Show producers and even Bob Harper deny claims. “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,” said producers in a statement addressing the claims.
There was even a study published on the journal Obesity earlier this month, which tracked 14 contestants over the period of 6 years. Each person lost an average of 100 pounds and only one of them was able to keep the weight off. The study found that the participants’ metabolic rates slowed down more than they expected, which made their weight loss much more difficult long-term. They also experienced more hunger, due to changes in the hormone leptin, which regulates your appetite.
What we have to remember is that these contestants are put under extreme circumstances and pressures, regardless if they used drugs or not. Any doctor will tell you that it’s not healthy to drop more than 2 pounds a week, it’s just not healthy and it will have long-term consequences like they do in these cases. The best thing you can do is go at a slow and steady pace and lose the weight slowly. That way you’ll be able to keep the weight off and your health won’t suffer any consequences long-term.
