Hoodia Gordonii is a cactus that grows in the Kalahari desert in South Africa and know where else. There are many different kinds of Hoodia but Hoodia Gordonii is exclusive to the South African desert. I am making this distinction because there are a lot of people selling Hoodia products that are from Mexico and China.

They are not Hoodia Gordonii and they do not have the same appetite suppressing properties and effects as the original. The effect that I am talking about is the ability to make the human brain think that there is a high level of sugar in the blood which makes you feel like you are full. Basically, it is an appetite suppressant and is also known to suppress thirst as well.

Taking Hoodia will not make you lose weight. It is not a fat blocker and it will not speed up your metabolism or magically burn fat. It will simply keep you from feeling hungry. If you are the kind of person who eats because of depression, anxiety, or boredom, than Hoodia Gordonii is not going to help you one bit.

Since Hoodia's overnight popularity has caused a virtual Hoodia gold rush, thousands of unscrupulous marketers are making the claim that Hoodia Gordonii is totally void of any side effects. The truth of the matter is that there are no published studies as to the long term effects of Hoodia Gordonii. Hoodia has only been in North America since 2004.

You will see a lot of advertisements that talk about how the Bushmen have been using Hoodia for thousands of years with no ill effects. While this may be true, the Bushman of South Africa are probably not taking any medications for their anxiety attacks or to regulate their blood pressure.

Hoodia Gordonii has not been approved by the FDA. I am currently taking Hoodia and I did a lot of research before I began. The only thing that I could find that even resembled an official study was a letter written to the New York Times by a former researcher of Hoodia at Pfizer. Pfizer had licensed the rights to develop Hoodia but later returned those rights to Phytopharm.

In the letter, Dr. Jasjit S. Bindra stated that although the active ingredient, P57, did appear to suppress appetite, there were indications of unwanted effects on the liver that were caused by other parts of the plant that could not easily be separated from the P57.

He went on to make the comment, "Clearly, Hoodia has a long way to go before it can earn approval from the Food and Drug Administration. Until safer formulations are developed, dieters should be wary of using it."

Phytopharm is now working with Unilever, who are the makers of Slimfast. Hopefully they will publish some official findings and remove some of the mystery surrounding Hoodia. Until then, I will share the results of my research and personal experience. Here are some known side effects and things to watch out for:

• If you are taking any kind of medication, you should consult your physician before taking Hoodia. No studies have been done to determine how Hoodia will react with other drugs.
• Be cautious if you have allergies. Hoodia is an herb and could cause allergic reactions.
• Hoodia may couse you to not eat enough. Do not take Hoodia if you have an eating disorder or are under weight.

• Eating small snacks at regular intervals is a vital part of speeding up your metabolism. You may have to set reminders to make yourself eat when taking Hoodia.
• Hoodia also curbs your thirst. You will also have to force yourself to drink a lot of water. This is another key factor in a successful weight loss program.
• It is believed that Hoodia works by tricking the brain into believing that their are elevated sugar levels in the bloodstream. If you are diabetic, consult your doctor before using Hoodia.
• Hoodia has somewhat of a natural feel-good aphrodisiac quality about it. You will notice an increased libido. My wife and I have both noticed this first hand.
• As with any herb or drug, pregnant or lactating women should consult their physician before using Hoodia and the same goes for children.
• The San Bushmen claim that they use Hoodia to treat diabetes and hypertension. They also say it is good for hangovers and upset stomach's but there are no official studies to prove if there is any truth to this.

If you decide to give Hoodia Gordonii a try. Please be careful and do your research. A recent study showed that 80% of the Hoodia being sold is counterfeit. The plant takes 5 to 7 years to mature and only comes from the South African desert. Therefore it is very rare. There is no way that current Hoodia production can meet the demand that exists right now.

The plant is actually listed on the endangered species list and the South African government has implemented strict controls on the exportation and cultivation of this herb. They have recently made allotments for some Hoodia farms but it will be years before these plants are ready. Until then make sure you are getting the real McCoy.

You will read a lot of conflicting reports saying that Hoodia doesn't work. Chances are that these people did not have a product that was 100% pure, if it was even Hoodia Gordonii at all.I have done extensive research on what criteria you should use to find pure Hoodia Gordonii and what to avoid like the plague. Check out my weight loss blog to learn all the details. Also, watch the Fox News report below.