Hoodia Gordonii Plus burst onto the weight loss forefront in 2004 with a segment on 60 Minutes. This plant has been used by natives in South Africa and Namibia for years to suppress their appetites during long stretches in the desert. There are thirteen different species of Hoodia and the one used for appetite suppressant is the Hoodia Gordonii. Although this plant appears to be from the cactus family it is in fact a succulent. It grows to approximately a meter in height and retains water in its thick stems.
Hoodia Gordonii Plus is not just a brand. It is a company that is licensed by the Western Cape Conservation Authority of South Africa. This license proves that the product is one hundred percent pure South African Hoodia from the Kalahari Desert. To prove authenticity of their product requires two certified documents. They are the C.I.T.E.S. Certificate and the Analytical Report. Although it is possible to forge almost any document in the world, any company with these certifications should go a long way in making the consumer certain that they are receiving what they pay for.
The effect of Hoodia Gordonii Plus is its ability to curb your appetite almost immediately and last all day. Normally, your appetite is controlled when you eat and the food turns into glucose. As the glucose levels in your body increase, your brain receives signals that you are full. Hoodia has a molecule, named by scientists P57, that gives the same signal to your brain. This gives you control over your appetite through the effect of a natural appetite suppressant. It also has a mood boosting quality that makes it a welcome addition to any weight loss regimen.
Although testing is still being done on Hoodia, at the moment there are no known side effects to taking the supplement. Unlike many other supplements it will not give you the wired feeling or raise your body temperature and make you feel uncomfortable all day. It also does not make your heart race or keep you awake at night.
When you are choosing a Hoodia supplement, be sure to find one that is certified and does not have any additives such as ephedra, ephedrine or ma huang. There are now companies that are selling Hoodia supplements derived from plants grown outside of its native environment. There is a great debate as to whether or not these plants have the same appetite suppressing ability as those grown in the desert.