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Hoodia Gordonii
A succulent traditionally chewed by the San people of southern Africa to blunt hunger on long hunts, heavily marketed as a 'natural appetite suppressant.' The one rigorous human RCT found NO effect on appetite or body weight — and MORE adverse effects (raised blood pressure, heart rate, nausea) than placebo.
What the evidence says
Most Hoodia studies are mechanism or observational rather than RCTs that measure a clinical effect — keep findings provisional.
Most evidence is from medium-quality randomised trials published 2011–2016 with a typical study size of 60 participants.
Based on 3 studies · 2 RCTs · 109 total participants
Confidence
LowBy outcome
Hoodia has an evidence score of 1.5/10 — emerging evidence based on 3 indexed studies. A succulent traditionally chewed by the San people of southern Africa to blunt hunger on long hunts, heavily marketed as a 'natural appetite suppressant.' The one rigorous human RCT found NO effect on appetite or body weight — and MORE adverse effects (raised blood pressure, heart rate, nausea) than placebo. Representative study: PMID 21993434.
The commonly studied dose of Hoodia is No recommended dose — there is no credible evidence of benefit; the trial used 2x 1110mg purified extract daily and saw no efficacy but adverse effects. Individual needs vary — start at the lower end of the range and adjust based on how you respond.
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Last reviewed June 2026 · evidence from 3 studies · how we score
This information is for educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before starting, stopping, or changing any supplement or medication.
Hoodia gordonii is a spiny succulent from the Kalahari, traditionally used by the San people to suppress hunger and thirst during long hunting trips. Its purported active ingredient is the steroidal glycoside P57, and animal studies once suggested appetite suppression — which fueled an intense, controversial wave of weight-loss marketing. The honest reality is unfavorable: when Hoodia gordonii purified extract was finally tested in a rigorous randomized controlled trial in overweight women, it produced NO significant effect on ad libitum energy intake or body weight versus placebo, and it was LESS well tolerated — causing nausea, vomiting, skin-sensation disturbances, and significant increases in blood pressure, pulse, heart rate, bilirubin, and alkaline phosphatase. A follow-up study of the bitter taste component likewise found no meaningful effect on intake. There is no credible human evidence that Hoodia helps with weight or appetite, and there are real safety signals (cardiovascular, GI, liver enzymes). This is a traditional remedy whose modern weight-loss claims are not supported and may carry risk.
The steroidal glycoside P57 was hypothesized to act on hypothalamic satiety pathways — but oral bioavailability is limited, P57 was not detected in brain after oral dosing in mice, and the proposed mechanism did not translate to appetite suppression in the human trial.
How Hoodia works — from molecular targets to health outcomes. Click an edge to see supporting research.This visualization is in beta — pathways are being refined and expanded.
No recommended dose — there is no credible evidence of benefit; the trial used 2x 1110mg purified extract daily and saw no efficacy but adverse effects
Can be taken without food
| Form | Type |
|---|---|
| 💊Not recommended | Recommended |
No form has credible human evidence of benefit. Commercial products are commonly adulterated and quality is hard to verify.
Minimum: 2 weeks
Optimal: 4 weeks
Cycling: Not required
Note: No effective regimen established; not recommended for weight management.
Dose-response data unavailable. The current published research for Hoodia does not provide sufficient dose-specific outcome data to generate reliable dose-response curves.
Refer to the Dosage & Timing section above for recommended dose ranges based on available evidence.
The rigorous human RCT found no significant difference in energy intake or body weight versus placebo.
The extract raised blood pressure, pulse, and heart rate and caused nausea/vomiting more than placebo.
Avoid — extract raised blood pressure and heart rate in trial subjects.
Avoid — extract raised bilirubin and alkaline phosphatase.
Avoid — no safety data and adverse-effect signals.
Hoodia extract significantly raised blood pressure, pulse, and heart rate in trial subjects — may oppose blood-pressure-lowering therapy or stress the cardiovascular system.
Effects on appetite and metabolism are unproven and could complicate glycemic management; monitor if used.
Tip: Discontinue use
Tip: Avoid use, especially with cardiovascular conditions
Tip: Discontinue use
Tip: Avoid if liver markers are abnormal; discontinue use
Both are popular weight-loss botanicals with weak or negative human evidence; pairing them does not overcome the lack of demonstrated benefit.
No established benefit — both have thin or negative weight-loss evidence.
Glucomannan is a soluble fiber with modest satiety evidence and is sometimes marketed alongside Hoodia; the combination's benefit comes from the fiber, not Hoodia.
Any satiety effect is attributable to glucomannan fiber, not Hoodia.
Timing is flexible for Hoodia — consistent daily use matters more than the time of day. No effective dose exists; the studied dose produced adverse effects without benefit, so no dosing recommendation is given.
Hoodia should be used with caution — talk to a healthcare provider before taking it. The most commonly reported side effects are nausea and vomiting, increased blood pressure, pulse, and heart rate, disturbances of skin sensation. Use caution if any of these apply to you: Hypertension or cardiovascular disease; Liver disease or abnormal liver enzymes; Pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Absorbs up to 50x its weight in water, creating strong satiety — supports weight loss, blood sugar regulation, and cholesterol reduction.
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