Articles featuring
Vivienne Matalon M.D.
Of TLC Healthcare

PULSE (Weekly Report on Science and Medicine)
"New hope for dieters" / February 15, 1998

New hope for dieters The new appetite suppressant is made of apple fiber and pectin. Can the stuff that turns juice into jelly also help transform your jiggling stomach to washboard flat? Makers of a new appetite suppressant think they can help. The appetite-duller, made with apple pectin and fiber, will soon be available locally. It will be available without a prescription. People wanting to curb their appetites chew one to five tablets of the sand-colored Apple-Lite tablets 30 to 45 minutes before eating. Each large tablet of Apple-Lite contains 500 milligrams of apple fiber obtained from apple skins and 50 milligrams of pectin from the fruit's pulp. Pectin has been studied for years for its ability to lower cholesterol and as an appetite suppressant. One Apple-Lite tablet contains the equivalent of two-and-a-half apples, explained Dr. Vivienne Matalon, a Marlton-based physician who specializes in weight management, diabetes and internal medicine. The Federal Food and Drug Administration-approved tablets will be available via television, as well as some doctors' pffoces amd retail outlets. A jar of 150 tablets, a two to four week supply will cost $24.95, said Edward "Ted" Bennett, founder and president of Apple-Lite and its parent company, McLeods. The suppressant doesn't contain any caffine or other stimulating drugs, he said. "There are no other things in there," said Matalon, pointing to an Apple-Lite container, "that aren't contained in an apple." "When this is consumed with medical supervision--which any dieting program should be-- it's safe," said Matalon. The combination of fiber and pectin--the complex carbohydrate that turns juice into jelly--provides a sense of fullness, explained Matalon. Besides apples, pectin is found in oranges, grapefruit and many other fruits. The naturalness of the product appealed to Matalon, a vociferous opponent to the once-in-vogue diet drugs Redux and fenfluramine, the "fen" part in the fen-phen diet. The drugs were banned in September after doctors found the medicines caused potentially fatal heart valve problems. "Long-term studies have not been done with any of these drugs," said Matalon. "Why even offer something that's not natural?" The naturalness of the product also appealed to Barbara L. Epstein, who has been fighting a weight problem since her first child was born 34 years ago. In her battle with the bulge, Epstein, an active and energetic woman, tried Weight Watchers, fad diets and supplements. "I've been on every diet. In my house are three shelves with diet food," said the 57 year old Cherry Hill resident who's president of Conversion Technologies International, a document imaging company. "I lose weight but I always gain it right back." A friend told her about Apple-Lite, but Epstein, who has trouble controlling her desire to eat, was skeptical. "I thought I eat an apple every day but that doesn't stop me from eating potato chips," said Epstein. "I was extremely negative. I took it and I wanted very little breakfast, a little lunch and not much for dinner," said Epstein, who lost six pounds the first week. "You're pleasantly full, as if you've just eaten." She takes three to five tablets 30 to 45 minutes before eating breakfast and lunch, depending on how hungry she feels. She usually takes five tablets around 4 pm to stave off late afternoon munchies. Epstein is careful to drink plenty of water when taking the tablets to avoid diarrhea or constipation, two common pitfalls with high-fiber products. She's lost about 18 pounds and gone down more than one and a half clothing sizes in the seven weeks she's been using Apple-Lite. She said Apple-Lite, unlike other weight-reduction aids she's tried, hasn't made her feel nervous or on edge. Lisa Monteiro had a similar experience with Apple-Lite. The 38 year old Woodbury resident shed six pounds the first week. More importantly, she liked the way Apple-Lite made her feel. "I had periodically taken other diet aids. They tend to amke me a little hyper---I can't sleep. But Apple-Lite didn't do that," said the 5-foot, 115 pound Monteiro. She said she experienced no ill side effects while taking the pills, which she said have no real taste. Monteiro, who stopped taking Apple-Lite when she ran out, hasn't noticed any subsequent weight gain. John Colligan agreed to participate in a study Matalon was running in December on the effectiveness of the product. He wanted to drop eight to 10 pounds from his 6-fout 4-inch frame. "I feel good when I weigh between 205 and 208 pounds. I was getting close to 220," admitted the 46 year old resident of Langhorne, Pa. Colligan lost 3 1/2 pounds the first week and 4 pounds the next week. He said he'd use the product again. "What I would use it for is when I see my weight going back up." Colligan had no ill side effects, "just a sensation you have something in your stomach." Although he considers himself a health-conscious eater, he frequently has to travel for his job, eating less-than-healthy meals. "I find I don't have time to eat well," said the owner of a dental products company. He like the convenience of Apple-Lite. "It was easy to take. It fits into your lifestyle." Apple-Lite is sold in Japan, Australia, Germany, Belgium, Greece, England, Austria, New Zealand, Egypt and the Middle East, said Bennett. The origins of Apple-Lite date back 100 years ago to a German monastery, where monks used a powdered version as a high-fiber supplement, explained Bennett, a 73 year old self-described entrepreneur with an interest in herbal products. Bennett, who lives in England, bought the formula from an herbalist and had it reformulated for tablets. He began manufacturing Apple-Lite in California and England about 10 years ago. Bennet said he hopes dieters will use Apple-Lite sensibly. "This is not a quick fix," Bennett said emphatically. "I don't want people to lose huge amounts of weight. I think it's dangerous, without a physician's approval," he added. For maximum effectiveness, Apple-Lite should be part of a lifestyle change, added Matalon. "People shouldn't starve themselves while using this. They'll still be encouraged to eat sensibly and exercise."