After 30 years of development, a new pill which claims to prevent hangovers has gone on sale in the UK and several countries in Europe.
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The 'first time in history' a pill can break down alcohol
Originally invented in 1990 by scientist Johan de Faire, it has now been rebranded as Myrkl, and was created by Swedish medical company De Faire Medical (DFM). The pill claims to rapidly break down alcohol, and vitamin B12 also increases energy levels and will leave users 'feeling refreshed.'
From today, 5 July, you will be able to purchase a pack of 30 pills in the UK for £30, as reported by The Daily Record. However, it won't be sold in pharmacies or stores, you can only buy it from the company's website. They also ship to several countries in Europe.
According to a study published in the journal Nutrition and Metabolic Insights, if you take two pills between one and 12 hours before drinking, it will break down 70% of the alcohol you consumed after one hour. Myrkl claims that the pill is 100% natural & vegan and all ingredients are authorised and recognised as safe by the European Food Safety Agency (EFSA).
Håkan Magnusson, CEO at Myrkl, said:
Marking the first time in history that a consumer product is demonstrated to effectively and rapidly break down alcohol, we are very excited to be launching this ground-breaking product in the UK and in most European markets
The independent clinical trials prove just how powerful this product is at breaking down alcohol.
For moderate drinkers
However, the thoroughness of the study has been questioned by the The Conversation. The pill will not stop you from getting drunk and it will not completely prevent a hangover, as there are other factors at play, such as dehydration, low blood sugar, and methanol.
While it won’t stop you from getting drunk, it will slow down the process. As TV doctor Dawn Harper said, those who take the pill will still get 'some absorption and some of that jolliness that you experience when drinking alcohol.' Dr Harper added:
If you want to go out and get drunk, Myrkl would simply mean that it would take you a lot longer and cost you a lot more. Where I see Myrkl could be relevant is for the huge number of moderate drinkers in the UK.
Indeed, the pill has been designed for moderate drinkers. Mr Magnusson said:
Moderate social drinking is a huge part of British culture, with the majority of British people heading out each week to enjoy a few drinks together.
Myrkl's purpose is therefore to help those regular moderate drinkers to wake up feeling their best the next day, whether they're a busy working professional, young parents, or seniors who want to maintain an active social life.
Whilst Myrkl is in no way designed as an excuse to drink beyond NHS guidelines, we are really convinced that Myrkl is a game-changing product for those regular moderate drinkers, and we can't wait for the British public to try it out.
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