The Science behind Medifast

Sometimes, the evidence really does speak for itself.

Developed by William Vitale, M.D. in 1980, Medifast has been recommended by over 20,000 doctors for more than 30 years. Clinically proven to be safe and effective, the Medifast diet has helped well over a million people lose weight, get healthy, and learn how to eat right and keep the weight off.

Why it Works

Every Medifast Meal is based on strict nutritional standards that provide just the right balance of protein, carbohydrates, and fiber. Medifast Meals are fortified with at least 24 vitamins and minerals for optimal nutrition.

After being on the Medifast Plan just a few days (typically 2-5 days), your body shifts to a homeostatic fat-burning state that helps you lose weight quickly while preserving essential muscle tissue.

The Medifast plan places equal emphasis on both weight loss and adequate nutrition. Medifast isn’t a magic pill or a quick fix—it’s a scientifically formulated nutrition plan that works. Medifast Meals are fortified with vitamins and nutrients, so you lose pounds and inches without denying your body the essential nutrients it needs.

The Medifast 5 & 1 Plan

• Five Medifast Meals and one Lean & Green Meal make up the six meals you eat every day (one meal every 2-3 hours).
• Medifast Meals are specially formulated to keep you feeling fuller longer, so you don’t feel hungry between meals.
• You lose weight quickly (up to 2 to 5 pounds per week, on average).

Clinical Studies

The Medifast Diet has been monitored by a Scientific Advisory Board and a highly credentialed Nutrition Support team for over three decades. The following is a list of specific findings from scientific studies that have contributed to the development of the Medifast Program.

• The carbohydrate-controlled, low-fat, low-calorie Medifast diet is 100% more effective at promoting weight loss than an isocaloric diet (a diet that aims to achieve roughly equal amounts of fat, protein and carbohydrates in each meal).
• A portion controlled diet is more effective at promoting healthy weight loss for people with type 2 diabetes than the American Diabetic Association’s dietary guidelines alone.
• Medifast appetite suppressant supplements enhance the effectiveness of the Medifast meal replacement plan.
• Energy drinks containing both caffeine and an appetite suppressant called EGCG are effective weight loss tools that help control hunger cravings.
• Meal replacement plans are just as safe and effective as a food pyramid based program.
• A combination of carbohydrate and fat restriction with appetite suppression supplements is a safe and effective way to promote weight loss.
• Medifast diet users not only lose weight safely, they also experience broad health improvements including lowered cholesterol and triglycerides levels and lower blood pressure.
• After six months, one group of patients on Medifast lost an average of almost 27 pounds and reported a high level of satisfaction with their diet plan.

In the case of Medifast, science does equal success. See the Success Story results for yourself.