Hoodia Herb

Hoodia herb...

A lot of people are looking for hoodia these days.

This is understandable because it is a plant harboring almost seemingly magical weight loss properties and since it's being used in a lot of diet supplements these days, searches for hoodia herb are going through the roof.

Most people erroneously think hoodia gordonii is a cactus; however, it's actually a succulent. But a lot of people (us included) still call it a cactus since that's what it looks like as you can see from its prickly appearance in the picture below.

Health Risks of Hoodia Gordonii Cactus

After the herb ephedra, which was used for weight loss got banned, a lot of people are rightfully concerned about potential health risks of hoodia gordonii cactus before they use any products that contain it.

Here's what we know:

1. Hoodia gordonii has been used for thousands of years by the Sans Bushmen of South Africa without any known negative side effects.
   
2. One clinical study conducted by Phytopharm pharmaceutical has not revealed any negative side effects of the active ingredient in hoodia gordonii.

That's the good news.

Now having said that, does this mean we can say hoodia gordonii is absolutely safe?

Not at all.

Here's why...first, the Sans Bushmen are a primitive tribe who do not use any prescription drugs like we do here in the Western world.

It's possible that hoodia gordonii may interact unfavorably with prescription or over-the-counter drugs. Therefore, if you are using medication of any kind, let your doctor know if you intend to use hoodia so he or she can monitor you closely.

Second, another of the possible health risks of hoodia gordonii cactus is using it if you have diabetes. This is because it works by tricking the brain into thinking you are full. See how hoodia works for more info.

In other words, a diabetic may think he's full when he's not, and therefore suffer a dangerous drop in blood sugar levels without realizing it.

 More studies are being conducted now on the active ingredient in hoodia gordonii. Longer term studies with a lot more participants will give us a better picture on its health risks.

What we do know, however, is that hoodia gordonii is not a stimulant. It does not rev up your metabolism, heart rate, or jack up your blood pressure like other weight loss stimulants can do. However, it's important to look at the label of any hoodia product that you use because stimulants may be included as part of the formula.

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