Hoodia
Kalahari cactus, Xhoba
hoodia, Kalahari cactus, Xhoba
Hoodia gordonii
On this page:
- Introduction
- What Hoodia Is Used For
- How Hoodia Is Used
- What the Science Says
- Side Effects and Cautions
- Sources
- For More Information
Introduction
This fact sheet provides basic information about the herbA plant or part of a plant used for its flavor, scent, or potential therapeutic properties. Includes flowers, leaves, bark, fruit, seeds, stems, and roots. hoodia—common names, uses, potential side effects, and resources for more information. Hoodia is a flowering, cactus-like plant native to the Kalahari Desert in southern Africa. Its harvest is protected by conservation laws.
What Hoodia Is Used For
- Kalahari Bushmen have traditionally eaten hoodia stems to reduce their hunger and thirst during long hunts.
- Today, hoodia is marketed as an appetite suppressant for weight loss.
How Hoodia Is Used
- Dried extracts of hoodia stems and roots are used to make capsules, powders, and chewable tablets. Hoodia can also be used in liquid extracts and teas.
- Hoodia products often contain other herbs or minerals, such as green tea or chromium picolinate.
What the Science Says
There is no reliable scientific evidence to support hoodia’s use. No studies of the herb in people have been published.
Side Effects and Cautions
- Hoodia’s safety is unknown. Its potential risks, side effects, and interactions with medicines and other supplements have not been studied.
- The quality of hoodia products varies widely. News reports suggest that some products sold as hoodia do not contain any hoodia.
- Tell all your health care providers about any complementary and alternative practices you use. Give them a full picture of what you do to manage your health. This will help ensure coordinated and safe care. For tips about talking with your health care providers about CAMA group of diverse medical and health care systems, practices, and products that are not presently considered to be part of conventional medicine. Complementary medicine is used together with conventional medicine, and alternative medicine is used in place of conventional medicine., see NCCAM’s Time to Talk campaign.
Search the scientific literature for potential herb-drug interactions
Sources
- Hoodia. Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database Web site. Accessed at www.naturaldatabase.com on July 15, 2009.
- Hoodia (Hoodia gordonii). Natural Standard Database Web site. Accessed at www.naturalstandard.com on July 15, 2009.
For More Information
NCCAM Clearinghouse
The NCCAM Clearinghouse provides information on NCCAM and complementary health practices, including publications and searches of Federal databases of scientific and medical literature. The Clearinghouse does not provide medical advice, treatment recommendations, or referrals to practitioners.
CAM on PubMed®
Your literature search will be automatically limited to the complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) subset of PubMed.
Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS)
ODS seeks to strengthen knowledge and understanding of dietary supplements by evaluating scientific information, supporting research, sharing research results, and educating the public. Its resources include publications and the International Bibliographic Information on Dietary Supplements database.
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