Now that you are armed wi

If you've heard anything about the hoodia cactus, it's probably been two things:

1. It works as a weight loss aid by helping to suppress the appetite

2. It has no negative side effects.

Although these are both true statements, most sellers of hoodia gordonii products emphasize only these two truths. They don't reveal everything you need to know about hoodia safety.

It's obvious why they aren't telling you since they want to make more sales.

But, in my opinion, it's quite important to understand these unspoken points to get the full picture of the risk profile of hoodia gordonii cactus.

Health Risks of Hoodia Gordonii Cactus

Here's what we know about hoodia:

1. It has been used for thousands of years by the Sans Bushmen tribe who first discovered it in South Africa to quell hunger and thirst pangs before going on long hunting trips. The Sans Bushmen have been using it for all of that time without negative side effects.

2. A double-blind, placebo-controlled study was conducted by Phytopharm pharmaceuticals on the active ingredient in hoodia gordonii, called P57, using morbidly obese human participants. The participants who used the P57 did not experience any negative side effects.

3. Hoodia gordonii cactus does not work like most stimulant weight loss herbs on the market that increase your heart rate, blood pressure, and your metabolism. It does not stimulate in this sense. It works by tricking your brain into thinking you are full, so you eat less calories.

In fact, Lesley Stahl, Correspondent for CBS 60 Minutes reported: "It's very different from diet stimulants like Ephedra and Phenfen that are now banned because of dangerous side effects. Hoodia doesn't stimulate at all. Scientists say it fools the brain by making you think you're full, even if you've eaten just a morsel."

Now, having said all of that, here are some things to be aware of to get a better picture of the health risks of hoodia gordonii cactus.

• The clinical study by Phytopharm was relatively short and didn't include many participants. One study does not establish a complete safety profile, which is why on Phytopharm's website they state:

  "In the clinical study... the safety data are consistent with a satisfactory overall safety profile, however further scientific studies are required to establish the safety profile of Hoodia gordonii extract."

• The Sans Bushmen are a primitive hunter-gatherer tribe. They do not use a great deal of prescription and OTC drugs like people in Western world. It's very possible that hoodia gordonii could interact with some of these medications and create harmful side effects in the body that it would not create on its own.

• There are certain health risks of hoodia gordonii cactus for diabetics because the active ingredient tricks the brain into thinking you're full. It does this by imitating glucose, which is what we get from food when we eat. Diabetics using hoodia gordonii, therefore, could conceivably suffer from a dangerous drop in blood sugar levels if they feel full and forget to eat.

• No safety data exists on hoodia gordonii use in pregnant or nursing women and should be avoided by these women until there is.

Now that you are armed wi

Health Risks of Hoodia Gordonii Cactus

Here's what we know about hoodia:

1. It has been used for thousands of years by the Sans Bushmen tribe who first discovered it in South Africa to quell hunger and thirst pangs before going on long hunting trips. The Sans Bushmen have been using it for all of that time without negative side effects.

2. A double-blind, placebo-controlled study was conducted by Phytopharm pharmaceuticals on the active ingredient in hoodia gordonii, called P57, using morbidly obese human participants. The participants who used the P57 did not experience any negative side effects.

3. Hoodia gordonii cactus does not work like most stimulant weight loss herbs on the market that increase your heart rate, blood pressure, and your metabolism. It does not stimulate in this sense. It works by tricking your brain into thinking you are full, so you eat less calories.

In fact, Lesley Stahl, Correspondent for CBS 60 Minutes reported: "It's very different from diet stimulants like Ephedra and Phenfen that are now banned because of dangerous side effects. Hoodia doesn't stimulate at all. Scientists say it fools the brain by making you think you're full, even if you've eaten just a morsel."

Now, having said all of that, here are some things to be aware of to get a better picture of the health risks of hoodia gordonii cactus.

• The clinical study by Phytopharm was relatively short and didn't include many participants. One study does not establish a complete safety profile, which is why on Phytopharm's website they state:

  "In the clinical study... the safety data are consistent with a satisfactory overall safety profile, however further scientific studies are required to establish the safety profile of Hoodia gordonii extract."

• The Sans Bushmen are a primitive hunter-gatherer tribe. They do not use a great deal of prescription and OTC drugs like people in Western world. It's very possible that hoodia gordonii could interact with some of these medications and create harmful side effects in the body that it would not create on its own.

• There are certain health risks of hoodia gordonii cactus for diabetics because the active ingredient tricks the brain into thinking you're full. It does this by imitating glucose, which is what we get from food when we eat. Diabetics using hoodia gordonii, therefore, could conceivably suffer from a dangerous drop in blood sugar levels if they feel full and forget to eat.

• No safety data exists on hoodia gordonii use in pregnant or nursing women and should be avoided by these women until there is.

Now that you are armed wi

In fact, Lesley Stahl, Correspondent for CBS 60 Minutes reported: "It's very different from diet stimulants like Ephedra and Phenfen that are now banned because of dangerous side effects. Hoodia doesn't stimulate at all. Scientists say it fools the brain by making you think you're full, even if you've eaten just a morsel."

Now, having said all of that, here are some things to be aware of to get a better picture of the health risks of hoodia gordonii cactus.

• The clinical study by Phytopharm was relatively short and didn't include many participants. One study does not establish a complete safety profile, which is why on Phytopharm's website they state:

  "In the clinical study... the safety data are consistent with a satisfactory overall safety profile, however further scientific studies are required to establish the safety profile of Hoodia gordonii extract."

• The Sans Bushmen are a primitive hunter-gatherer tribe. They do not use a great deal of prescription and OTC drugs like people in Western world. It's very possible that hoodia gordonii could interact with some of these medications and create harmful side effects in the body that it would not create on its own.

• There are certain health risks of hoodia gordonii cactus for diabetics because the active ingredient tricks the brain into thinking you're full. It does this by imitating glucose, which is what we get from food when we eat. Diabetics using hoodia gordonii, therefore, could conceivably suffer from a dangerous drop in blood sugar levels if they feel full and forget to eat.

• No safety data exists on hoodia gordonii use in pregnant or nursing women and should be avoided by these women until there is.

Now that you are armed wi

• The clinical study by Phytopharm was relatively short and didn't include many participants. One study does not establish a complete safety profile, which is why on Phytopharm's website they state:

  "In the clinical study... the safety data are consistent with a satisfactory overall safety profile, however further scientific studies are required to establish the safety profile of Hoodia gordonii extract."

• The Sans Bushmen are a primitive hunter-gatherer tribe. They do not use a great deal of prescription and OTC drugs like people in Western world. It's very possible that hoodia gordonii could interact with some of these medications and create harmful side effects in the body that it would not create on its own.

• There are certain health risks of hoodia gordonii cactus for diabetics because the active ingredient tricks the brain into thinking you're full. It does this by imitating glucose, which is what we get from food when we eat. Diabetics using hoodia gordonii, therefore, could conceivably suffer from a dangerous drop in blood sugar levels if they feel full and forget to eat.

• No safety data exists on hoodia gordonii use in pregnant or nursing women and should be avoided by these women until there is.

Now that you are armed wi

Now that you are armed with this information, you can make a better informed choice if you want to try a hoodia product.