Number Cruncher

Also, says Couto, pills and supplements help him emotionally. 8216;8216;I take four capsules of NO2 twice a day. It8217;s a constant reminder that I8217;m working towards a goal, and that really helps me stay focused, even if the pills themselves don8217;t work.8217;8217;

Whether they work or not, meal replacements and fat absorbers are catching on big time. 8216;8216;The number of people taking them has more than doubled in the last couple of years,8217;8217; says Dr Muffazal Lakdawala, consultant surgeon at Mumbai8217;s Lilavati Hospital. Reason? 8216;8216;Most people are trying to get fit and this is the fastest way to lose weight,8217;8217; he says. Besides, 8216;8216;we live in a pill popping society, so why should weight loss be any different,8217;8217; shrugs nutritionist Naini Setalvad. She8217;s had calls from families asking for help in weaning their relatives off these substances. 8216;8216;Many are psychologically addictive,8217;8217; warns Setalvad. 8216;8216;One could experience depression and withdrawal symptoms.8217;8217;

But slaves of the bathroom scale are undeterred. The latest wonder drug to find favour with metrocentric fitness fanatics is Chitosan Rs 1,030 for 90 capsules, a miraculous fat absorber. Derived from chitin, which is found in the exoskeletons of crustaceans like shrimp, lobster and crab, Chitosan is said to soak up anywhere between six to 10 times its weight in fat and oils. These are then summarily excreted. And, surprise surprise, it has no proven side effects.

The pill has been popular in the West for more than six years but was introduced in India only a few years ago. 8216;8216;We used to sell eight to 10 bottles a month, but since the past two months, the number has been close to 20,8217;8217; says Hemant Shah of Royal Medico, the chemist at south Mumbai8217;s Hilton Towers hotel. A number of his globetrotting customers asked him to stock it. The buyers, mostly lunching ladies, are evidently not picky. 8216;8216;Chitosan is an animal product, but vegetarians still buy it,8217;8217; says Shah.

8216;8216;I heard about it from my brother in Australia,8217;8217; says Amana Shastri, a 27-year-old primary schoolteacher who8217;s been on a strict diet for the past two months. 8216;8216;I8217;m tired of eating diet food to lose weight, so I asked my nutritionist about Chitosan, but he knew nothing about it,8217;8217; she says. Shastri has just started popping the pill. 8216;8216;I8217;ve been taking it for four days now. Yesterday, I had a proper meal and felt human for the first time in months.8217;8217;

Doctors are unwilling to comment on Chitosan8217;s effectiveness, because there are no proper studies to back it up. 8216;8216;Patients take Chitosan while they8217;re on a diet, so we can8217;t be sure if the results are due to the drug or the diet,8217;8217; says Dr Ramen Goel, obesity consultant at the Bombay Hospital. He advocates meal replacements and fat absorbers only under medical supervision.

And then there are those who swear by the shakes8212;flavoured drinks that supposedly take care of the body8217;s total dietary requirements and act as a replacement for a balanced meal. Optifast VLCD is the only one officially available on a doctor8217;s prescription. Protein supplements called Nutrilight and Herbalife are also available over the counter and often used as shake replacementsXX.

Now, if only we could replace that inconvenient craving for potato crisps.