Hoodia is a kind of flowering plant with a cactus-like look, with a strong odor, tan colour, and big blossoms. Hoodia has been utilized as an all-natural appetite suppressant and popular weight loss supplement. However, there are quite a few hoodia side effects to be wary of, and few benefits. These include gastrointestinal distress, liver impairment, diabetes risk, and more.
Increased Bleeding
Hoodia could cause increased bleeding times, according to Drugs.com. This implies that the blood is less able to clot lesions such as minor cuts and scrapes. You can bleed or bruise more readily when clotting, also known as coagulation, is affected. There is even a greater danger of bleeding if you are taking blood thinners like aspirin or Warfarin. Stop taking hoodia should you find blood-colored urine, bleeding gums, or bruises and ask your health care provider for help promptly.
Appetite Suppression and Malnutrition
Hoodia is utilized by individuals who desire to shed weight by relying on its appetite suppression properties. This plant was historically used by indigenous Africans for just that when hunting for days at any given time. The supplement helped them feel full without actually eating. But the body has to ingest nutrients to function properly and healthfully, meaning that while skipping meals and not taking in enough nutrients can result in weight loss, it can also result in malnutrition.
Gastrointestinal Distress
The overconsumption of hoodia might overwhelm your belly, causing gastrointestinal distress. When this happens, you may experience constant stomach cramps, headaches, vomiting, upset stomach, and diarrhea.
Elevated Blood Pressure and Stress
It’s crucial that you keep track of your blood pressure while taking hoodia, as raised blood pressure may have no symptoms until it’s too late. Many people do report headaches with really high blood pressure levels. Nervousness and stress may change your activities of everyday living. Contact your healthcare provider if one or more of the symptoms above are something you’re experiencing.
Liver Damage
Some research indicates hoodia may be dangerous to your liver though there is certainly limited scientific data to date. Your liver may possibly have trouble processing a number of the compounds present in hoodia, which might result in injury to liver cells. Because it may worsen your state, it’s not wise to take hoodia for weight reduction, should you currently have any sort of problems with your liver.
Diabetes
Hoodia isn’t suggested for people who suffer from type I or adult-onset diabetes, or people who are prediabetics with a chronically raised fasting blood sugar levels. Compounds in hoodia might deceive your brain into believing blood glucose levels are greater than they really are.
Drug Interactions
Hoodia might have untoward effects on prescription medicines used to treat hypertension, cholesterol, diabetes, depression, and hypertension. Hoodia could cause your veins to dilate, which could drop your blood pressure to dangerous levels, particularly if you’re already taking drugs that lower blood pressure. Hoodia might reduce the efficacy of these drugs, making your condition worse, if you’re taking medicines for depression, stress, or other mental illnesses.
Hoodia Benefits
Weight Reduction
This herbal supplement includes the active component P57, and that may help promote weight reduction in the body by suppressing appetite and burning fats. Make certain to talk with your own physician for more info when it comes to the appropriate treatment alternatives for yourself.
Indigestion
The Drugs.com site also states that patients also have said they’ve experienced indigestion relief related to gastric acid build-up within the human body after taking hoodia gordonii supplements. As a way to find out more about the potential effects hoodia gordonii has on gastric acid, be certain to consult with a specialist or speak to your own physician prior to herbal consumption.