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Hoodia gordonii, a plant that, while it looks like a cactus, is actually a "succulent" that grows in the deserts of the Kalahari region of South Africa. The Khoi people of the Kalahari have been using the hoodia plant for centuries to help ward off pain, hunger and thirst when the Bushmen made long trips in the desert.
Hoodia gordonii is entirely natural -- it is not a drug, and has no stimulant properties. There is interest, however, from various pharmaceutical companies, including the company Phytopharm, who are trying to synthesize the appetite-suppressing component, P57, in order to create a patentable drug in the future.
How Does Hoodia Gordonii work
There are various species of hoodia, but the Gordonii plant is the only one that contains the all-natural appetite suppressant. Tbis type of hoodia contains a molecule that has similar effects on nerve cells as glucose, and tricks the brain into the sensation of being full. Results of human clinical trials laboratories suggest that hoodia may reduce the appetite by hundreds of calories a day or more.
Hoodia - the science:
There is a part of your brain, the hypothalamus. Within that mid-brain there are nerve cells that sense glucose sugar. When you eat, blood sugar goes up because of the food, these cells start firing and makes you have a full sensation. What Hoodia seems contains is about 10,000 times as active as glucose. It goes to the hypothalamus and actually makes those nerve cells think as if you were full. But the catch is you will not have eaten.
How Quickly does Hoodia Work?
Some people report that hoodia works for them immediately, suppressing appetite within 20 to 30 minutes after taking the capsules. Generally, though, people typically need up to 14 days of regularly taking hoodia before they begin to notice any effects which may include:
A reduced hunger
A delay in the time after eating before hunger sets in again
Feeling full more quickly
A general feeling of well-being
Does Hoodia Have Side Effects?
Hoodia gordonii is not a stimulant, and has no known side effects. Of course, there is always someone who has a reaction to even the safest supplement, so your own experience -- in conjunction with the advice of your practitioner -- should guide you.
How to Take Hoodia?
Only natural hoodia supplements are currently available.
You need to be particularly careful that you take a hoodia that contains the actual plant as some brands out there claim to contain hoodia, and have been tested to show they have no hoodia whatsoever. Some people start by using 1-2 capsules an hour before lunch and 1-2 capsules an hour before supper daily for the first 14 days. As the appetite suppressant effect kicks in, some people drop back to 1 or 2 capsules per day. Always follow the directions of your physician.
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