For one, it works to control your appetite because of a component contained in this South African cactus. p57 behaves like glucose in your body which tricks your brain into thinking you have already eaten. Hunger is signaled by the brain when blood glucose levels drop, so by mimicking glucose, p57 controls your appetite.
Because of this ability, people who are diabetic or hypoglycemic and relying on steady glucose levels to manage their disease should not use hoodia. However, it may be just the ticket for the person who has been eating too many overly processed, refined carbohydrates that contain high amounts of sugar. Your body may be in such a state that it becomes hungry before your glucose levels drop to a significantly low level.
In addition to understanding how hoodia works, you need to check on a few things before you buy hoodia.
The company needs to be CITES certified and authorized to trade legally with South Africa. Because of its popularity, hoodia was being traded illegally, so the South African government placed restrictions on who was able to buy hoodia in an attempt to control its sale. Both the website and product will have a C.I.T.E.S. seal somewhere on the page, label or packaging.
Secondly, make sure when you buy hoodia that the product uses 100% pure hoodia. Not only will the C.I.T.E.S. certification ensure this, but an independent laboratory analysis is necessary to prove the merit of the product. Even if the product was purchased legally, some companies may use small amounts in their products to lower the cost. If this is the case, the hoodia supplement will be weak and ineffective.
You will also want to take note of any other ingredients in the supplement. Often times, hoodia supplements will contain other weight loss aids. You need to research these components as well to ensure they do not have any harmful effects. For instance, ephedra was a popular stimulant used to control appetite and stimulate weight loss. Though it has been banned in the United States, it is still sold on the internet. It was banned after the use of ephedra diet pills was implicated in the deaths of young women.
Caffeine is also another popular additive to hoodia supplements, and though some people may tolerate it well, others who are sensitive to caffeinated beverages should avoid these types of supplements.
Looking fantastic is a great thing. Just be sure you do your homework so you are not doing more harm than good!
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