Real Hoodia – be Careful of What You Buy
Hoodia is now enjoying a resurgence in popularity but how can you be certain that the product is actually what it claims to be?
These days ads for Hoodia Gordonii are popping up everywhere. Hoodia was also wildly popular in the early 2000s. However, the popularity took a nose dive when the American Food and Drug Administration reported that plenty of manufacturers were using fake Hoodia Gordonii in their products. Hoodia immediately lost all credibility as a diet pill.
Hoodia Gordonii is actually Xhoba which is a succulent plant similar to a cactus, native to the Kalahari Desert in the southern parts of Africa. Anthropologists noticed that the nomadic Bushmen ate this plant to suppress their hunger during long hunting trips in the sparsely vegetated desert. An enterprising individual saw an opportunity to market this natural appetite suppressant as a diet pill and all of a sudden there was an enormous demand for the Xhoba plant.
Xhoba needs at least one years to grow before it can be harvested. For that reason, the supply of Hoodia Gordonii is by necessity limited. As with most items in limited supply, unscrupulous people succumb to the temptation of producing a “knock-off” or fake version.
Hoodia can be a effective weight management device but you must be certain you are purchasing Hoodia from a reputable manufacturer. Ask at your local health food store about the various brands of Hoodia. Also browse through various weight loss forums online to hear from others about which brands they recommend.
Hoodia Gordonii is currently the strongest natural appetite suppressant that has been identified. Genuine Hoodia Gordonii can help to control the food cravings that are incumbent to dieting. Fake Hoodia does nothing and can be dangerous.
In deciding upon a brand try to find five that has capsules in either 200mg, 400mg or 800mg. Reports claim that you cannot expect to achieve any results if you consume less than 800 mg of pure Hoodia every day. Also you should be aware that at levels of 800 mg or more there might be an increased likelihood of side effects like constipation. someone prone to constipation might require to avoid this pill or at least discuss the matter with their physician.
Remember, taking Hoodia Gordonii diet pills alone won’t make you lose weight. However, Hoodia will help you control your food cravings while you exercise and eat a healthy diet on your journey to your optimum weight.
Remember, only buy Hoodia diet pills from reputable dealers or health food stores so that you can be certain that you are getting the Real Hoodia.
For more information on natural weight loss supplements please click here to find out more about hoodia.
Mark Maclean is a health expert on www.ratethepill.com. Look for other health related issues at http://www.rathepill.com
Mark Maclean
http://www.articlesbase.com/weight-loss-articles/real-hoodia-be-careful-of-what-you-buy-693240.html
February 8th, 2010 at 9:03 pm
Do you think that any hoodia I buy from a health food store would be the real thing?
It says all natural 100% south african hoodia and is manufactured by a reliable company, but I read that you should still be careful of imitation or fake hoodia and article said the manufacturing company may not even know they are not getting the real thing. How do I know its for real?
February 9th, 2010 at 2:05 am
I dont think you ever will know 100%.
References :
February 9th, 2010 at 2:07 am
The people that are posting on this board that you shouldn’t buy imitation or fake hoodia are actually selling hoodia themselves.
Besides, hoodia has not been proven to help with weight loss. Your best bet is still a well-balanced, low-calorie diet and a consistant exercise routine. If you want to add something that will curb your appetite, add spices to your foods and eat a lot of fiber – it will keep you feeling fuller longer, thereby suppressing your appetite naturally.
References :
http://www.sparkpeople.com/myspark/register.asp?referredby=335554&from=friend
February 9th, 2010 at 2:09 am
Hard to tell unless it’s analyzed in a scientific laboratory. But if, as you say, it’s manufactured by a truly "reliable" or reputable company, then there’s a good chance that it’s not fake because they stand to lose a lot if it’s revealed that it’s not what they say it is.
References :
February 9th, 2010 at 2:11 am
Your concern about "fake" hoodia diet pills is a valid one. Truth Publishing, a consumer advocacy group, did a study last year and they discovered that over 60% of the hoodia weight loss pills on the market are fake. What they mean by fake is they contain very little hoodia gordonii – if any at all.
They found that of the 17 brands they tested, only 6 passed the test. Since hoodia supplements aren’t regulated, companies can pretty much say whatever they want and get away with it. So just because it says "100% hoodia gordonii" doesn’t mean much.
There are things you can look for, however, to make sure you are getting authentic hoodia gordonii diet pills. I’m sure you’ve read all over the Internet about CITES certificates. That is just one small thing to look for. Since you purchased your hoodia from a health store, you can check out the "reliable company’s" website and see if they have their CITES certificates posted. If they do, be sure they are clear and easy to read.
The best thing to look for is independent lab testing. The truly reputable hoodia sellers will randomly and anonymously have their products tested by an independent lab to ensure they are selling authentic hoodia gordonii. As an example, one company puts a code on every bottle so that you can enter the code and see the actual lab test results for the very bottle you own! They are the only company that does this.
There are several other things you can look for as well. I’ve provided a link below that highlights the 10 things to look for when you buy hoodia. Again, since you purchased your hoodia locally, try to find the website of the company that makes the brand you purchased to get some of the information you’ll need to look for that is outlined in the guide.
I want to clear up some confusion from the information Patti gave you. She is half right about her comment that hoodia hasn’t been proven to work effectively for weight loss. Hoodia isn’t a weight loss pill directly, although it’s marketed that way. All hoodia does is suppress appetite. It will not burn fat or magically melt the weight away so you will not lose weight just by taking hoodia diet pills. You still need to maintain a healthy diet and exercise for weight loss.
As for the effectiveness of hoodia being an appetite suppressant, there aren’t many studies that have been done. However, the few that have been done have been very promising. And dieters who take enough of authentic hoodia gordonii say it’s been a terrific appetite suppressant for them. A New Jersey doctor has been conducting a clinical trial of hoodia diet pills with over 400 patients and has had tremendous success with it. I’ve provided a link where you can read more about it if you’re interested.
Best of luck to you.
Travis
References :
10 things to look for when you buy hoodia:
http://hoodiaandweightloss.com/information-on-hoodia/buy-hoodia/
Doctor says patients having success with hoodia diet pills:
http://hoodiaandweightloss.com/hoodia-news/desert-burn-hoodia/