{"id":604519661874,"title":"Found Weight Loss Review: Better Than Medications Alone?","created_at":"2022-12-16T23:34:23-05:00","body_html":"\u003cscript type=\"application\/ld+json\"\u003e\/\/ \u003c![CDATA[\n{\n \"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\",\n \"@type\": \"Article\",\n \"headline\": \"Found Weight Loss Review: Better Than Medications Alone?\",\n \"keywords\": \"found weight loss, found weight loss review, found weight loss reviews, found review, found reviews, found prescription weight loss, found weight loss program, what medication does found weight loss use, what medications does found weight loss use, found weight loss medication, found reviews weight loss, found weight loss cost\",\n \"description\": \"Our research team analyzes the medications prescribed by Found to give our take on whether the program is likely to be effective for weight loss and whether or not it's proven to work. We share our concerns about two of the medications prescribed by Found.\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/found-weight-loss-review\",\n\"author\": {\n \"@type\": \"Person\",\n \"name\": \"Calloway Cook\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/pages\/calloway-cook\",\n \"sameAs\": \"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/calloway-cook\/\",\n \"jobTitle\": \"President\",\n \"knowsAbout\": \"entrepreneurship, dietary supplements, herbal supplements, eCommerce, medical research\",\n \"alumniOf\": {\n \"@type\": \"EducationalOrganization\",\n \"name\": \"S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University\"\n },\n \"memberOf\": {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Illuminate Labs\"\n }\n},\n\"creator\": {\n \"@type\": \"Person\",\n \"name\": \"Calloway Cook\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/pages\/calloway-cook\",\n \"sameAs\": \"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/calloway-cook\/\",\n \"jobTitle\": \"President\",\n \"knowsAbout\": \"entrepreneurship, dietary supplements, herbal supplements, eCommerce, medical research\",\n \"alumniOf\": {\n \"@type\": \"EducationalOrganization\",\n \"name\": \"S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University\"\n },\n \"memberOf\": {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Illuminate Labs\"\n }\n},\n\"editor\": {\n \"@type\": \"Person\",\n \"name\": \"Taylor Graber\",\n \"honorificSuffix\": \"M.D.\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/pages\/taylor-graber\",\n \"sameAs\": [\n \"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/taylor-j-graber-md-81351642\/\",\n \"https:\/\/www.asapivs.com\/\"\n ],\n \"jobTitle\": \"Content Partner\",\n \"knowsAbout\": \"medicine, health, anesthesiology, iv therapy, science, drugs, pharmaceutical, medical research, scientific research, medical journals, entrepreneurship, healthcare, orthopedic surgery, biomedical engineering\",\n \"alumniOf\": {\n \"@type\": \"EducationalOrganization\",\n \"name\": [\n \"University of California San Diego\",\n \"Arizona University\",\n \"University of Arizona College of Medicine\"\n ]\n },\n \"memberOf\": {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Illuminate Labs\"\n }\n},\n\"image\": {\n\"@type\": \"ImageObject\",\n\"url\": \"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Found_Weight_Loss_Thumbnail_Optimized.png?v=1671252214\",\n\"width\": \"2500\",\n\"height\": \"2500\"\n},\n\"citation\": [\n\"https:\/\/www.crunchbase.com\/organization\/found-517b\", \n\"https:\/\/support.joinfound.com\/en_us\/what-medications-does-found-offer-HkLxBXqr_\",\n\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/bupropion-review\",\n\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC6520185\/\",\n\"https:\/\/www.fda.gov\/patients\/learn-about-expanded-access-and-other-treatment-options\/understanding-unapproved-use-approved-drugs-label\",\n\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/24264501\/\",\n\"https:\/\/support.joinfound.com\/en_us\/what-is-the-cost-of-the-program-SkkeUeYc\",\n\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/31174214\/\",\n\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/25636220\/\"\n],\n\"mentions\": [{\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"FDA\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Thing\",\n \"name\": \"bupropion\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Thing\",\n \"name\": \"Metformin\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Thing\",\n \"name\": \"genetics\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Thing\",\n \"name\": \"personal data\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Brand\",\n \"name\": \"Christy Risinger\"\n }\n],\n\"datePublished\": \"2022-12-16\",\n\"copyrightHolder\": {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Illuminate Labs\"\n},\n\"publisher\": {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Illuminate Labs\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/\",\n \"description\": \"Illuminate Labs is the most transparent supplement company in the U.S., and is a leading publisher of research-based health information.\",\n \"knowsAbout\": \"supplements, science, nutrition, exercise, health, medication, pharmaceutical, wellness, diet, weight loss, medical research\",\n \"publishingPrinciples\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/pages\/editorial-guidelines\",\n \"memberOf\": [\n {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"U.S. Chamber of Commerce\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/www.uschamber.com\/\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Certified B Corp\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/www.bcorporation.net\/en-us\/\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Natural Products Association\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/www.npanational.org\/\"\n }\n ],\n \"logo\": {\n \"@type\": \"ImageObject\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Illuminate_Labs_Favicon_48x48_7595c3cc-e27b-47b8-a4fe-edcc7ed9b29a.png?v=1666502785\", \n \"width\": 48,\n \"height\": 48\n},\n \"foundingDate\": \"2019-01-30\",\n \"sameAs\": [\n \"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/illuminatelabs\",\n \"https:\/\/twitter.com\/illuminatelabs\",\n \"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/illuminate-labs-supplements\",\n \"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCpgSJAsIPb-fZ25djtTxBEA\"\n ]\n }\n}\n\/\/ ]]\u003e\u003c\/script\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Found_Weight_Loss_Review_Article_Header_Image_Optimized.png?v=1671251382\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eDisclaimer: None of the information in this article constitutes medical advice, and is just the opinion of the writer(s). We recommend that patients follow their doctor’s guidance in regard to weight loss medication.