Weight Loss, Diet and Slimming blog

Thursday, November 22. 2007

Does Hoodia Work? 3 Ways Hoodia Helps You Lose Weight

You've seen the name everywhere. Hoodia Gordonii has taken the weight loss world by storm. Being touted as the next miracle weight loss pill, Hoodia is now being put into everything from multivitamins to Trimspa.

But does Hoodia work?

Considering the debacle that was Ephedra, consumers are right to be cautious about this new weight loss pill. Does Hoodia actually work to help you lose weight? Does it really do what the pill manufacturers say?

Well, Hoodia has been shown to have some specific effects in the area of weight loss. But there are certain things you should know before running out to buy the latest Hoodia pill from your drug store.

Here are 3 ways Hoodia helps you lose weight and 3 other things you should know to make Hoodia work best for you.

#1) Hoodia Makes You Physically Less Hungry

Pure Hoodia contains a molecule scientists called "P57" which, they believe, is responsible for making you feel full.

Normally, when you eat food, this food turns to glucose. When the glucose in your body rises it eventually signals to your brain (the hypothalamus) that you are full.

It is believed that "P57" molecule in Hoodia mimics the effect that glucose has on your brain, telling part of your brain (the Hypothalamus) that you feel full. Consequently, you are physically less hungry.

One of the first studies of Hoodia Gordonii was done in the UK on obese patients. Half of the volunteers were given Hoodia Gordonii, the other half were given a placebo.

The subjects were allowed to do nothing but read, watch television and eat. After 15 days it was found that those taking Hoodia had reduced their calorie intake by 1000 calories a day. Despite having unlimited access to food, the Hoodia subjects lost weight without feeling hungry.

#2) Hoodia Turns Off The Desire To Overeat

Some people have reported that not only does Hoodia make them feel full, but it also shuts off their desire to eat.

As many of us know, we can feel physically satisfied but still eat for a variety of reasons like emotions, timing and social influence. In fact emotional eating is actually responsible for more overeating than physical hunger.

Hoodia can help some people lose weight by quenching this desire to eat and breaking the emotional attachment to food.

By quenching this emotional attachment to food, Hoodia can help the individual to develop new emotional coping skills that don't include using food for comfort.

Note: Hoodia may not have this effect on everyone, however many people have reported having less of a desire to eat after taking Hoodia.

#3) By Turning Off Your Appetite Hoodia Allows You To Start Making Positive, Healthy Food Choices

How many times have we planned to eat healthy and then that old, ugly hunger rears it's ugly head and demands food NOW. We end up reaching for anything that's fast, easy and usually unhealthy.

By turning off your appetite, Hoodia allows you to start to make positive, healthy food choices. It takes the pain out of building new healthier eating choices. Since you probably don't want to be on Hoodia forever, this is a great way to lose weight and transition your eating to a healthier, lighter diet - with less pain and deprivation.

So those are 3 ways Hoodia Gordonii can help you lose weight. Does that mean that it will? Not necessarily. In order for Hoodia to help you achieve your weight loss goals there are several factors you must consider:

1) Make Sure You Buy From A Pure Source.

Unfortunately, there are scam artists who are taking advantage of the current demand for Hoodia by packaging fake Hoodia, fillers or even sawdust - and then selling it as Hoodia.

Look for genuine South African Hoodia from a seller who displays both a C.I.T.E.S certificate on their website along with Lab Assays and testing of their Hoodia pills. If you're not sure about which Hoodia brand to buy, do more research until you feel comfortable with your decision.

2) Make Sure You Are Taking Enough Hoodia.

The correct dosage varies depending on whom you talk to but most people start with about 400 mg three times a day before meals. They then increase the dosage up as high as 1000 mg three times daily until they find the dose that works for them.

Also, give it several days for the Hoodia to take effect before you increase your current dose.

3) Make Sure You Consult Your Doctor Before Taking Hoodia or Making Any Change To Your Diet or Exercise Routine.

This one is a given but surprisingly many people don't do it and it can result in you wasting your time and effort for no good reason. If, for example, you have a medical condition that makes it hard to lose weight, Hoodia may not work for you as you'd hoped. Talk to your doctor before trying anything new.

So those are 3 ways Hoodia works to help you lose weight and reach your goals. Hoodia does work. Make sure you follow these suggestions and you'll be well on your way to weight loss success with Hoodia.

The Skinny on Hoodia Weight Loss

Diet fanatics and supporters may have already heard about hoodia weight loss, the latest in weight loss methods available in the market. Hoodia weight loss stems from the use of the the Hoodia gordonii plant, a cactus that originated in Africa. The plant is famous for its appetite suppressing abilities that people in South Africa would eat during long periods of drought to prevent hunger. Upon its discovery by western scientists, it became one of the best herbal remedies for weight loss.

