may try combining Atkins with Hoodia to reduce calorie intake (calories do count in Atkins, just according to a different formula). Hoodia might be a partial answer to an important problem in our society.
     A week later update: I've had to cut back my morning hoodia dose from two to one pill after about a week - I've read elsewhere about hoodia effects building up. I've started to lose a little, too - I get little 'pits' in the fat when it's starting to shrink. Nothing obvious yet. Hoodia is still willpower in a bottle. I notice a slight bitter taste and mild sensation in my mouth and lips when its effect is at its height, and taking too much hoodia made me almost a little giddy.

Q. I'm a 360 lbs white male, age 40. I took pure hoodia diet pills, 2 a day, for a week and did not notice any effect on appetite or weight loss. I'm not convinced hoodia is a diet pill.

Q. On 60 Minutes it was reported that some hoodia products being sold on web sites did not actually contain hoodia gordonii. How can I be certain that what web sites are selling is the real hoodia product?
   A. Most of the products sold as hoodia are actually pure hoodia but, there are unscrupulous marketers who may not be selling real hoodia. The only way to know for certain is to send the actual product to a lab for HPLC testing.. The question still not answered is whether the amount of the hoodia cactus present in the capsules or the hoodia extract that is present in them is enough to cause appetite suppression, or how many hoodia capsules are required to do so. I review the test results of the raw materials in the hoodia supplement product or the Diet Rx with hoodia extract to make sure they are accurate.

Q. Do the hoodia gordonii pills sold to the consumer work?
   A. I personally have not tested many hoodia products, but I know of more than a dozen people who have tried it. The majority claim hoodia reduced their appetite without side effects, although none had taken hoodia longer than 4 weeks. The others did not think the hoodia supplement worked for them. Even if hoodia stops appetite, there have not been any long term human trials to see if hoodia supplements lead to long term weight loss.

Q. Is hoodia a diet pill ?
   A. With time it is becoming more convincing that hoodia is an effective diet pill for most people, at least in the short term. Whether taking a hoodia supplements leads to long term weight loss is still not clear to me.

Q. How do I know if I buy a hoodia diet pill product that it is pure hoodia?
   A. Unfortunately, I would not be surprised if some companies are selling hoodia products that are not true to their label. Buy hoodia from a company you are familiar with. The only way to know for certain is to have an independent lab test analyze the hoodia supplement.

Q. I heard on 60 minutes that hoodia has H57, a compound mostly responsible for the appetite suppression. Does a hoodia supplement sold in stores have this H57 compound?
   A. I don't know for sure but I would suspect that a hoodia product would have H57 but I have not seen any test results to know for certain. Practically speaking, most people are noticing appetite suppression from the use of hoodia supplements.

Q. I've seen hoodia spelled as gordoni and gordonii. Which is the right spelling?
   A. The right spelling is hoodia gordonii.

Q. I was interested in beginning to take hoodia appetite suppressant. However, I am currently taking 10 mg of Enalapril for treatment of high blood pressure. Will hoodia and these pills interact? 
   A. No human trials are available regarding hoodia supplement use along with medications, therefore it is very difficult to say what kind of interaction, if any, would occur when taking hoodia and a blood pressure medication such as an ACE inhibitor.

Q. Could a hoodia side effect be an allergic reaction?
   A. All plants and substances have the potential to lead to an untoward reaction, but we have not yet come across allergy as a hoodia side effect.

Q. I saw a documentary on BBC news that hoodia had no side effects. Is this true?
   A. In my opinion, all herbs have the potential for side effects. Hoodia gordonii is still a new supplement on the market, and when tens of thousands of people start taking it, there is bound to be some hoodia side effects reported.

Q. Does Hoodia 920 actually work? I have PCOS and am now insulin immune. I am very healthy but my weight really fluctuates and metformin does not help. I have also been diagnosed with Celiacs disease. Bad as it sounds I am a clinical reflexologist and am quite healthy. Hence none of these issues were diagnosed until very recently. All this asides, I would really appreciate any advice you have to give on Hoodia 920. I can hear my size 12 jeans screaming to come out of the wardrobe and I would just love to oblige.
   A. We have not tested Hoodia 920 and hence don't know if it leads to weight loss. At this time the only info on hoodia is updated on this web page.

Q.  You mention on your web site that hoodia is a cactus, but more accurately hoodia is a succulent, not a cactus. From one physician to another I just wanted to make you sound more credible by not calling Hoodia gordonii a cactus.
   A. Thank you, we made the corrections.

Q. Is it okay to simultaneously take Passion Rx and the appetite suppressant hoodia gordonii diet pill. I am considering an order of Passion Rx but do not want to lose the benefits of hoodia gordonii natural appetite suppressant.
   A. We suggest taking hoodia or Passion Rx, but not both the same day. Passion Rx needs only to be taken 2 or 3 days a week and the rest of the time hoodia can be used.

Q. I would like to try a hoodia diet pill but there are literally dozens of products marketed on the internet. How do I know that there is actual hoodia gordonii in these pills?
   A. Unless you send the product to an independent lab, you can not be 100 percent certain that the product you buy will have hoodia gordonii or the right amount as stated on the label. However, most of the large companies selling hoodia weight loss pills are reliable.

Q. Regards to your hoodia article: The bushmen are not primitive hunter gathers but gather-hunters group that is highly developed people that thrives in an harsh (to us) environment. It is eco-centric to call them primitive.
   A. Thanks, we have removed the word primitive from this page.

This appetite hoodia suppressant page was last updated January 2008. We will keep you abreast of any hoodia side effects if they are reported to us.