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"dc\"\u003eF\u003c\/span\u003eound is a weight loss brand that describes itself as “the largest weight loss clinic in the United States.” The Found Weight Loss Program operates through a smartphone app, connecting patients with medical providers that can prescribe weight loss medication and recommend healthy lifestyle changes that can promote weight loss.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eBut is Found more effective than just taking weight loss medication? What medications does Found prescribe? How is it different from other weight loss programs? And how do real users describe the program?\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eIn this article we’ll answer all of these questions and more as we analyze the Found program and the medications provided to give our take on whether or not Found is likely to be successful for weight loss. We’ll also document our disagreements with some health claims made on the Found website, and share real, unsponsored user reviews of Found.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eIs Found Proven to Work?\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAt the time of writing this article, Found does not appear to have funded any clinical trials proving that their program is effective for weight loss.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eSome of the medications prescribed by Found (which we’ll review later) are shown in clinical trials to cause weight loss, but the program itself is not.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eGiven that the brand raised \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.crunchbase.com\/organization\/found-517b\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eover $100 million\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e from investors, we hope that they fund a clinical trial testing the weight loss effects of their program. \u003cstrong\u003eAt this point we can’t find any information suggesting that Found is more effective than simply taking weight loss medication (prescribed by a doctor) and making healthy lifestyle choices like eating whole foods on your own.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eWhat Weight Loss Meds Does Found Prescribe?\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Found_Weight_Loss_Medications_Optimized.png?v=1671251431\" alt=\"Found weight loss medication information\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eFound claims on an \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/support.joinfound.com\/en_us\/what-medications-does-found-offer-HkLxBXqr_\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eFAQ page\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e of their website that the brand offers 13 prescription weight loss medications. We have no issue with that claim, given that there are a number of FDA-approved weight loss medications.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat concerns us is that neither of the medications highlighted by the brand above are approved by the FDA for weight loss.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eBupropion is a generic antidepressant medication, and as we documented in our \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/bupropion-review\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003ebupropion reviews\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e article, this drug is associated with weight loss in clinical trials but is not FDA-approved for weight loss alone.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eMetformin is an antidiabetic medication that was shown in a 2020 \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC6520185\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003emedical review\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e to cause weight loss even in non-diabetic patients, however this drug is not currently approved by the FDA to treat weight loss alone.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eGiven that there are a number of prescription weight loss drugs that are approved by the FDA, we don’t understand why Found would highlight these two medications. As the FDA \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.fda.gov\/patients\/learn-about-expanded-access-and-other-treatment-options\/understanding-unapproved-use-approved-drugs-label\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003edetails\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e on their website, using a drug “off-label” (like using a diabetes drug to treat weight loss) means the FDA has not determined that the drug is safe and effective for that use.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe hope that Found clarifies whether or not they prescribe drugs off-label for weight loss.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eQuestionable Health Claims on Found Website\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFound makes a number of health claims on their website that we consider questionable from a scientific perspective.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Questionable_Found_Health_Claim_1_Optimized.png?v=1671251477\" alt=\"Questionable Found weight loss claim 1\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe brand claims that “up to 70% of your weight can be determined by your genes.” While it’s true that there are genetic markers indicating increased risk of obesity, suggesting that obesity is \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan\u003ecaused\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan\u003e by genetics seems illogical. