According to
Hoodia, the
hypothalamus is the organ affected by the P57 molecule because
it's the location of the "nerve cells” that sense glucose sugar.
When you eat, the blood sugar goes up because of the food, and
these cells start firing, so you feel full. What the
Hoodia seems to
contain is a molecule that is about 100,000 times as active as
glucose. It goes to the hypothalamus and actually makes those
nerve cells fire as if you were full. But you have not eaten and
nor do you want to.
Phytopharm performed the
first test, choosing rats because they are "creatures who will eat
literally anything." When they fed them
Hoodia, the
rats stopped eating completely.
Of course that is
just one study, but if
Hoodia works in
Phase II of Clinical trials now underway, Hoodia may
be the answer to a great many problems although it could also
cause as many as it cures.
It's one thing to REDUCE
someone's appetite but eliminating it altogether is dangerous.
There is the distinct possibility that people with eating
disorders will somehow con their physicians out of it or possibly
it will become available on the black market.
On the other hand, there
is no doubt it would be preferable to current thermogenics and
diuretics for athletes who need to make weight but who understand
nutrition well enough to return to their normal, and usually
healthy, eating habits once their competition or event is over.
The one thing it will not
do is correct the choice of foods. All those obese folks who eat
fast food will still eat it. Granted, they will eat much less of
it, but unless they are also given vitamins and anti-oxidants and
counseled in good nutritional practices, they could very well
continue to compromise their health.