How it works

Hoodia weight loss works by suppressing your appetite while at the same time providing an increase in your energy, metabolism, and stamina. Metabolism and eating less are considered as contributing factors for weight loss, so people began to believe that hoodia weight loss is the best way to lose weight.

About the plant

The Hoodia gordonii is a plant that resembles a cucumber but with a somewhat bitter taste. It takes 5 to 7 years before it can reach its maturity and it can be found in the Kalahari Desert in South Africa. The plant was also eaten by African tribesmen to suppress their thirst and hunger whenever they are out hunting. Hoodia has been used for many centuries since it was proven to provide better results and effects when it comes to suppressing the appetite and providing enough energy to the user.

The active ingredient

One of the contributing factors in hoodia weight loss is the plant's active molecule. A lot of research and testing were done by many scientists and they identified this molecule as p57. They injected it into animals and realized that it works by playing a trick on the mind so it will think that you are already full and satisfied.

Forms

Hoodia weight loss products can be found in the form of liquid, powder, tea, or capsule. These can be bought from online and local health stores, pharmacies, and drug stores. People find hoodia weight loss to be very effective since it makes the mind send signals to the body that the stomach is full even if you have not eaten anything. This is helpful for controlling cravings and avoiding binging.

Certification

Before trying out hoodia weight loss products, make sure to check if it is genuine and real. Try locating the a C.I.T.E.S. certification or a Certificate of Analysis that are usually provided by genuine manufacturers. It is important to check for certifications on these products to ensure that what you are buying is not fake or expired.

It's from Kalahari

Another factor to consider before buying any Hoodia gordonii weight loss product is to make sure that it came from the Kalahari Desert of South Africa. There are actually many kinds of hoodia but those that are from Kalahari have the ingredients proven to be able to suppress your appetite.

You don't need the entire plant

Ensure that you are buying a weight loss product that can provide you with ingredients coming from the core or the stem of the plant. Don't believe the misconception that you need the entire plant for it to work properly because you actually just need its core or stem. Products stating that they are using 100% Hoodia tend to be made from the entire plant. In fact, some manufacturers and suppliers even use the whole plant to make their product sell cheaper. Check the package for the parts of the plant included in the weight loss product before buying.

What's in a name

Hoodia is only the name of the plant's family so it does not necessarily mean that all of them can act as effective appetite suppressants. The appetite suppressing capabilities can only be found in Hoodia gordonii, so make sure that you are buying the product with the name gordonii on it.

More checking

Check whether the manufacturer has the license to export or import the product and if they are sharing their proceeds with the people of San Bushmen or those who are harvesting and growing the plant.

Follow instructions

To see the effects and results, you need to follow the instructions from the manufacturer depending on the type of hoodia product you bought. Remember that in order for it to be effective, you need to take the right amount of dosage and pair it up with a proper diet and regular exercise.

Hoodia Weight Loss Diet Pills - Quality Counts

Hoodia weight loss diet pills have received a good deal of positive press since they started to appear as a supplement a few years ago. However it appears that for some people it is not as successful as they would like it to be. There are a number of reasons why hoodia weight loss pills might not always work. They can be roughly split into two factors. The first is that the person using the product does not keep up their end of the bargain. Hoodia gordonii weight loss pills are not a magic pill. The person taking them still has to watch what they eat and get moderate exercise . People that have poor results with the supplement may fall down in this respect. The other factor is that the quality of the product is poor. This article will cover why it is important to get quality hoodia gordonii products and how to tell that you are purchasing quality items.

Hoodia weight loss diet pills work as an appetite suppressant provided they contain genuine cactus extract. It is not a simple matter obtaining the extract as there are a number of other cactus varieties related to it that do not have any appetite suppressing qualities.

Firstly, the South African government places restrictions on the exporting of the Hoodia Gordonii. South Africa is the country where the use of the extract was first discovered and a patent was drawn up for the active ingredient P57. So if you are purchasing Hoodia weight loss diet pills, they must have been certified by the government of South Africa that they are the genuine article. This is done principally by the issuing of a CITES certificate. This certificate is aimed at protecting rare flora and fauna and by receiving this certificate from the South African government, a supplier of weight loss pills is confirming that the product they are receiving is genuine.

This should also sound alarm bells in you if you see products that claim to be genuine but are cheap or readily available in discount pharmacies. Hoodia Gordonii is a rare plant that takes a number of years to mature. It is highly unlikely that the products that are going at discount rates are genuine. They are more than likely a compound of products, one of which is Hoodia Gordonii. If this is the case look on the box for the amount of each product. You may find that Hoodia makes up 10% or less of the compound. It is advisable to avoid such products.

Worse still you may find that products use the name but have none of the extract in them at all. They are simply jumping on the bandwagon. Check the labels on products before purchase to confirm what you are paying for.

The bottom line is that if you want to lose weight with the help of Hoodia weight loss diet pills, makes sure that you buy the genuine extract from a reputable company. Some companies even have a money back guarantee which gives you more peace of mind and safeguards your investment in the product.