Hoodia, a natural appetite suppressant is earning attention as a potentially powerful weapon in the war against obesity and the American focus on losing weight.

Hoodia supplements were just introduced to the U.S. market in early 2004. Hoodia Gordonii looks like a cactus, but it's actually a succulent from the Kalahari Desert in southern Africa. Bushmen from the area have been using Hoodia for centuries to help ward off hunger during long trips in the desert.

Hoodia Gordonii is entirely natural -- it is not a drug. Pharmaceutical companies find it so promising, however, that they are trying to isolate the appetite-suppressing molecule, P57, to create a patented diet drug in the future. Only the Gordonii variation of Hoodia has appetite suppressant abilities.

Hoodia tricks the brain into thinking you've eaten, and makes you feel full. Key results of Hoodia reported include a reduced interest in food, delay in the time after eating before hunger sets in again, feeling full more quickly, and a general feeling of well-being. Hoodia Gordonii is not a stimulant, and has no known side effects.

Horny Goat Weed stands as a time-tested aphrodisiac that increases libido in men and women, and improves erectile function in men. Known also as Epimedium or Yin Yang Huo, horny goat weed was first described in ancient classical Chinese medicinal texts.

Today, horny goat weed holds an important place in Traditional Chinese Medicine and is gaining popularity around the world. Used by practitioners for over 2,000 years, horny goat weed is several species of epimedium, a leafy plant which grows in the wild, most abundantly at higher altitudes.

The leaves of the plant contain a variety of flavonoids, polysaccharides, sterols and an alkaloid called magnaflorine. While the exact way that horny goat weed works remains unknown, the plant has long been employed to restore sexual fire, boost erectile function, allay fatigue and alleviate menopausal discomfort.