Is there any such thing as real Hoodia on the market?

[benburch]

Or is it ALL fake?

The 60 Minutes piece from last year was clear that the company which identified the active compound and patented it would not be marketing it for several more years, and that anything on the market called H57 would be an infringement and likely fake, but what of botanical extracts?

Thanks in advance!

[auntAgonist]

1. I don't see 60 minutes, no cable here

I haven't heard about Hoodia. What is it?

aA

[benburch]

2. A cactus-like plant from South Africa.

The Bushmen use it to suppress hunger and thirst when they are hunting.

Eating a relatively tiny amount of the green part of the plant keeps you from wanting food or water AT ALL for a couple of days.

An English company has isolated the active component and is working on a drug, and reportedly is asking the Bushmen to cultivate it for them.

South Africa has banned the export of any Hoodia except for botanical specimens.

So, any real Hoodia on the market would have to be grown elsewhere or have been exported before the law was passed in 2004.

[proud patriot]

3. Bummer

I just bought some . guess I was duped .

[supernova]

4. I've been afraid to buy it

for that reason. I saw tht 60 minutes piece too.

[Lex]

6. this recent article

or press release identifies some companies that have passed the purity test for hoodia:

http://www.npicenter.com/anm/templates/newsATemp.aspx?articleid=19689&zoneid=2

[Lex]

5. A bit of an update here.

Costco is carrying what seems to be the real deal:

http://www.longlifeproducts.com/hoodia-sp.htm

[Wapsie B]

7. Is there a way to order this online?

I see contact info but no ordering information.

[supernova]

9. Costco has it online

but you have to be a member.

[Wapsie B]

10. I'm assuming you can get a new membership online.

If not I'll have to wait a couple weeks until I get to West Des Moines.

[supernova]

11. I thought not, but looking at the web site

again, it appears that you can. Though you have to register at the site like any other online store.

You can buy a regular "Gold Star" membership for 50$/year, or a Business membership for $100/year (you get about a 2% rebate on purchases every year). I don't know what happens after that. Normally at the store they will swipe your bar code when you check out. I don't know if you have to wait for the card to come in the mail.

[Wapsie B]

12. Thanks for the info.

I'll check it out.

[supernova]

8. Oooh thanks!

Looks like they have resolved whatever production issues they had since that 60 minutes story. I'll stop by Costco on Monday, since I need to renew my membership anyway.

I just didn't want to waste my money on whatever they substituted for the real plant.

[Wapsie B]

13. I just got my bottle yesterday and took my first tablet this morning.

I don't know how this is supposed to work but I'll only take one a day for awhile and see how it goes. I do wonder what is the average time for seeing results in decreasing the appetite with this real Hoodia?