Hoodia or P57AS3 (P57) as its more readily know in the scientific world is and extract from the cactus like plant (Hoodia gordonii). Back in 2004 a study showing an appetite suppressive effect shot the natural weight loss product into the headlines across the world. The UK owners of the license since 1997 “Phytopharm” entered into a $25million dollar deal with global food giants Unilever makers of $500mn brand “Slimfast”. The idea was to launch a slimfast drink with P57 at its core.

Hi guys and thanks for logging into my first post as part of the BrinkZone. It’s an honor to be involved in such an active and voraciously inquisitive online community dedicated to the real application of nutrition science.

As many of you know I have been deeply involved in research of carnosine and its functions in skeletal muscle. However, recently I was contacted by a write from the Times newspaper (UK) who were conducting research into the medical nutrition, or Mediceuticals as some are defining it. My current work involves patients with genetic conditions leading them to develop extremely high lactate levels inside muscle tissue and associated acidosis (low pH) (Muscle myopathies and cytopathies). Acidosis is related to the fatigue you feel at the end of very high intensity exercise, or at the end of high rep calf rises. However, in the patients I look at the level of acidosis is at levels found during high intensity exercise when they at rest. In real terms this can mean just lifting a tin of beans up can be a real effort.