What is Phytopharmas Hoodia Gordonii?
Phytopharm is the British pharmaceutical company, which has the patent rights to develop Hoodia products that contain pure Hoodia Gordonii. In other words, the Hoodia Gordonii product coming from Phytopharm, contains the correct level of the chemical constituent P57, which produces the effect of weight loss.
In Phytopharm’s website, the company states “Importantly, only Phytopharm’s Hoodia gordonii product has had extensive safety studies performed and been clinically proven to reduce calorie intake and body fat.” This means that since Phytopharm has got the patent protection on P57, they can extract, isolate, purify, or alter the anti-obesity P57 molecule and sell it in a product.
So does this mean that other companies who sell Hoodia products are not selling genuine or effective products? Not so! But you must be aware of the implications of taking such Hoodia products.
Since, the patent to alter, purify or isolate Hoodia Gordonii’s P57 molecule is with Phytopharm, other companies selling Hoodia non-prescription supplements, provide it in the form of ground up Hoodia Gordonii plant. Their argument is that they are presenting Hoodia to consumers in the way that’s closer to the way the Sans Bushmen consume it, as opposed to taking in the form in which it is sold by Phytopharm’s (which is by isolating or purifying the P57 molecule).
The catch here is that though the Hoodia products sold by these companies contain natural Hoodia Gordonii and it’s active ingredient, they cannot claim it has quantifiable levels of P57 to cause weight loss or that their product has been proven as a weight loss aid. They also cannot claim their products have been extensively tested for safety. Their only argument is that the San bushman have taken it for centuries without any side effects and they are presenting it to consumer in the form eaten by these Bushmen (without altering, purifying or isolating the active ingredient molecule).
So these supplements need not be safe for everyone and it a factor to consider when purchasing supplements from companies other than from Phytopharm.
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