What are appetite suppressant jabs, rumoured to be behind Gemma Collins’ three stone weight loss?

Gemma Collins has lost three stone in the past year – with many puzzling over the secret behind her dramatic body transformation.

Earlier today, the reality television star was a guest presenter on ‘Good Morning Britain’ alongside Piers Morgan, where she showed off her slimmed-down figure.

Now, she is said to be using £250-a-course appetite suppressant jabs in order to slim down.

READ MORE: Teen who lost 10 stone credits Instagram for her weight loss

Her weight loss regime includes using a course of the injections from UK-based programme SkinnyJab, the brand has confirmed to Yahoo UK.

How do appetite suppressant injections work?

SkinnyJab injections, the type rumoured to be used by Collins, work by “reduc[ing] hunger”, according to the brand’s website.

The jabs cost £250 for a 3-4 week long course.

“The SkinnyJab® plan can remove hunger from the equation,” it reads.

READ MORE: Why stress eating could be causing you to gain weight

“Using a tried-and-tested medical revolution which acts as an appetite suppressant, the SkinnyJab® plan can reduce your hunger, allowing you to eat less while avoiding the cravings for those troublesome snacks.

“Our slimmers typically experience a loss of hunger after just three days with the SkinnyJab® plan.”

The jabs are either self-administered daily or administered weekly at one of the brand’s four clinics across the country.

SkinnyJab isn’t the only so-called slimming injection on the market. A prescription-only injection, Saxenda, a daily injection which contains the active ingredient liraglutide, is also offered in the UK.

However, experts are sceptical as to how safe or effective this treatment is.

There is no high quality research to support these injections,” registered nutritionist Jenna Hope tells Yahoo UK.

“[They] can play havoc on hormones which may a have longer term knock on effect.

READ MORE: Man claims to lose over a stone after swapping food for beer

Nor do the injections tackle an individual’s emotional connection to food, Hope adds – which is likely a “root cause” behind their weight struggle.

“I would not recommend these injections as a safe method for weight loss,” she concludes.

These injections are the latest in a trend for appetite-suppressing weight loss methods.

Last year, Kim Kardashian controversially promoted a range of “appetite suppressant lollipops” on her Instagram account. She was criticised for promoting eating disorders among children, teenagers and young adults, who these lollpops are marketed at.