Hoodia gordonii is a natural succulent plant that looks like a cactus. It grows in the Kalahari Desert region of South Africa, Botswana, Namibia and Angola. It is said that the bushmen used to eat hoodia gorodnii stem to curb their hunger and thirst during their nomadic hunting trips. Hoodia gordonii is believed to contain the natural appetite suppressant property. Some studies have reported its hunger suppressant effect
Recently, Phytopharm's Dr. Richard Dixey and researchers at the Brown University in Rhode Island, USA said that the steroidal glycosides present in gordonii hoodia affects nerve cells in brain's hypothalamus that monitor blood glucose. As a result of this, the brain thinks that there is enough sugar in the blood and there is no need to eat any more, disabling the hunger mechanism.
A recent clinical trial in Leicester, England showed that the hoodia gordonii extract reduced hunger appetitive of volunteers. This property of Hoodia gordonii is very important for people trying to lose weight as they will eat less if they take the extract of this plant as it reduces the appetite. The hoodia supplemnt is sold in capsule, liquid or tea form.
