Fraud Tip of the Day - March 2

What is Hoodia and does it really help you lose weight?

You may or may not have heard of Hoodia, through spam emails, TV commercials or other forms of advertising. These ads all unanimously agree, Hoodia is a weight loss miracle that many of your favorite stars use. Many of you are probably wondering if there is anything to this Hoodia stuff and why you can only purchase it on the internet and not your corner drugstore. There's a very good reason for this that you should be aware of.

What is Hoodia?

Hoodia gordonii is a cactus-like succulent plant, native to the Kalahari Desert in Southern Africa.
Hoodia has received a lot of publicity in recent times for its natural appetite suppressant properties.

What you need to know about Hoodia:

Hoodia, also known as Hoodia gordonii, has not been tested by the FDA for safety, effectiveness, or purity. So there is no way of knowing anything about the potential risks or benefits of Hoodia. Because it's considered an herbal ingredient, Hoodia is not subject to any manufacturing standards. It's been reported that some herbal and health supplements have been sold which were contaminated with toxic metals or other drugs. Hoodia and other herbal and health supplements should be purchased from reliable sources to minimize the risk of contamination. Websites you have never heard of sending you spam emails would not be considered reliable sources.
Do not take Hoodia without first talking to your doctor if you:
- Have diabetes or if you are taking a medicine to control your blood sugar levels
- Have any heart problems or take any heart medicines
- Have a bleeding or blood clotting disorder or are taking a medicine to increase or decrease the clotting of your blood such as aspirin, warfarin (Coumadin), or heparin
- Have anorexia, bulimia or any other eating disorder.
You may not be able to take Hoodia, or you may require special monitoring during treatment if you have any of the conditions or are taking any of the medicines listed above.

How is Hoodia supposed to work?

The appetite suppressant effects of Hoodia were first observed in 1937 by a Dutch anthropologist studying the primitive San Bushmen of the Kalahari Desert.
It was noticed that the nomadic Bushmen, (who call it Xhoba) ate the stem of the Hoodia plant to stave off hunger during long hunting trips in the sparsely vegetated area.
The active ingredient in Hoodia is the appetite-suppressing molecule, P57, which is licensed to the British pharmaceutical company Phytopharm who are researching its potential as an anti-obesity drug.
Scientists from Phytopharm say P57 acts on the brain in a manner similar to glucose. It tricks the brain into thinking you are full even when you have not eaten, reduces interest in food and delays the time before hunger sets in.

Remember, these claims have not been validated by the FDA. Even if there was something to the claims, it's impossible to purchase Hoodia from reputable sources within the United States. If you decide to place an order through some website and you actually receive your order you will have no way of knowing what the ingredients are. If you've been scammed you may not be able to recover your money, especially if the company you ordered from is headquartered outside the US.