Since there is no science, and since we only have the word of supplement manufacturers to fill the scientific void, I say "thumbs down" on Hoodia.

And by the way, the plant from which Hoodia is derived is on some kind of endangered/protected list in South Africa, and can only be exported under very tight licensing arrangements. This situation has resulted in unscrupulous Hoodia brokers selling faux Hoodia to unsuspecting supplement makers. Isn't there any honor amongst thieves?

A weird choice for inclusion on this list is Glucosamine. While this substance has been shown to be effective in alleviating pain for those suffering from osteoarthritis there is no indication anywhere that this supplement has any effect on anything related to weight loss.

Oh wait...look how this substance is described on the Trimspa web site,

Glucosamine (Gloo-ko-so-meen) is an ingredient, patented by TRIMSPA for weight loss, that actually prolongs the amount of time glucose (or blood sugar) stays within the bloodstream after eating. This delay means that any extra insulin can be used directly by the muscles for energy, instead of being transferred too quickly to the "warehouse," or fat cells.

Now is it just me, or does this seem - shall I say - disingenuous (I'm being nice)? Apparently, the folks at Trimspa have been able to patent an unproven ingredient and use the same name as another ingredient that has other - proven - benefits. I'm having a hard time understanding what Trimspa is doing here. Are you?

There is no scientific evidence that any of the other ingredients in this blend, Green Tea Extract, Cocoa Extract, Citrus Naringin, Vanadium, and Glucomannan have any effect on weight loss. And the only "evidence" that exists that supports the use of any of these ingredients comes from the web sites of companies that are selling these products.

For instance, if you Google Citrus Naringin you will find page after page of the same information on the pages of different herbal remedy sites. Even Amazon.com sells Trimspa, for crying out loud. And not one of these sites includes mention of one shred of scientific evidence; they all just parrot the same line - in most cases word for word - with regards to the purported benefits.

And if you do a search on the Physician's Desk Reference (PDR) for "Naringin" you will get a hit for "Hesperidin" which is found in oranges and lemons. In legitimate clinical studies Hesperidin has been shown to increase HDL (good cholesterol) and decrease LDL (bad cholesterol), BY DRINKING A COUPLE OF GLASSES OF ORANGE JUICE PER DAY!