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMedical data \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/24264501\/\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eshows\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e that adult obesity rates in the U.S. increased from 13% 1960 to 36% in 2009. Did the human genome change in those 49 years or did diet and lifestyle factors change? It seems obvious to us that the answer is the latter.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Questionable_Found_Health_Claim_2_Optimized.png?v=1671251504\" alt=\"Questionable Found weight loss claim 2\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFound then suggests on the same page that “anywhere from 25-80% of your weight could be determined by your genetics.” This seems to contradict the previous claim, and is again entirely uncited. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe brand provides no proof of either claim.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Questionable_Found_Health_Claim_3_Optimized.png?v=1671251532\" alt=\"Questionable Found weight loss claim 3\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFound then claims that their program “identifies the role your genetics play and then provides you with tools – like prescription medication – to address your weight at the cellular level.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eThis statement makes absolutely no sense to us, because we have not come across any medical evidence that targeted prescription medication treatment based on genetic data is effective.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Also, does this mean that Found requires patient data from a genotyping service like 23andMe? How is the brand accessing the genetic data that they claim allows them to make more effective prescription recommendations?\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWe recommend that consumers entirely disregard claims of efficacy made by health brands that provide no proof of such claims.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eReal, Unsponsored Found Weight Loss User Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eA TikTok user named Loni has a Found review that documents her experience after several weeks of using the program. She explains whether Found has caused weight loss and shares her negative experience with the health coach:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote class=\"tiktok-embed\" cite=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@sunflower333mo\/video\/7124374993055550763\" data-video-id=\"7124374993055550763\" style=\"max-width: 375px; min-width: 325px;\"\u003e\n\u003csection\u003e\u003ca target=\"_blank\" title=\"@sunflower333mo\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@sunflower333mo?refer=embed\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\u003e@sunflower333mo\u003c\/a\u003e \u003ca title=\"fatdoc\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/fatdoc?refer=embed\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\u003e#fatdoc\u003c\/a\u003e \u003ca title=\"43by23\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/43by23?refer=embed\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\u003e#43by23\u003c\/a\u003e \u003ca title=\"foundweightlossreview\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/foundweightlossreview?refer=embed\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\u003e#foundweightlossreview\u003c\/a\u003e \u003ca target=\"_blank\" title=\"♬ original sound - Loni Leforce\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/music\/original-sound-7124374998181006123?refer=embed\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\u003e♬ original sound - Loni Leforce\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/section\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cscript async=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/embed.js\"\u003e\u003c\/script\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eHow Much Does Found Cost?\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Found_Weight_Loss_Cost_Information_Optimized.png?v=1671251555\" alt=\"Found cost information\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eFound does not have a clear and transparent pricing structure on their website. Users have to navigate to a \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/support.joinfound.com\/en_us\/what-is-the-cost-of-the-program-SkkeUeYc\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003especific FAQ page\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e, highlighted above, that prompts users to “take the quiz” to determine their pricing structure.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe “quiz” Found refers to asks for all sorts of sensitive personal data such as name, gender, date of birth and more. We do not believe that users should have to input this much information to find out the price of a health service, and we recommend that users avoid this quiz and avoid giving Found any of your data.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eWhich Prescription Weight Loss Drug Is Most Effective?\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAn unsponsored YouTube video published by a doctor named Christy Risinger reviews clinical data to find out which medication is proven to cause the greatest weight loss. This is the type of transparency we find to be much more useful than the Found website:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Xr5eyc-tA7Q\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eCan OTC Supplements Cause Weight Loss?\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Fiber_Powder_Image_Optimized_c891713a-daf9-41c1-b6b7-0085eebd2ef2.png?v=1664683615\" alt=\"\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThere are several over-the-counter (OTC), food-based supplements that have been shown in clinical studies to cause weight loss.