‘Biggest Loser’ Contestant Trained By Bob Harper Claims She Was Encouraged To

Joelle Gwynn, a former contestant on The Biggest Loser, is claiming that she was encouraged to take drugs to help her lose weight while competing on the show.

‘Biggest Loser’ Controversy

Gwynn, who competed on the show in 2008, has claimed that drugs were provided to her to assist in her weight loss. “Bob Harper was my trainer … He goes away and his assistant comes in. He’s got this brown paper bag that’s bundled up. He says, ‘Take this drug, it’ll really help you.’ It was yellow and black. I was like, ‘What the f–k is this?'” Gwynn told the New York Post.

Gwynn claims that she felt negative effects the one time that she had taken the pill. She also alleges that the show’s resident doctor, Robert Huizeng, was in support of using the supplements.

“I felt jittery and hyper. I went and told the sports medicine guy. The next day, he gave us some lame explanation of why they got added to our regimen and that it was up to us to take them,” Gwynn said. “People chastise Bill Cosby for allegedly offering meds to women, but it’s acceptable to do to fat people to make them lose weight. I feel like we got raped, too.”

Harper has denied Gwynn’s claims in a statement.

“These allegations are absolutely false and are in direct conflict with my lifelong devotion to health and fitness,” Harper told People. “Safety is paramount in my training regimen and, while demanding, my approach has always focused on the overall well-being of contestants as they lose significant weight and educate themselves, for the first time, on living a healthy lifestyle.”

Huzeinga has denied the allegations as well.

“Nothing could be further from the truth. Contestants are told at the start of the show that there is zero tolerance for any weight-loss drugs,” he told the Post. “Urine drug screens and the evaluation of serial weights are repeatedly used to flush out possible illicit use.”

The Biggest Loser producers also released a statement on the matter: “Contestants are told at the start of the show that there is zero tolerance for any weight loss drugs. We prohibit the use of any illegal substances,” they said in a statement.

The Biggest Loser wrapped its 17th season earlier this year.