The producers of The Biggest Loser are roundly denying charges that the show forced contestants to take weight-loss drugs. In a report in the New York Post on Sunday, a mix of on-the-record and anonymous sources claimed — among other abuses — that contestants on the long-running reality series were given Adderall and energy pills containing ephedrine, which the FDA banned in diet supplements in 2004. Now, in a statement to Variety, the show’s producers say that’s untrue.
“Contestants are told at the start of the show that there is zero tolerance for any weight-loss drugs,†the 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.†(In a statement to New York magazine, the show’s trainer-turned-host Bob Harper echoed those sentiments, calling the allegations “absolutely false.â€)
The news comes shortly after a study that tracked 14 former Biggest Loser contestants for six years found that all but one of them gained weight after their time on the show.