Why would NOW Mega Hoodia focus on hoodia as the name obviously implies? Hoodia is one of the most popular ingredients that has been hyped up with makers promising to promote clinically proven weight loss results with the ultimate appetite suppressant.

Advertisers and retailers have pointed to celebrities who have supposedly used hoodia in the past, saying that hoodia and therefore products like NOW Mega Hoodia by extension have been featured on ABC, 60 minutes, and the infamous Oprah, just like several other supplements (like the top 10 superfoods).

Let’s start by taking a closer look at hoodia.

Hoodia is a popular cactus that is only found in South Africa. There are quite a few different types of hoodia, but hoodia gordonii is the one that we focus on as a dieting society. It has been used by the native Kalahari bushmen for generations to stave off hunger during extended hunting trips, which sounds pretty good, even if these people are not technically in the market to lose weight.

Believe it or not, hoodia gordonii is actually considered to be an endangered species, and obviously it has a place in traditional beliefs and practices. You would think that the South African government would automatically work to protect this, but obviously it’s more about money, because there are plenty of hoodia products to be had.

Given the explosive demand, we are not actually sure that so many products have real hoodia. It’s a bit questionable, and it’s completely possible that some take shortcuts. However, the most important part is still the studies that currently don’t exist. That is, studies that prove that hoodia suppresses appetite in humans don’t exist. Do you even want authentic hoodia? We think not. So far however it’s all the same to us.

What we do look for when it comes to hoodia products is a list of other ingredients that are clinically proven to promote healthy weight loss results. Silly us. While NOW is a big reputable company, NOW Mega Hoodia does not have any other clinically proven ingredients.

If you have already bought NOW Mega Hoodia, we don’t think you’ll get your money back. You could try to resell it or just eat the cost, it only costs $12. However, we still think your $12 would be better spent even on another NOW or a more diverse hoodia product that is stronger.