Hoodia gordonii is a popular weight loss supplement that has helped many people control their appetite and lose weight. Unfortunately, it is at risk of being banned by the FDA. Is it unsafe? Are we facing another ban such as the ban with ephedra?
Ephedra was banned after its use was connected with the deaths of some young women who habitually used the product. The strong stimulant appetite suppressant caused cardiac complications.
Now hoodia supplements have come under speculation, but it is not about safety issues; at least not directly. Hoodia is a relatively safe appetite suppressant because it is not a stimulant. Instead it fools the brain into thinking you do not need to eat even though your blood glucose levels have dropped to a level where the brain normally signals hunger.
Unless you are diabetic, this effect usually helps you surpass an appetite that became out of control over the years. Diabetics need to monitor their blood glucose levels, so hoodia is not advised for diabetic patients. Hoodia is rather innocuous for the rest of us. In fact, some proponents of stimulant type appetite suppressants feel hoodia is too mild.
The reason hoodia is under speculation is due to a myriad of con artists who are selling fake hoodia and others who are offering free samples only to sign users up for an auto-shipment program and charging their credit cards for additional shipments. Both scams are costing consumers hundreds of dollars.
The frenzy over hoodia created a situation where legitimate companies were selling pure hoodia supplements at a premium price, and other companies low-balled the pricing. Unfortunately, this was not a situation where companies were seeking to make revenue via higher quantity of sales with lower cost per unit. Their profit margin swelled due to the actual product they were selling: fake hoodia.
Low-balling is an age-old revenue tactic that does not really need explanation, but the cost of pure hoodia and its scarcity is a bit more interesting. Hoodia gordonii is a cactus that grows in South Africa. It takes 3 years for the hoodia plants to mature, and they are very difficult to cultivate outside their natural climate. They are subject to fungus infections. They are not very pleasant to grow either because the scent of their blossoms is akin to rotting flesh. This scent draws flies for necessary pollination.
All of this drove the pricing up, and the eventual regulation of its sale due to illegal black markets. South Africa now requires a C.I.T.E.S. certification to obtain hoodia. Hoodia is also difficult to grow conventionally, so this also lends to the high price.
If you want to benefit from hoodia while you can, you should expect to pay a fair price for the product; fair in this case meaning a bit pricey. If you find cheap hoodia, it probably is not the real deal, or it contains such low amounts of pure hoodia, it will not be effective.
Do you know which hoodia brand you can depend on? Go there now and discover our preferred hoodia brand.
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