Hoodia diet pills are all the rage in the world of weight loss
supplements. This herbal supplement was relatively unknown in the
United States until 2003, when Leslie Stahl reported the herb’s
appetite-suppressing magic on a segment for the popular TV program 60
Minutes.
Since that broadcast, the popularity of hoodia diet
pills has skyrocketed. Market studies indicate that in 2003, before the
60 Minutes report aired, three products sold in the US contained
hoodia. Today, there are 300 products that include hoodia in their list
of ingredients and that number of products is growing rapidly.
Hoodia
is an endangered species of cactus-like plant native to the Namib
Desert in southern Africa. It is a member of the Apocynaceae family of
plants. In its native environment, it is commonly known as bushman’s
hat, queen of the Namib, and xhoba.
As an herbal supplement,
there is no scientific evidence to substantiate the claims of appetite
suppression and of weight loss. There is also little evidence to attest
to its safe use or of its potential for harm.
Although there
is no conclusive scientific evidence to prove this, there is some
caution advised when taking hoodia products in conjunction with heart
medications. Drug interactions may produce less than desirable results
of either medication.
Hoodia diet pills have enjoyed immense
popularity in parts of Europe for quite some time and no adverse
effects have been reported. Each person metabolizes drugs differently,
however, so caution is advised, especially at the beginning of
treatment with this, and all, medications as the body adjusts to the
new substance.
Thus far, hoodia diet pills have not been
cited as harmful to pregnant or lactating women but women enjoying
these life stages may be best advised to try a healthy diet and
moderate exercise before resorting to chemical supplements.
Hoodia
diet pills, and all other herbal remedies and supplements, are not
subject to standardized dosage and formulation schedules. Therefore the
amount of the herb required to produce the appetite-suppressing effect
is unknown.
There is also a great degree of variance in the
amount of the herb contained from product to product and studies
indicate that the herb is sometimes listed as an ingredient when there
is actually none present in the formulation.
In addition to
its use for appetite suppression, there are some patented formulations
containing hoodia that are thought to be useful in controlling excess
secretion of gastric acids and in the treatment of diabetes, although
these claims, too, are unproven in clinical studies.
Med-Help is for informational purposes and should not be considered medical advice, diagnosis or treatment recommendations.