[Obesity Discussion]

Originally Posted by dreamblooms

The good news about Hoodia: it does appear to suppress appetite.

The bad news: Hoodia, which comes from a plant (Hoodia gordonii) native to desert areas of South Africa, is very rare and protected by South Africa's conservation laws. The South African government has limited the export and farming of Hoodia to prevent over-exploitation -- and it's nearly impossible to synthesize in the lab. The pharmaceutical giant, Pfizer, tried for years to grow it, then gave up.

So there's no way real Hoodia's being produced in the commercial quantity needed, and what's really being sold online is…who knows? Some dried, powdered substance called hoodia, of which the FDA is wary and is taking legal measures to clamp down. These products are not regulated or inspected, and there are no published clinical trials to establish an optimal dose that is safe and effective. Many have even complained that the “supplements” they ordered didn't contain any Hoodia at all.

The only clinical study we're aware of showed that the real Hoodia could present risks to organs, nervous and circulatory systems. Liver damage in particular was suspected.

Save your money and avoid scam artists. If the durn stuff worked, I'd use it.

Great information, thank you!