After the immense reaction to the diet supplement Hoodia became a craze in the diet industry and the world 60 Minutes the weekly TV news show did a report on the Hoodia Cactus plant. This article will discuss what was revealed in the 60 Minutes report.

Hoodia stands out in sharp contrast to its dietary counterparts, Phenfen and Ephedra both of which have been banned due to adverse side effects. Science has found through research that Hoodia in fact does trick the brain into believing it is full and this feeling of fullness does indeed last all day.

The 60 Minutes Report , done by Investigative Reporter Lesley Stahl found that “ Hoodia , a plant that tricks the brain by making the stomach feel full, has been the diet of the South Africa's San Bushmen for thousands of years.” The Hoodia cactus plant is only found in the home of San Bushmen, the Kalahari Desert and they have used this plant for 100,000 years.  

Hoodia's Effectiveness - real or not?

During Ms. Stahl's report from South Africa , her guide Toppies Kruiper found a plate and cut off a piece of the stalk of the cactus plant and let Ms. Stahl try it.  She claimed that she had no side effects that would be found with known diet aids like Ephedra, no racing pulse or queasiness and no aftertaste in her mouth as well. She stated it did in fact work and she experienced no hunger during the entire day.

Hoodia first came to the attention of scientists during a study concerning the various foods used by the Bushmen. Hoodia's affects on animals was looked at and what was found was the animals that ingested the Hoodia lost weight. The results of the research did not come to light for many decades and there was a 30 year time span of research work just to isolate the active ingredient in the Hoodia plant. Phytophram the company who now owns the rights to the active ingredient P57, spent over $25 million dollars in extensive research and clinical trials with volunteers which brought forth the potential benefits of the plant on dieters.

In the research preformed, it was found that men and women who used Hoodia ingested 1000 less calories that those in the control group. Thanks to this 60 minutes report on Hoodia we now know where this wonder plant is from and what its benefits and uses are.