Alcohol is not good for health -- is a universally known fact. But have you ever thought about a drink which will give you that supreme ecstasy without any health hazard? Now, an Indian researcher Harsha Chigurupati has claimed that he and his research team has developed a compound named NTX which can be infused into Vodka to reduce the damage caused to the liver and DNA due to alcohol consumption.
During the study, biomarkers that indicate liver damage were found 93 percent less among people who drank vodka infused with NTX, when compared to others who drank normal vodka. Even though the research report clearly shows a ray of hope for alcoholics to reduce the health hazards associated with it, authorities have not acknowledged the compound's health claims.
After conducting initial research with New Jersey-based spirits brand Bellion, Harsha Chigurupathi started testing the compound on humans in 2013, Now, Bellion is selling NTX infused vodka in bars and restaurants in 11 states in the US. A broader rollout of the compound is expected to happen in the country in the second half of 2018.
However, the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), the agency that regulates similar claims in the US, has denied Chuigurupathi's claims and petition. The agency has denied the petition of Harsha stating that Americans might get confused NTX with Naltrexone, a drug used to treat alcohol dependency.
Even though Bellion is selling vodka with the label 'made with NTX', the company is not allowed to reveal what NTX is or what it does to the human body.
The TTB also added that introducing new drinks by proclaiming the benefits of NTX will make people think that heavy alcohol consumption will not damage their health and hence make them more dependent on the drink. The agency even noted that NTX vodka will distract customers from other risks of alcohol use including addiction and birth defects. Some other experts claim that more research should be done to address the potential long-term effects of NTX on a human body.
Interestingly, people who have tasted NTX infused vodka have claimed that this new form of alcohol is as sweet as hell. The major ingredients of the NTX compound are potassium sorbate, a food preservative, an anti-inflammatory substance derived from the root of liorice, and mannitol, a diuretic.
