Hoodia - What Did 60 Minutes Have To Say?

Hoodia gordonii is the new weight loss supplement that is taking the world by storm. Thanks to an extensive report by CBS' 60 minutes program, the popularity of hoodia gordonii has grown so rapidly that it is quickly becoming the dominant diet control tool in the multi-billion dollar weight loss industry.

Unlike harmful stimulants such as ephedrine, Ma Huang, and Phenfen that affect your heart rate, blood pressure, and liver, hoodia gordonii works by making you feel full. And feeling full means you're less likely to eat.

What did they find?

In her report, 60 minutes journalist Lesley Stahl stated that the hoodia gordonii plant has been a part of the local diet in South Africa for thousands of years.

Stahl tasted a sample of the hoodia plant when a hired guide chopped a piece right off a nearby cactus. She described it as having tasted very much like a cucumber. Incredibly, Stahl confirmed the power of hoodia gordonii when she said that after having her sample not only did she not feel hungry all day long, but that she also felt no ill effects from having eaten the plant.  

According to a representative of British pharmaceutical giant Phytopherm, the scientists who originally researched the hoodia plant found that lab animals that ate hoodia lost weight. From there it took a remarkable thirty years for the firm to isolate and identify the plant's primary appetite suppressing ingredient. They named the molecule p57.

Since then, Phytopharm has invested nearly $25 million on research involving p57 and its benefits.

Does it deliver?

In case studies, people who used hoodia gordonii consumed nearly 1000 fewer calories than people who were given a placebo. Phytopharm contributes this to the cumulative effect of taking hoodia on a daily basis. As we take hoodia on a consistent basis, our desire to eat diminishes. Those close to the study have called the results “dramatic.”

When 60 minutes visited one of Phytopharms hoodia growing facilities they found that getting the operation going had proven to be quite the challenge. With demand for hoodia gordonii continuing to rise, it was estimated that approximately one billion hoodia plants would be required to satisfy demand.

In addition, Phytopharm has partnered with the makers of the popular SlimFast line of weight loss products. Together, they anticipate announcing a line of p57 based meal replacement products to consumers within the next few years.