Hangover-busting £1 pill SELLS OUT just a day after launching
- Customers wanting the pill were told they could only order one packet
- Myrkl, taken before drinking, breaks down alcohol in gut before it reaches liver
- Those who took two pills had 70% less alcohol in their blood an hour later
- CEO said the 'game-changing product' will leave drinkers 'feeling their best'
A £1 hangover-busting pill has already sold out in the UK — just one day after being launched.
Myrkl, which must be taken before you start drinking, promises to leave you feeling fresh after a heavy night out.
The supplement breaks down alcohol in the gut before it reaches the liver with the hope of getting you less drunk.
Customers desperate to get their hands on the pill were told they could only order one single box of 30 for £30.
Despite the attempts to ration Myrkl, the firm claims to have sold six months' worth of stock within just 24 hours.
Håkan Magnusson, chief executive officer at Myrkl, said: 'We are working as quickly as we can to ensure people can resume placing orders on the website.'
He said the firm anticipates having more which can put back on sale within the next few days. Myrkl isn't being sold in supermarkets.
Mr Magnusson described the supplement as being a 'game-changing product' that will leave drinkers 'feeling their best the next day'. It is also claimed to boost energy and immunity.
Myrkl, which is taken before drinking, breaks down alcohol in the gut before it reaches the liver. Trials showed that those who took two pills and drank two glasses of wine had 70 per cent less alcohol in their blood an hour later, compared to those who did not take it
Håkan Magnusson, chief executive officer at Myrkl, said: 'We are working as quickly as we can to ensure people can resume placing orders on the website'
One user to tried the pill for the first time at the weekend said she felt noticeably less drunk and hungover while drinking on Myrkl - but didn't escape a hangover fully and was hit with a headache by noon the following day.
Trials revealed drinkers who swallowed two pills and drank two glasses of wine had 70 per cent less alcohol in their blood an hour later, compared to those who did not take it.
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Myrkl revealed it has received orders from as far afield as Australia and New Zealand. It works by interfering with how alcohol is broken down within the body.
Usually, ethanol is broken down by the liver into acetaldehyde, which then produces the compound acetic acid in the body. This is thought to be behind the tell-tale hangover symptoms.
Alcohol is broken down by the liver into acetaldehyde, which then produces the compound acetic acid in the body. This is thought to be behind the tell-tale hangover symptoms. However, Myrkl claims to interfere with this process
However, Myrkl contains bacteria Bacillus Coagulans and Bacillus Subtilis and amino acid L-Cysteine which break alcohol down before it reaches the liver — converting it into water and carbon dioxide.
This means barely any acetaldehyde and acetic acid are made by the liver.
The pills also contain vitamin B12, which the company claims will leave users 'feeling refreshed'.
Two Myrkl pills need to be taken at least two hours before drinking.
The supplement — originally developed in the 1990s and 'perfected' over the past three decades — was created by De Faire Medical (DFM).
All the ingredients are authorised and recognised as safe by the European Food Safety Agency and the US Food Drug Administration.
However, it may not leave drinkers totally hangover free as other mechanisms are also involved in causing hangovers.
Dehydration, low blood sugar — due to alcohol causing sugar to be lost in urine — and methanol, another fermentation product found in alcoholic drinks, also contribute to feeling unwell after drinking too much.
Medics say that those taking the pill will still get 'some jolliness' from alcohol if they take the pill.
But if they are planning to get drunk, it will take longer — forcing Britons to spend more on drinks.
Other tablets claiming to help users ditch their hangover are available. But these are usually just packed with vitamins and have not been proven to bring down levels of alcohol in the blood.
The NHS recommends adults drink no more than 14 units of alcohol per week, spread across three or more days. This equates to six medium glasses of wine or six pints of beer.
Dr Dawn Harper, best known for TV show Embarrassing Bodies, said those who take the pill will still get 'some absorption and some of that jolliness that you experience when drinking alcohol'.
But she said the product is not for a person who wants to drink to excess.
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.'
DO YOU DRINK TOO MUCH ALCOHOL? THE 10 QUESTIONS THAT REVEAL YOUR RISK
One screening tool used widely by medical professionals is the AUDIT (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Tests). Developed in collaboration with the World Health Organisation, the 10-question test is considered to be the gold standard in helping to determine if someone has alcohol abuse problems.
The test has been reproduced here with permission from the WHO.
To complete it, answer each question and note down the corresponding score.
YOUR SCORE:
0-7: You are within the sensible drinking range and have a low risk of alcohol-related problems.
Over 8: Indicate harmful or hazardous drinking.
8-15: Medium level of risk. Drinking at your current level puts you at risk of developing problems with your health and life in general, such as work and relationships. Consider cutting down (see below for tips).
16-19: Higher risk of complications from alcohol. Cutting back on your own may be difficult at this level, as you may be dependent, so you may need professional help from your GP and/or a counsellor.
20 and over: Possible dependence. Your drinking is already causing you problems, and you could very well be dependent. You should definitely consider stopping gradually or at least reduce your drinking. You should seek professional help to ascertain the level of your dependence and the safest way to withdraw from alcohol.
Severe dependence may need medically assisted withdrawal, or detox, in a hospital or a specialist clinic. This is due to the likelihood of severe alcohol withdrawal symptoms in the first 48 hours needing specialist treatment.
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