Hoodia FAQ: Which Hoodia Gordonii is Authentic?

We looked at the “Hoodia FAQ” page of many different company’s websites that are currently selling or that intend to sell a hoodia product. Other than what is hoodia gordonii, how does it work and is it safe, the most frequently asked questions at these sites revolve around which hoodia gordonii is authentic.

Just about every health supplement company that sells a hoodia gordonii appetite suppressant has a hoodia FAQ page on its website. We were curious about the “most” frequently asked questions as reported by the different companies and by Phytopharm, who is not presently selling a hoodia product, but maintains a website specifically for hoodia FAQ. What is it, how does it work and is it safe appear to be the most frequently asked questions, but lately company’s have had to support their claims about the authenticity of the hoodia gordonii they are selling. So, which hoodia gordonii is authentic? First we have to define what “authentic hoodia gordonii” means and why there is any question.

When it comes to something like “green tea”, there is never any question about authenticity. Green tea is so common that no one has ever been accused of selling “counterfeit green tea”. When it comes to hoodia gordonii, questions about authenticity arise because of accusations that some companies were selling counterfeit hoodia gordoni. This accounts for the appearance of “which hoodia gordonii is authentic” on hoodia FAQ pages. It is unclear at this time whether the fake hoodia gordonii claims were true or a creation of rival companies, trying to increase their share of the market. There was a spam letter about a hoodia product that was sent to a very large number of e-mail addresses, but no one knows if anyone actually sent money to these spammers.

It is relatively simple to tell which hoodia gordonii is authentic or at least appears to be authentic. Most companies have a certifications page or it may be included as part of their hoodia FAQ page. Certifications for authentic hoodia gordonii will include a CITES license for exporting hoodia gordonii from South Africa. Some companies have analytical reports which are completed by independent laboratories verifying the products as hoodia gordonii and sometimes indicating the presence of the p57 molecule. A phyto-sanitary document is sometimes included, depending on whether the company imports the hoodia themselves or buys from a wholesale distributor of bulk ingredients. Customers can buy products from companies which display documents like these with relative confidence. A money back guarantee also helps.

From Phytopharm’s official hoodia FAQ comes the question; are other products that claim to contain hoodia the same as Phytopharm’s products? This may be the ultimate which hoodia gordonii is authentic question. Phytopharm’s answer is that only their product, which will not be available for several years, is “botanically verified to contain pure hoodia gordonii and has quantified levels of the chemical constituents that produce the anti-obesity effects…has had extensive safety studies performed and been clinically proven to reduce calorie intake and body fat.” How Phytopharm knows that only their product has been verified is unclear and leads to another hoodia FAQ. Are hoodia products currently on the market effective appetite suppressants? This appears to vary on an individual basis. An informal study by Dr. Joseph Varallo suggests that at least one hoodia product appears to be an effective appetites suppressant. You can read Dr. Varallo’s complete conclusions at the Desert Burn website. Our final answer to the hoodia FAQ; which hoodia gordonii is authentic? Only a chemist or botanist can tell for sure.

For more hoodia FAQ, visit the Hoodia Info Blog at http://hoodiainfo.blogspot.com.

Patsy Hamilton is an editor for the Hoodia Info Blog.

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