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eDietary fiber\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e was shown in a \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/31174214\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003emedical review\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e to cause an average weight loss of 16.03 pounds over 6 months when combined with moderate caloric restriction (750 calories per day below baseline). That’s an annualized rate of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e32 pounds per year of weight loss simply by adding fiber to a moderately-restricted-calorie diet.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe fiber supplement we recommend is \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca rel=\"sponsored\" href=\"https:\/\/shareasale.com\/r.cfm?b=2011129\u0026amp;u=3153363\u0026amp;m=124607\u0026amp;urllink=www%2Esupergut%2Ecom%2Fresistant%2Dstarch%2Dfiber%2Dmix%2F%3Fsku%3D300101%2D1\u0026amp;afftrack=\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eSuperGut Fiber Mix\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e. It contains a clean and effective formulation: a blend of three different types of unflavored dietary fiber and zero additive ingredients. It can be mixed into liquids or foods. Interested consumers can check out SuperGut fiber \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca rel=\"sponsored\" href=\"https:\/\/shareasale.com\/r.cfm?b=2011129\u0026amp;u=3153363\u0026amp;m=124607\u0026amp;urllink=www%2Esupergut%2Ecom%2Fresistant%2Dstarch%2Dfiber%2Dmix%2F%3Fsku%3D300101%2D1\u0026amp;afftrack=\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eat this link\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e to its product page on the official brand’s website. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eTwo daily fiber mixes provide 16 grams (g) of supplemental fiber. The greatest weight loss found in the above-linked study was from a diet with a minimum of 20 g total fiber intake, so this supplement makes that easily achievable (only 4 g additional required from diet, but more may be better).\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eMCT oil\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e is derived from coconuts and increases metabolic rate, which causes fat loss. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eA \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/25636220\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003emeta-study\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e on MCT oil documented weight loss of 1.12 pounds over 10 weeks. This equates to a potential annualized weight loss of 5.84 pounds with one spoonful per day.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe recommend \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca rel=\"sponsored\" href=\"https:\/\/bulletproof.fdf2.net\/4eNQ4M\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eBulletproof MCT Oil\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e as our top MCT oil product, because it has a clean and effective formulation. The only ingredient is MCT oil derived from coconuts, and the product has no questionable additives. Interested consumers can check out Bulletproof MCT Oil \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca rel=\"sponsored\" href=\"https:\/\/bulletproof.fdf2.net\/4eNQ4M\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eat this link\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e to its product page on the official brand’s website.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe effective dose range of MCT oil for weight loss (based on the above-linked medical review) is 1.7 g to 10 g per day. Bulletproof's MCT oil provides 14 g in one tablespoon, so around two-thirds of one tablespoon should be a maximally-effective dosage.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe are not suggesting that either of these supplements are as effective as Found or any FDA-approved prescription medication for weight loss, or that they should be used to treat any specific medical condition. Rather, we’re sharing research that individuals may benefit from speaking with their doctor about.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eConclusion\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe do not recommend Found’s weight loss program because we do not understand its value proposition whatsoever. The brand suggests that they leverage insights from genetics to tailor customized weight loss strategies, but provides no proof that this strategy is more effective than taking the same medications without their app.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe have not come across any clinical research suggesting that tailored genetic approaches to weight loss are more effective than standard approaches to weight loss.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eTwo of the prescription drugs that Found references on their website as potential treatments are not FDA-approved for weight loss.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eFound makes a number of scientifically questionable and uncited health claims on their website related to weight loss and genetics, and we urge the brand to either provide proof in the form of medical citations for these statements or to remove them from their website.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe would recommend that patients seeking a pharmaceutical weight loss solution speak with their doctor about potential weight loss drugs rather than using Found.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","blog_id":49281925193,"author":"Calloway Cook","user_id":26601750601,"published_at":"2022-12-16T23:51:16-05:00","updated_at":"2023-02-10T15:02:06-05:00","summary_html":"We analyze the medications prescribed by Found to give our take on whether the program is likely to be effective for weight loss and whether or not it's proven to work. We share our concerns about two of the medications prescribed by Found.","template_suffix":"","handle":"found-weight-loss-review","tags":"_related:weight-loss"}

