Hoodia is a cactus-type plant from Africa that has many uses, however the native populations of South Africa have used it for indigestion or infection. The plant Hoodia gordonii has been recognized as an appetite suppressant since the late 1970’s in Africa, but in the US there have been no definitive studies establishing it as a safe and effective appetite suppressant.
Despite this, media hype about the drug began around 2004 when 60 minutes aired a special on it’s effectiveness and since then others have followed suit such as the Today Show and Oprah catapulting it’s popularity. To protect consumers, Hoodia exporters must be issued a CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) certificate by the office of Western Cape Nature in order for Hoodia to be legally exported abroad from Africa. It is illegal to export Hoodia without this certification.
Why is a psychiatrist talking about Hoodia? Having treated patients who took Hoodia (at their own initiative), I’ve seen how it has benefited most and also had some negative effects. Most established appetite suppressants available in the US are stimulants and stimulants as a side effect can lessen one’s desire to eat. It’s not clear what the active ingredient (P57) does, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s not a naturally occuring stimulant. As such, it can also have the unwanted affects of agitation and anxiety. If you already have anxiety, this could really worsen your condition.
Some people have dealt with this by taking less than the recommended dose. The pills are usually capsules and can’t be split, but rather than taking it three times a day, some people have taken it once a day at the time of their worst cravings. I have heard some people say Hoodia “takes the edge off” their cravings giving them enough contol to choose not to eat junk or munch unneccessarily.
We know there is no magic pill to control weight, as controlling your eating requires behavioral change. So for some who recongize that long term control of eating is a lifetime, lifetstyle adjustment, Hoodia can be something that gets them started in the right direction long enough to get used to a new way of eating and using food.
Of course, as with any drug (and herbal remedies are drugs too, just naturally occuring ones), a person considering starting it should check with their health care provider prior to taking it.
Let me know what you think