Are you considering the hoodia patch? Before you get your hopes up thinking this is the answer to your weight loss woes, I have some bad news for you, hoodia patches may not be what they’re cracked up to be. While hoodia diet pills and products that contain authentic hoodia gordonii can be effective appetite suppressants, patches may be about as effective as a band aid!

Read any literature or visit any website that sells hoodia patches and you’ll see their biggest claim is that their products work more effectively than capsules. The idea behind the patch is that you’ll get a slow release of hoodia gordonii throughout the day as it passes through your skin and into your bloodstream.

Companies selling the hoodia patch will claim that since it bypasses your stomach and enters the bloodstream through the skin, it will suppress your appetite quicker and more effectively than capsules or liquids.

On the surface, this makes total sense but unfortunately there is no scientific evidence to back this theory. There isn’t one scientific or clinical study to date on the effectiveness of hoodia patches. In fact, there are very little studies on the effectiveness of hoodia gordonii itself!

What about the nicotine patch or the birth control patch? They work after all, so the hoodia patch must be effective. Sellers of hoodia patches will try to make this comparison but don’t fall for it. There is a big difference between these products.

Birth control patches require a prescription. Nicotine patches initially required a prescription and only recently have been over the counter. The hoodia patch has never required a prescription. Why is this distinction so important?

Any product that requires a prescription or once did has had to undergo rigorous testing and be subjected to governmental regulations before it can be marketed to the public as being effective. None of the hoodia patches sold today require a prescription. Doesn’t that tell you something?

If you don’t buy the clinical studies argument, what about the commonsense argument? Let me explain. Hoodia gordonii is a cactus-like plant grown in the Kalahari Desert of South Africa. It has been used for centuries by the San tribe to stave off hunger during long hunting trips.

They cut off about 2-3 inches of the plant, peel it, and then eat it. This small piece of the plant suppresses their appetite for hours. What more closely resembles eating the actual plant – swallowing a pill that contains the powder of the ground up plant, or sticking a patch on your skin? I think you would agree that a pill would be more effective than a patch.

While I firmly believe that hoodia patches are worthless, I don’t want to leave you with the impression that every hoodia capsule on the market is effective. In fact, according to a recent study, a majority of the hoodia supplements on the market today are fake so they’re as worthless as the patch. That same study concluded that only a handful of hoodia diet pills contain authentic hoodia gordonii.

Until there is a hoodia patch that actually works, your money will be better spent on a high quality hoodia diet pill that contains authentic hoodia gordonii and has been proven to be effective.

Allison Jacobs
http://www.articlesbase.com/fitness-articles/the-hoodia-patch-better-than-capsules-91747.html

A new weight loss wonder called Hoodia Gordonii has been receiving much praise from the media, celebrities and web sources touting its benefits. It is no wonder, with so many of us obsessed with losing weight.

Consider these alarming facts from the American Obesity Association.
·Today, 64.5 percent of adult Americans (about 127 million) are categorized as being overweight or obese.
·Each year, obesity causes at least 300,000 excess deaths in the U.S, healthcare costs of American adults with obesity amount to approximately $100 billion.
·Obesity is the second leading cause of unnecessary deaths. It is on the verge of surpassing smoking as the #1 cause of preventable deaths.

Anyone who has tried unsuccessfully to lose weight will attest that it is nearly impossible if you are hungry all the time. So many diets leave us feeling starved or deprived.

Hoodia Gordonii is a potent and natural appetite suppressant. Among its noted effects are reduced hunger, increased feelings of fullness, increased alertness and a general feeling of wellbeing. Not only has it been proven to be completely safe, it contains no stimulants, such as Ephedra or caffeine, which work by increasing metabolism causing such side effects as high blood pressure, elevated heart rate, nervousness and jitters.

It works by releasing a chemical compound similar to glycogen, or blood sugar, but 10,000 times stronger, to the part of the brain responsible for hunger and thirst signals. This area, the hypothalamus, is tricked into believing you have eaten enough, which essentially stops you from thinking about food.

Hoodia Gordonii is the name of a specific variety of Hoodia cactus that grows in the Kalahari Desert in South Africa. While Hoodia is relatively new to us, it has been used successfully for thousands of years by the San Bushmen, who used it as a way to fight off hunger, thirst and fatigue during their long hunting trips in the desert. Scientists in the west have observed the effects of Hoodia since 1937.

While there are no harmful side effects of this weight loss product, there are still some guidelines to note.
·Because thirst is also suppressed, be sure to carry a bottle of water with you. Remember to drink plenty of water even if you are not thirsty.
·Consult with your doctor to make sure you are healthy enough to take any new product.
·Buy only products containing 100% pure Hoodia Gordonii with the active ingredient P57. Only the core from the aerial stems of the plant is proven to suppress hunger. Make sure there are no added stimulants or fillers from other parts of the plant.
·Increase your activity level and reduce calories gradually. Eat several small meals every day.
·Be sure to take a vitamin supplement.
·A change in your lifestyle, both eating and exercise habits, will lead to long lasting benefits.

Terry Gates
http://www.articlesbase.com/non-fiction-articles/stop-your-hunger-with-hoodia-gordonii-58989.html