Found Weight Loss Review: Better Than Medications Alone?

Found Weight Loss Review: Better Than Medications Alone?


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Disclaimer: None of the information in this article constitutes medical advice, and is just the opinion of the writer(s). We recommend that patients follow their doctor’s guidance in regard to weight loss medication.

Found is a weight loss brand that describes itself as “the largest weight loss clinic in the United States.” The Found Weight Loss Program operates through a smartphone app, connecting patients with medical providers that can prescribe weight loss medication and recommend healthy lifestyle changes that can promote weight loss.

But is Found more effective than just taking weight loss medication? What medications does Found prescribe? How is it different from other weight loss programs? And how do real users describe the program?

In this article we’ll answer all of these questions and more as we analyze the Found program and the medications provided to give our take on whether or not Found is likely to be successful for weight loss. We’ll also document our disagreements with some health claims made on the Found website, and share real, unsponsored user reviews of Found.

Is Found Proven to Work?

At the time of writing this article, Found does not appear to have funded any clinical trials proving that their program is effective for weight loss.

Some of the medications prescribed by Found (which we’ll review later) are shown in clinical trials to cause weight loss, but the program itself is not.

Given that the brand raised over $100 million from investors, we hope that they fund a clinical trial testing the weight loss effects of their program. At this point we can’t find any information suggesting that Found is more effective than simply taking weight loss medication (prescribed by a doctor) and making healthy lifestyle choices like eating whole foods on your own.

What Weight Loss Meds Does Found Prescribe?

Found weight loss medication information

Found claims on an FAQ page of their website that the brand offers 13 prescription weight loss medications. We have no issue with that claim, given that there are a number of FDA-approved weight loss medications.

What concerns us is that neither of the medications highlighted by the brand above are approved by the FDA for weight loss.

Bupropion is a generic antidepressant medication, and as we documented in our bupropion reviews article, this drug is associated with weight loss in clinical trials but is not FDA-approved for weight loss alone.

Metformin is an antidiabetic medication that was shown in a 2020 medical review to cause weight loss even in non-diabetic patients, however this drug is not currently approved by the FDA to treat weight loss alone.

Given that there are a number of prescription weight loss drugs that are approved by the FDA, we don’t understand why Found would highlight these two medications. As the FDA details on their website, using a drug “off-label” (like using a diabetes drug to treat weight loss) means the FDA has not determined that the drug is safe and effective for that use.

We hope that Found clarifies whether or not they prescribe drugs off-label for weight loss.

Questionable Health Claims on Found Website

Found makes a number of health claims on their website that we consider questionable from a scientific perspective.

Questionable Found weight loss claim 1

The brand claims that “up to 70% of your weight can be determined by your genes.” While it’s true that there are genetic markers indicating increased risk of obesity, suggesting that obesity is caused by genetics seems illogical. 

Medical data shows that adult obesity rates in the U.S. increased from 13% 1960 to 36% in 2009. Did the human genome change in those 49 years or did diet and lifestyle factors change? It seems obvious to us that the answer is the latter.

Questionable Found weight loss claim 2

Found then suggests on the same page that “anywhere from 25-80% of your weight could be determined by your genetics.” This seems to contradict the previous claim, and is again entirely uncited. The brand provides no proof of either claim.

Questionable Found weight loss claim 3

Found then claims that their program “identifies the role your genetics play and then provides you with tools – like prescription medication – to address your weight at the cellular level.”

