Soon, wonder pill to keep you slim, avoid diabetes and ward off old age

London: A team of researchers is working on a pill that could help people lose weight, avoid diabetes and even hold off the effects of old age.

The pill being created by the team from Aston University in Birmingham is based on the discovery of a hormone released after exercise, which can reprogramme fat cells to burn energy instead of storing it.

Researchers have found that the hormone, known as Irisin, can "predict" how quickly someone is ageing.

Irisin is naturally present in the body and it helps increase the metabolic rate, that could in turn help cut obesity and stop -people getting type 2 diabetes.