Question: Does hoodia really help weight loss and if so how?
I need to lose weight and I want to take Hoodia pills to help me lose weight. Are they any good? How do they work?
Kari - About.com User
Answer: Hoodia gordonii is a succulent plant from Africa and has been touted as a weight loss product. There is a substance in hoodia that triggers the hypothalamus to reduce the appetite and the feeling of hunger. There really aren't many studies with hoodia use in humans, however it has been used by San Bushmen of the Kalahari desert for many years to ward off hunger pangs.
Hoodia appears to be safe and can be found in over the counter weight-loss products. Taking the edge off hunger may help, but you still need to make healthy food choices. Eat foods that are nutrient dense with fewer calories such as fruits, vegetables, low fat meats, poultry, fish, non-fat dairy products and whole grains.
Source: MacLean DB, Luo LG. "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 Research
Volume 1020, Issues 1-2 , 10 September 2004, Pages 1-11.