This statement makes absolutely no sense to us, because we have not come across any medical evidence that targeted prescription medication treatment based on genetic data is effective. Also, does this mean that Found requires patient data from a genotyping service like 23andMe? How is the brand accessing the genetic data that they claim allows them to make more effective prescription recommendations?

We recommend that consumers entirely disregard claims of efficacy made by health brands that provide no proof of such claims.

Real, Unsponsored Found Weight Loss User Review

A TikTok user named Loni has a Found review that documents her experience after several weeks of using the program. She explains whether Found has caused weight loss and shares her negative experience with the health coach:

@sunflower333mo #fatdoc #43by23 #foundweightlossreview ♬ original sound - Loni Leforce

How Much Does Found Cost?

Found cost information

Found does not have a clear and transparent pricing structure on their website. Users have to navigate to a specific FAQ page, highlighted above, that prompts users to “take the quiz” to determine their pricing structure.

The “quiz” Found refers to asks for all sorts of sensitive personal data such as name, gender, date of birth and more. We do not believe that users should have to input this much information to find out the price of a health service, and we recommend that users avoid this quiz and avoid giving Found any of your data.

Which Prescription Weight Loss Drug Is Most Effective?

An unsponsored YouTube video published by a doctor named Christy Risinger reviews clinical data to find out which medication is proven to cause the greatest weight loss. This is the type of transparency we find to be much more useful than the Found website:

Can OTC Supplements Cause Weight Loss?

There are several over-the-counter (OTC), food-based supplements that have been shown in clinical studies to cause weight loss.

Dietary fiber was shown in a medical review to cause an average weight loss of 16.03 pounds over 6 months when combined with moderate caloric restriction (750 calories per day below baseline). That’s an annualized rate of 32 pounds per year of weight loss simply by adding fiber to a moderately-restricted-calorie diet.

The fiber supplement we recommend is SuperGut Fiber Mix. It contains a clean and effective formulation: a blend of three different types of unflavored dietary fiber and zero additive ingredients. It can be mixed into liquids or foods. Interested consumers can check out SuperGut fiber at this link to its product page on the official brand’s website. 

Two daily fiber mixes provide 16 grams (g) of supplemental fiber. The greatest weight loss found in the above-linked study was from a diet with a minimum of 20 g total fiber intake, so this supplement makes that easily achievable (only 4 g additional required from diet, but more may be better).

MCT oil is derived from coconuts and increases metabolic rate, which causes fat loss. 

A meta-study on MCT oil documented weight loss of 1.12 pounds over 10 weeks. This equates to a potential annualized weight loss of 5.84 pounds with one spoonful per day.

We recommend Bulletproof MCT Oil as our top MCT oil product, because it has a clean and effective formulation. The only ingredient is MCT oil derived from coconuts, and the product has no questionable additives. Interested consumers can check out Bulletproof MCT Oil at this link to its product page on the official brand’s website.

The effective dose range of MCT oil for weight loss (based on the above-linked medical review) is 1.7 g to 10 g per day. Bulletproof's MCT oil provides 14 g in one tablespoon, so around two-thirds of one tablespoon should be a maximally-effective dosage.

We are not suggesting that either of these supplements are as effective as Found or any FDA-approved prescription medication for weight loss, or that they should be used to treat any specific medical condition. Rather, we’re sharing research that individuals may benefit from speaking with their doctor about.

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Conclusion

We do not recommend Found’s weight loss program because we do not understand its value proposition whatsoever. The brand suggests that they leverage insights from genetics to tailor customized weight loss strategies, but provides no proof that this strategy is more effective than taking the same medications without their app.

We have not come across any clinical research suggesting that tailored genetic approaches to weight loss are more effective than standard approaches to weight loss.

Two of the prescription drugs that Found references on their website as potential treatments are not FDA-approved for weight loss.

Found makes a number of scientifically questionable and uncited health claims on their website related to weight loss and genetics, and we urge the brand to either provide proof in the form of medical citations for these statements or to remove them from their website.

We would recommend that patients seeking a pharmaceutical weight loss solution speak with their doctor about potential weight loss drugs rather than using Found.




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