Hoodia is a plant that resembles the cactus family. It can reach up to 1 m high and have large flowers, often with flesh color and strong smell. Many Hoodia species are protected plants. Typical of the Namib Desert, common names include “Bushman’s Hat” and “Queen of the Namib”. The indigenous Bushmen call this plant Xhoba. Several species are grown as garden plants.One of the species, Hoodia gordonii, is being investigated for use as an appetite suppressant. The use of Hoodia has been known by the indigenous populations of Southern Africa, who use this plant for treating indigestion, small infections and during the long hunting to suppress hunger and thirst. In the west hoodia is still under investigation, even if a lot of companies are marketing it already, there are a lot of different opinions about it.

The Food and Drug Administration has not approved the use of hoodia yet and I think it will be a long time before it does so. Hoodia could be something to do more research about, even if the local population has been using it for a long time, we need to now more about it, to be honest I have tried hoodia and I am still alive talking about it, and it does suppress your hunger. Could this be a solution for weitht loss. Food is so incredibly additive, saying no or passing on the dessert is very difficult and hoodia could be the answer, what about a hoodia and Parma ham as a starter. That could save a fortune on the main course.

Lack of scientific evidence or regulatory approval have not stopped dietary supplement companies from marketing Hoodia gordonii extracts with claims that it can lower blood pressure and reduce the appetite. Goen Technologies Corporation’s TrimSpa unit began marketing Hoodia gordonii under the brand name X32, even though the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has notified that it has not demonstrated that the product is safe or effective. Goen Technologies has also been sued by the state of New Jersey for misleading consumers. The Trimspa brand is currently the subject of a lawsuit in California which claims that it does not contain any of Hoodia’s active ingredient.

The press coverage and heavy marketing by nutritional supplement companies have created such a demand for Hoodia plants that a protected status was imposed in several countries like Namibia. Many products claiming to contain Hoodia do not actually contain the active ingredient alleged to suppress appetite. Only the South African product has the claimed properties.

An ongoing review of Hoodia pills by Alkemists Pharmaceuticals found that at least half of the products advertised as containing Hoodia contained none