Hoodia Supplement

Hoodia is not a drug. Hoodia is not a medicine.

Hoodia is a supplement. Any hoodia sold on the market today must be approved as a dietary supplement. The FDA regulations applied to hoodia as a supplement are the DSHEA (Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994) which rules the manufacturing and sales of any dietary supplement. The DSHEA amended the Federal Food, Cosmetic and Drug Act, defined the term supplement and established a regulatory framework for them.

Dietary supplements are defined as products that, among other requirements, are intended to supplement the diet and contains a vitamin or a mineral, an herb or other botanical, an amino acid, a dietary substance to complement the diet or a concentrate, metabolite, constituent, extract or a combination of the preceeding ingredientes, under certain criteria.

Under DSHEA, the Food and Drug Administration is responsible for taking action against any dietary supplement that may posses unreasonable or significant risk of injury or illness, or when labelling is false or misleading. One issue related to labelling is the discussion about hoodia, and if it may be considered a weight loss product or just as an appetite suppressing supplement.

Remember: Hoodia is a supplement not a drug.