Hoodia gordonii is the newest weight loss wonder garnering major media attention.

If you still haven't heard about it yet, you will soon.

Unfortunately, there is a rising tide of spam for hoodia products as well, as often happens with this sort of thing, so separating the facts from hype is important.

We will present some facts about hoodia for your knowledge, and even know it won't be as sexy sounding as the hype, you'll at least be able to make a better informed choice regarding if hoodia is something you'd like to consider using or not.

Hoodia Gordonii Facts

• Hoodia is not a stimulant like ephedra. It does not elevate the heart rate or rev up your metabolism.

• The best clinical study done to date was conducted by Phytopharm, which owns the patent rights to the active ingredient, called P57. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled scientific study, the morbidly obese participants using P57 consumed 1,000 less calories per day on average than the control group.

• Hoodia gordonii can be sold by other companies than Phytopharm because patent protection does not extend to the entire plant.

• No company other than Phytopharm can claim their hoodia products have been proven effective for weight loss until they are in clinical studies.

• More studies need to be conducted for longer periods of time and with more participants to validate hoodia gordonii.

• Although hoodia has no known adverse side effects, this does not necessarily mean it is safe. It may interact negatively with prescription or over-the-counter medications.

• Hoodia works by tricking the brain into thinking you're full even when you haven't eaten because it mimics glucose, which is what we get from food.

• Diabetics should be especially careful when using hoodia gordonii because they may suffer from low blood sugar levels and not be aware of it.

• There are over a dozen types of hoodia plant but only hoodia gordonii harbors appetite suppressing effects.

• Hoodia gordonii is often called a cactus, but it's actually a succulent.

• Hoodia gordonii is a rare, limited supply commodity protected by international trade laws, and permits to grow and import it are not easily obtained.

• Many products on the market have been shown to not even contain hoodia that claim they do. Buyer beware.

• Hoodia Gordonii has been used for thousands of years as an appetite and thirst suppressant by the Sans Bushmen of the Kalahari Desert.