Hoodia for Weight Management

Research suggests that Hoodia gordonii, a succulent plant traditionally used as a food source by indigenous peoples of southern Africa, has attracted commercial interest as a weight management ingredient due to compounds called steroid glycosides that were identified in preclinical work as potentially having appetite-suppressant activity. However, the available clinical evidence does not support its effectiveness for this purpose: the only randomized controlled trial identified, which tested a standardized Hoodia extract in overweight women over 15 days, found no significant reduction in food intake or body weight compared to placebo. Studies indicate that safety is also a meaningful concern, as that same trial observed increases in blood pressure, heart rate, and liver-related markers, along with reports of nausea, vomiting, and skin sensations in participants receiving the extract. A 2016 review of weight loss supplements echoed these concerns, concluding that the evidence for Hoodia, alongside many other marketed supplements, is currently insufficient to recommend its use for weight management.