Ever wonder why former contestants of "The Biggest Loser" regain massive amounts of weight after being booted out from the show? Well, according to former contestants, that's because the show stops giving them illegal weight-loss drugs once they're eliminated.
Show Partly To Blame For Post-Show Weight Gain
New York Post recently published the findings of a government-funded health study which sought to explain why majority of "The Biggest Loser" contestants end up regaining the weight they lost on the show. A number of ex-Losers have since spoken publicly to dispute the study.
They claimed that the study was impartial and failed to account the show's hidden tactics. Some former contestants said it's not entirely their fault why they regain so much weight so quickly. They revealed that the show secretly encouraged them to take illegal drugs and subjected them to dubious medical exams off camera.
"People were passing out in Dr. H's office at the finale weigh-in," said Season 2 contestant Suzanne Mendonca. "On my season, five people had to be rushed to the hospital. He knew exactly what we were doing and never tried to stop it."
All Were In On It
Dr. H is the nickname of the show's resident physician Rob Huizenga, but it wasn't only him who was in on the questionable scheme. Another source claimed that one of the show's trainers, Bob Harper, provided contestants with Adderall pills which promoted rapid weight loss while increasing a person's energy levels. The drug has been banned by the US Food and Drug Administration since 2004.
In a separate interview with Fox News, Mendonca revealed that the show threatened to exclude her if she didn't gain more weight first. She had to put on an extra 20 to 40 pounds before being accepted as one of contestants for Season 2.
Producers Defend Show Against Damaging Allegations
Endemol Shine North America responded to the accusations by saying that "The Biggest Loser" has always prioritized the safety and well-being of all its contestants. In an email sent to Fortune, the show's producers said, "We prohibit the use of any illegal substances, in addition to the many other rules and procedures of the show that are designed to ensure safety."
