With about $400 billion spent on weight loss products each year, the U.S. and other overweight nations are constantly looking for new ways to lose weight. As a result, fad diets and new weight loss pills continue to spring up and promise to cure obesity.

Two new pills advertised extensively as appetite suppressants are the weight loss supplements Hoodia Gordonii and Akavar 20/50. Examining how these products came to be and the differences between the two will give you a solid idea of which product works.

Hoodia Gordonii

Hoodia looks similar to a cactus plant and grows primarily in the deserts of South Africa. Much of Hoodia's popularity comes from claims that the San Bushment of the Kalahari Desert have relied on this plant for thousands of years to ward off hunger and thirst pangs during long hunting trips. This Hoodia hype began after 60 Minutes correspondent Leslie Stahl and crew traveled to Africa and tried Hoodia. The crew endorsed its hunger-stopping ability with Stahl describing the plant as
"cucumbery in texture, but not bad." She reported that she lost the desire to eat and drink the entire day. She also reported that she didn't experience any side effects after eating the plant.

Although there are over 13 types of Hoodia species, it seems that only the Hoodia Gordonii variation contains the natural appetite suppressant. After 30 years of studies, scientists isolated the active ingredient in Hoodia as a steroidal glycoside termed p57. This active ingredient was isolated by the U.S. pharmaceutical giant Pfizer, who initially spent over $20 million researching the plant, attempting to take p57 and synthesize it into capsules to treat obesity. In 2002, Pfizer abandoned the plan and released the rights to the ingredients. As a result, there has been speculation that p57 is too difficult to synthesize, and thus that Hoodia is not as beneficial as the claims tell.

Although there are no published randomized controlled trials in humans to show the general population that Hoodia is safe to take, there are plenty of Hoodia products on the market. It is sold in capsule, powder, liquid, and tea form in health food stores and on the Internet. Many diet pills, such as Trimspa, also claim to have Hoodia in their products although if they do they are miniscule amounts. Unfortunately, most Hoodia products are counterfeit as they do not contain pure Hoodia. There is also no way to tell if a product is pure Hoodia yet, although there are several products which some manufacturers have tested and claim to be pure.

After researching and comparing Hoodia products on the internet I would advise you to be cautious when taking this product, as no one really knows if the product works adequately other than in its pure plant form.

Akavar 20/50

Akavar 20/50 is a popular European weight loss supplement that was released in the U.S. in August 2007. It is ultimately a caloric restrictor. It suppresses your appetite and slightly elevates your metabolism so that you eat less and lose weight. It does this by altering your hunger hormone and delaying gastric processing. In plain terms, it helps you feel full for a longer period of time so you eat less at every meal, thereby losing weight. As an appetite suppressant, it won't give you jitters or cause other side effect, which may explain why most people prefer this product over other weight loss pills.

Unlike Hoodia, Akavar conducted a clinical study before releasing the product and did years of extensive research. The clinical study of consisted of 24 participants. Out of those 24 participants, 23 of them lost weight while taking Akavar. Therefore, Akavar is estimated to work for most people as an effective way to lose weight. Unlike Hoodia, Akavar's manufacturers offer a money-back guarantee.

Although Dynakor Pharmacal says that you can take Akavar without diet and exercise and still successfully lose weight, it's wise to eat healthy and exercise to maintain long-term weight loss and a healthy weight.

Most people that take Akavar report that they feel less inclined to eat a large quantity of food. They also appreciate that Akavar does not make them jittery or nauseous like other weight loss pills with high levels of herbs similar to caffeine. It successfully suppresses their appetite. Overall, Akavar 20/50 seems to be an effective, tested and safe weight loss supplement over Hoodia.