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The wonder diet pill for 2009

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A £1-a-day drug that promises to help shed the pounds after the excesses of Christmas could be available to buy over the counter within months.

The new wonder drug, Alli, works by stopping the body from absorbing fat in food and trials have proved that dieters lost an average of 10lb across a six-month period.

Given the thumbs up by Europe's medicine watchdog, Alli looks set to go on sale this summer and is a watered-down version of the prescription-only diet drug Xenical.

Trials of the new drug saw volunteers take a tablet with every meal and the results showed that on average they lost 50% more than volunteers who shunned the diet drug and relied on self-discipline alone.

The average slimmer shed 10lbs – the equivalent of a whole dress size. However, there is a downside: side-effects. The undigested fat that the body refuses to absorb passes through the body, meaning dieters are likely to suffer wind and diarrhoea.

Alli can also hamper the absorption of some vitamins, so dieters are recommended to take a vitamin supplement while slimming.

Dr Vidhu Bansal-Dev, of Glaxo's U.S. healthcare division, who make the drug said: 'It is the most extensively studied weight loss drug in the world and proven to help people lose weight and feel better about themselves.'

However, Gareth Williams, professor of medicine at Bristol University, doubts whether the successful weight loss results in trials on volunteers keen to beat the bulge will be repeated when the general public get their hands on the drug.

Writing in the British Medical Journal, Williams said: 'Taking it without medical supervision may achieve an average daily energy deficit of only 100kcal - equivalent of leaving a few French fries on a plate or eating an apple instead of ice cream.'

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Tuesday 6 January 2009

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If we all stopped looking for magic pills and just cut out some extra cals and took more exercise we really would lose fat! It is simple - just not easy. While all these 'false hope' magic pill solutions abound we will forever be searching for the next 'easy' way out. If instead, we understand it is as simple as energy in vs energy out (with some leeway for hormones etc) and also that is required consistent effort, and yes, a bit of hard work, then we will all reach our goals in 2009!

It really upsets me to read stuff like this, as I know people will think they finally have the missing link... Relying on 'self-discipline' is not necessariuly the key, but with some educated support the 'real' route will always win!

Comment by Caroline on January 06 12:46

ive tried the pill along with a health diet and they did nothing for me apart from made me spend most of the day on the toilet. i wouldnt recommend these tablet
Comment by random on January 06 13:42

Is this not just a laxative??
Comment by Claire on January 06 14:33

Ive been using these for a couple of months,having bought them from america and have lost a stone XXX well worth it
Comment by M johnson on January 06 16:26

I've tried Xenical, the more powerful version, and it does mean a good weightloss however you're practically chained to the loo, worried that a release of wind might mean a mess. Try a balanced diet and exercise.
Comment by Fiona on January 06 23:04