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Disease-specific stem cells to boost research Ars Technica - 5 hours ago By John Timmer | Published: August 11, 2008 - 02:19PM CT The promise of stem cells is usually presented in terms of cells that are perfectly healthy, and therefore can be used to repair damaged tissue. New Technique in Stem Cell Creation Aids Research ToTheCenter.com Disease-Specific Stem Cell Lines Developed Washington Post Reuters - Politicker NH - Bloomberg - eFluxMedia all 620 news articles

Gotten any email spam lately with a 'warning' about buying fake Hoodia products or ones with a variety of fillers?

Of course, they assure you that THEIR product is 'the original product.' It may be the original product, whatever that might mean, but the chances of it containing Hoodia are pretty close to zero.

Or maybe you're getting the spam about Hoodia 92--, whatever, or one about getting into skinny jeans or having men chase you, or the brickwall last 18 pounds spam with the large "disc0unts". Obviously the spammers see this as a potentially lucrative market. If any of the spam tempts you, you really need to be aware of a few things about this product.

The whole diet area is scam heaven for unscrupulous, dishonest con artists selling products that do nothing and cost a lot. The few legitimate ones can be nearly impossible to identify among the fakes.

Legally, only one company has the license to market Hoodia gordonii, as a weight loss product. It has been patented by CSIR (the South African Council for Scientific and Industrial Research) and patents have been submitted in territories all over the world. Exclusive license for these patents belongs to Phytopharm, a bio-pharmaceutical company.

The main problem is that the active ingredient is buy bulk lcarnitine from a slow growing succulent (it looks sort of like a cactus) which grows wild in limited areas in South Africa, Namibia and Botswana. While not endangered (yet), it is listed in Appendix II of CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora). That means there are legal controls on collecting the plant and on exporting it.

Hoodia contains a molecule called P57 (catchy name, isn't it?). According to Phytopharm's Dr Richard Dixey, P57 essentially tricks the brain into feeling full. No side effects except a sense of feeling good have yet been identified but clinical trials are still underway to ensure that the extract is safe. Unfortunately, while P57 can be artificially made, the process cannot be scaled up to produce commercial quantities at affordable prices.

Phytopharm is, however, in the process of developing extensive plantations. This takes time since Hoodia has never been cultivated before and all the problems of pests, plant diseases, correct growing conditions, etc. have to be figured out.

What all this really means is that right now the quantities of real Hoodia available are extremely natural methyl sulfonyl methane Some legitimate supplement companies have even been scammed by their suppliers into believing that they were receiving the real goods when they were getting roots, other succulents, sawdust, etc.

As a consumer, you are buy bulk caffeine to get burned buying any weight loss product that is supposed to contain Hoodia unless it has been licensed by Phytopharm. Food supplements (NOT labeled as a weight loss product) may or may not contain any of the actual plant product. Ones that may actually contain Hoodia may not have enough to have any weight loss effect. Some may contain parts of the plant, but not the active ingredient (that P57 molecule).

At this point, Phytopharm is planning to bring out various food products containing Hoodia gordonii, hopefully by 2008.

Meanwhile, unless it's a Pytopharm product, if it claims to be Hoodia and to be for weight loss, at the very least the marketing is illegal and infringes on Phytopharm's rights, and, most probably, the product has either none of the necessary product or too little to be effective.

Once real Hoodia products do become more widely available, they could be extremely helpful in weight reduction and appetite control. But now? Over the internet? Scams seem to rule, so be prepared to waste your money. While it certainly appears to work - and probably is safe, your chances of actually getting any of the genuine active ingredient, unless you are very careful, make focusing on maintaining a workable diet and exercise program a much more certain alternative for losing weight.

Copyright 2006 Richard Keir

Richard writes on a variety of health and niche subjects. If you're interested in low carb (be careful with this kind of diet, it may be unsafe), Recipe Werkz has low carb recipes and articles on diet and nutrition as well as an online Low Carb Dieting Secrets manual.

posted by backfootdrivewlbkdfs  # 5:32 PM 0 comments