Written by: Sarah Hester, MS, RD

What is GOLO?

GOLO is short for the company’s tagline of “Go Lose Weight, Go Look Great, Go Love Life.”

  The program includes access to resources, tools, support, one-on-one coaching, meal plans, recipes (GOLO for Life Plan, myGOLO) and their branded supplement, Release, with instructions to take one capsule of Release with each meal. The program itself teaches clients to reduce their intake of calories overall, sometimes up to 500 less calories per day and to increase their physical activity daily. 

What are the claims?

It is important to note that GOLO includes both a program that requires participants to follow a lifestyle plan (reduced calorie meal plan, increase physical activity and utilize their online resources) AND A component of taking their branded supplement pill. The claims for GOLO as a whole are many and vague, but seem to mainly claim to promote weight loss by “improving metabolic health.”

Are the claims backed up?

After an audit of the website, GOLO claims in some sections that hundreds of studies back up their product. Under the “Studies” tab that includes links to only four papers. Between the four papers only three different studies are described, both studying small groups of people (between 26 - 68 subjects) for a relatively short amount of time (studies ranged from 13 - 26 weeks). One thing all studies have in common is that they only evaluated the effectiveness of the program in weight loss/metabolic marker reduction and did not evaluate the effectiveness of just the supplement Release itself. It can be concluded that weight loss in studies is most likely not due to participants taking the supplement Release but rather from reducing their calorie intake and increasing their physical activity, both principles of weight loss. At The Millennial Nutritionist we work with clients on these principles and help personalize them to your lifestyle. The Millennial Nutritionist program does not recommend any certain supplement to be taken to aid in weight loss. 

Is it safe to take Release?

It’s important to note that unlike drugs, supplements do not require regulation by the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) in the US. Because of this lack of regulation, studies to prove safety or effectiveness are not required for the product to be sold or claims to be made about them. Release is a mixture of minerals (zinc, magnesium, chromium) and plant extracts that have been researched by themselves to help in different aspects of weight loss or improving metabolic function. Just because these ingredients by themselves have been linked to possibly having function in these areas does not mean that a mixture of them all instantly creates a product that will have all of these functions. Consult your physician before taking any medications or supplements.

Here are a few red flags: 

• Vague claims 

  • Claims such as “Helps control insulin, Maintain healthy insulin levels, Reverse insulin resistance, Control glucose, Lose weight fast” or “Repair metabolic health and efficiency” listed on the GOLO website are vague and overpromising. 

• Not personalized

  • Meal plans, calorie reduction suggestions and physical activity recommendations are not built upon you and your lifestyle. This makes the program non-realistic and one that is not easily implemented long-term. In TMN program, you are counseled by a Registered Dietitian 1:1 who helps you decide for yourself when and how the principles of calorie reduction and physical activity fit in to empower you in weight loss and maintenance for a lifetime.

• Not regulated 

  • Some levels of ingredients and instructions on usage of Release may be a cause for concern if you have underlying conditions such as kidney disease or Type 1 diabetes. It’s important to consult your physician before taking any supplements or medications. 

• Unscientific recommendations

  • Dosage recommendations for the Release supplement are not based on any scientific or personalized factors. GOLO instructs users to take an extra Release supplement if you “have a stressful day/time of day” or “have a high-carb meal” and gives no reasoning to back up that recommendation. Again, consult your physician before taking or increasing the dosage of any medication or supplement.

• Lack of credentials

  • We believe that Registered Dietitians (RDs) should be a trusted source of nutrition information and recommendations and there are no RDs mentioned in leadership or development of the GOLO program. Meet our team of RDs and sign up for a discovery call to find out if our program is a fit for you

So, does the GOLO weight management plan have the dietitian seal of approval? 

Given all the listed red flags and reliance on a branded program and supplement, this program does not have my support as a Registered Dietitian. If you are interested in sustainable weight loss and maintenance, check out the team and offerings of The Millennial Nutritionist, a coaching program and community platform created and administered by Registered Dietitians.