Altralife, a medically guided Total Diet Replacement (TDR) programme used widely within NHS-commissioned weight-loss and type 2 diabetes remission services since 2019, is now being offered directly to members of the public nationwide.
The programme has been integral to NHS projects such as the REWIND programme in Northwest London, introduced in 2019, along with the national NHS Type 2 Diabetes Path to Remission—or “soups & shakes”—programme, which has been rolled out from 2020 onwards. Both use nutritionally complete, low-energy shakes and soups to achieve rapid, clinically supervised weight reduction before transitioning participants back to everyday diets.
Independent trials and NHS evaluations show that TDR can deliver meaningful, real-world outcomes. In the DROPLET randomised trial, patients referred by their GP to a TDR programme lost ~10.7 kg after one year, over three times the loss seen with usual care.
The DiRECT programme, which established the modern, TDR-led primary-care model for diabetes remission, has shown substantial weight loss and remission at 12 months, with benefits persisting for a subset at 5 years when weight loss is maintained.
In routine NHS delivery, around one-third of people who completed the national “Path to Remission” programme achieved remission at 12 months, with average weight loss ~16 kg – evidence that TDR-based care can work at scale, not just in trials.
Altralife’s shakes, soups, and bars are nutritionally complete and designed for structured low-energy plans. Each serving provides ~225 kcal, typically taken four times daily during the TDR phase (≈900 kcal/day) and programmes are available for 4 weeks and 8 weeks in addition to maintenance options to manage a healthy diet.
With obesity affecting millions of adults in the UK and traditional weight loss approaches showing limited long-term success, Altralife’s public availability represents a significant development in accessible, evidence-based weight management solutions.
“The transition from NHS-exclusive to public availability reflects our confidence in both the clinical evidence and real-world outcomes we’ve observed over five years of NHS partnerships,” said Paddy White, Head of Commercial for Altralife.
“We’re bringing the same clinically proven solution that has helped thousands through NHS programmes directly to individuals seeking effective weight management support.”
Altralife is now available nationwide, with starter bundles and multi-week plans, along with guidance on safe use. The Altralife starter pack costs £20 available from Altralife.com
