WAG Alex Curran is spotted with a box of 'dangerous' Sea Kelp diet pills

Keeping up appearances is high on the list of priorities for football WAGs, so it's unsurprising to see Steven Gerrard's wife Alex Curran carrying a box of Sea Kelp diet pills.

However, the 27-year-old could be setting a bad example to young women by purchasing the pills which have been blasted by health experts.

Alex was pictured leaving a health shop carrying the pills, after grabbing lunch at a Liverpool bistro.

Bad example: Alex Curran is pictured in Liverpool holding a box of Sea Kelp tablets, which have been blasted by nutrician experts

It is thought the tablets can be used to aid weight loss, but experts have warned against using them because of the lack of research into their long-term effects.

Warning: Nutrionists have advised against using the tablets

Sion Porter, a dietician from the British Dietetic Association, said: 'People mistakenly think that because these are natural tablets they must be harmless, but used in the wrong way they can be very dangerous.

'Kelp tablets are rapidly becoming the latest dangerous celebrity dieting fad.

'The worry is that if young girls start to copy their idols, thinking this will offer them quick-fix weight loss, they are likely to make themselves very ill.

'We would always recommend a healthy diet and an exercise plan as the ideal way to lose weight, and supplements should only ever be used in moderation to compliment a balanced eating regime.'

The tablets are widely available over the counter at health stores and online, from as little as £1.50 for 260 tablets.

However, official guidelines from the U.S. Food and Drug Department warn against the use of sea kelp tablets for weight loss.

Last year Alex spoke in detail about her health kick after realising she was leading an unhealthy lifestyle.

Unhealthy: Sea Kelp pills have the potential to increase iodine levels in the body and lead to thyroid problems

She was motivated to lose weight after seeing paparazzi photographs of her flabby stomach.

She said: 'Last year a pap took some pics of me and I had a few rolls. I've been eating rubbish for so many years.

'Eating's a boredom thing. When you've got nothing else to do, you just start planning your next meal.'

She managed to drop a dress size through what she said was a combination of healthy eating and gym sessions.

At the time she enthused: 'I love the changes to my figure. I feel more confident wearing vest tops now.'