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Brent A. Bauer, M.D.
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Brent A. Bauer, M.D.
Brent A. Bauer, M.D.
Brent Bauer, M.D., is board certified in internal medicine. He is a consultant in the Department of Internal Medicine and director of the Department of Internal Medicine's Complementary and Integrative Medicine Program at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Dr. Bauer, a native of Madison, Wis., is also an associate professor of medicine at Mayo Medical School and a graduate of Mayo Medical School.
He serves on the editorial board of the Mayo Clinic Health Letter and EmbodyHealth Newsletter and has been with Mayo Clinic since 1992, first practicing at Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, Ariz., before joining Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn., in 1996.
Dr. Bauer's principal research focus is the scientific evaluation of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies that patients and consumers are using with increasing frequency. He has authored several book chapters and papers on this topic, and is the medical editor of the "Mayo Clinic Book of Alternative Medicine." Dr. Bauer also spearheaded a collaboration between Mayo Clinic and Gaiam in the creation of a series of 10 DVDs (Mayo Clinic Wellness Solutions). These DVDs address common health problems (for example, diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure) with integrative medicine approaches that empower people to take charge of their health.
Dr. Bauer is a member of NIH-NCCAM study section and is currently collaborating on over 20 studies being conducted at Mayo Clinic evaluating CAM therapies ranging from acupuncture to valerian. He is also a member of Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society; the American Federation for Medical Research; the North Central Cancer Treatment Group and other professional organizations.
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Question
Hoodia: Does this dietary supplement help weight loss?
Is hoodia an effective appetite suppressant?
Answer
from Brent A. Bauer, M.D.
Although hoodia is marketed as an appetite suppressant that aids in weight loss, there's no solid evidence that hoodia is effective.
Hoodia — whose scientific name is Hoodia gordonii — is a succulent plant that grows in the Kalahari Desert in southern Africa. Interest in its use for possible appetite control and weight loss was piqued because of reports that native Africans use hoodia to reduce hunger during long hunts. However, there's no solid evidence from scientifically sound clinical trials that hoodia is an effective tool for weight loss.
Still, some dietary supplement manufacturers market products containing hoodia as a way to suppress appetite and aid in weight loss. Herbal and dietary supplements don't require approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) before going on the market. But the FDA has warned some manufacturers of hoodia products to stop making unsubstantiated and misleading claims about weight loss. Evidence about the safety of hoodia is also lacking. And there have been past reports that products promoted and sold as hoodia supplements don't actually contain any hoodia.
Next questionWater retention: Are there any natural diuretics?
- Hoodia. Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. http://www.mskcc.org/mskcc/print/69255.cfm. Accessed July 21, 2009.
- Hoodia. Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database. http://www.naturaldatabase.com. Accessed July 21, 2009.
- Bray GA, et al. Drug therapy of obesity. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed July 14, 2009.
- Hollander JM, et al. Complementary and alternative medicine and the management of the metabolic syndrome. Journal of the American Dietetic Association. 2008;108:495.
