Common Side Effects of Hoodia Based Diet Pills

As more dieters turn to alternatives to ephedra for weight loss, many are choosing potent formulas of diet pills that contain hoodia instead. Hoodia Gordonii is an herb--an extract derived from a cactus native to the African desert--and can be found in a number of popular weight loss supplements such as TrimSpa and Phentramine. Although it is relatively new on the diet market, some people have experienced adverse reactions to it, and experts suggest that there may be a few potentially dangerous side effects of hoodia with extended use.

What Does Hoodia Do?

Hoodia does manage to reduce and sometimes eliminate the appetite, making it easier for people to eat much less than usual, and possibly skip meals altogether. The herb also prevents someone from feeling thirsty, and explains why many desert travelers have turned to hoodia; in these cases, it is used primarily as a survival strategy to manage extended days without food and water.

In the Western diet market, hoodia gordonii can be found in either a pure form, or as a main ingredient in many diet pills and weight loss supplements. Its primary role is to suppress the appetite and eliminate hunger for extended periods of time. However, some researchers believe that hoodia may be the cause of some unwanted side effects.

Choosing the Right Hoodia Supplement

Since hoodia gained popularity in the diet market, many drug manufacturers have started to sell fake versions of the product. Determining if you are purchasing the real hoodia product or a counterfeit version can be difficult. Online consumer journals and news sources suggest that almost 80% of hoodia pills are counterfeit products, and as a result, will not have the intended effect.

Common Side Effects of Hoodia

Hoodia has not yet been approved by the Food and Drug Administration, and it has not been tested extensively since its first appearance in the market. A few side effects of the herb may include:

• Liver problems and liver dysfunction

• Drug interactions, especially for people taking blood pressure medication

• Extremely low blood sugar which can be especially dangerous for people with diabetes

• Excessive dehydration, especially when the user does not feel thirsty

• Kidney problems and kidney disease

• Malnourishment since the dieter can forget to eat and reach starvation levels over the long term

A significant amount of hoodia is required to suppress the appetite, so users can become very dependent on the drug without extensive use. Hoodia doesn't work as effectively when the dieter consumes a lot of carbohydrates, so it's necessary to reduce carbohydrate intake significantly before the appetite can be suppressed significantly.

Bottom Line: Since hoodia has not been approved by the FDA, it is difficult to determine how effective and safe the herb may be in the long term. Dieters need to take a significant amount of the herb in order to experience an effect, and this can create a state of dependency. The active ingredients in hoodia supplements do suppress the appetite for extended periods of time, and this may help dieters who have difficulty with portion control and managing their daily caloric intake. However, long-term use may lead to a variety of health problems including liver and kidney disease.