What are the effects of hoodia

Hoodia gordonii is a popular natural ingredient found in many weight loss products with the makers of such products claiming that this plant helps suppress appetite and thus aids in weight loss. Hoodia's side effects are not known as there have been no published scientific reports on the side effects of hoodia. Research has been conducted on the effectiveness of hoodia as a weight loss supplement and potential side effects of it, but as of 2008 none of this data has been conclusive.

So what side effects should one be concerned about when taking a diet or weight loss supplement that contains hoodia extracts? Without official FDA regulation and no official long term studies on the effect of hoodia gordonii on the human body, people can only speculate on potential issues and health risks with using hoodia. There are a lot of theories on how hoodia acts on the body, but theories are not conclusive.

Appetite suppression - The main selling point behind hoodia extracts is that is acts on the brain in such a way that people taking the extract claim they have less desire to eat. This in itself could lead to a person failing to get their full nutritional needs met on a daily basis. If they have no hunger, they may be severely reducing their food intake missing out on crucial vitamins, nutrients, and calories.

Thirst suppression - Another unofficial side effect of hoodia is that some people taking hoodia extracts have noticed their need to quench their thirst has gone down. This dangerous potential side effect could mean that those taking diet supplements containing hoodia could be at risk for dehydration; which can be deadly. The body is naturally designed to alert us when we are hungry or thirsty; if hoodia interferes with this communication a person taking hoodia could be dehydrated and not know it until it is too late.

Liver damage - Some doctors have stated that hoodia may cause potential harm to human livers, but without published research and more FDA investigation into whether or not hoodia is safe for regular use; it is hard to prove or disprove that hoodia has any effect on one's liver.

Risk to diabetics - Hoodia has apparently been used for centuries in South Africa and those who defend hoodia's safety say that if it has been used for centuries then it must be safe. One theory on how hoodia works in causing weight loss is that it tricks the body into thinking that the blood sugar levels in the body are stable and sufficient. Since diabetics rely on accurate feedback from their bodies to know when their blood sugar levels are getting low, a diabetic taking a hoodia extract could miss the warning signs of dangerously low blood sugar levels.

Medication Interactions - Those who support hoodia as being safe and effective claim that hoodia does not interfere with any medications. The problem with this claim is that there is a lack of research on drug interactions with something such as hoodia. If you are taking any medications you should use extreme caution before taking any diet supplement.
Without more research and proper regulation of hoodia extracts, you should use caution when using any supplement containing hoodia or any other unproven extract or ingredient. With any supplement or drug those who are pregnant, nursing, or have a history of liver or kidney disease should avoid taking hoodia.

Always talk to your doctor before starting any kind of weight loss or diet program or when taking something that may potentially interfere with your medications or cause health complications.