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Did you pay quite a bit for a hoodia supplement only to find you did not lose any weight? You are not alone. Many have been disappointed by this appetite suppressants inability to help them lose weight. Others, though, have found great success. Why does hoodia work for some and not for others?

First, let me explain how hoodia works and then we will talk about the 3 most common reasons why hoodia failed to help some people.

South Africa is home to the hoodia gordonii cactus. An anthropologist noticed hunters chewing on the stems of this cactus. There was something in hoodia that helped them reduce hunger while hunting in sparse lands.

Later, scientists found a compound called p57 in the hoodia plant. The brain views this compound as glucose. This works to stave off hunger because our hunger is triggered by low blood glucose levels.

When p57 resembles glucose in the body, the hunger signal is not triggered. You end up being able to go longer without food. For this reason, those who are diabetic should speak with their healthcare provider before trying hoodia to suppress their appetite.  Read more...

Many consumers have been able to control their appetite through the use of hoodia gordonii, a popular appetite suppressant. Why is the FDA considering banning hoodia? Have they found it to be unsafe as they did with ephedra years ago?

Ephedra was linked to the deaths of some young women who habitually took this strong, stimulant type appetite suppressant. Their use of ephedra lead to cardiac death and the sale of ephedra in the United States was banned by the FDA.

Now hoodia supplements have come under speculation, but it is not about safety issues; at least not directly. Hoodia is a relatively safe appetite suppressant because it is not a stimulant. Instead it fools the brain into thinking you do not need to eat even though your blood glucose levels have dropped to a level where the brain normally signals hunger.

Unless you are diabetic, this effect usually helps you surpass an appetite that became out of control over the years. Diabetics need to monitor their blood glucose levels, so hoodia is not advised for diabetic patients. Hoodia is rather innocuous for the rest of us. In fact, some proponents of stimulant type appetite suppressants feel hoodia is too mild.  Read more...