The Golo Diet: A Comprehensive Science-Based Review
The Golo diet promises easy weight loss by controlling blood sugar and insulin. This commercial diet provides meals, supplements, and coaching for a monthly fee.
But does the Golo diet align with nutrition science? And can it deliver sustainable results?
This complete review covers everything you need to know about the Golo diet and its Release supplement.
What is the Golo Diet?
The Golo diet consists of:
- Consuming 1,300-1,500 calories per day
- Restricting carbs to 40-60 grams per meal
- Exercising 30-60 minutes daily
- Taking a Golo Release supplement with each meal
- Weekly check-ins with a Golo coach
The company provides dieters with recommended meal plans and sells various supplements. However, followers don't have to purchase Golo meals or snacks. The main requirement is taking the Release product.
Golo Release Supplement Ingredients
The key component of the Golo diet is the proprietary Release supplement, marketed to "balance insulin response." The ingredients in Release include:
- Zinc - 30 mg per serving. Vital for blood sugar control.
- Chromium - 200 mcg per serving. Improves insulin sensitivity.
- Banaba leaf extract - 125 mg per serving. Promotes normal blood glucose.
- Rhodiola rosea root extract - 100 mg per serving. Adaptogen that helps regulate cortisol.
- Magnesium - 80 mg per serving. Essential for carbohydrate metabolism.
- Folic acid, vitamins B6 and B12 - Support healthy metabolism.
How the Golo Diet Works
The Golo diet is based on the premise that "metabolic imbalance" causes weight gain and prevents weight loss. It claims most diets fail because they don't address the root metabolic cause.
Golo defines metabolic imbalance as having high blood sugar, insulin resistance, and problems regulating hormones that influence weight.
The diet aims to:
- Stabilize blood sugar
- Improve insulin sensitivity
- Correct hormone imbalances
- Reduce inflammation
To achieve these goals, it restricts carbohydrate intake and prescribes Release pills. The company asserts its supplement ingredients work synergistically to restore metabolic balance.
Does Science Support the Golo Diet?
The Golo diet is generally in line with mainstream weight loss advice. Its emphasis on controlling calories, carbs, exercise, and blood sugar aligns with proven weight management strategies.
Heres a look at what research says about the key tenets of Golo:
Calorie Deficit for Weight Loss
The Golo diet promotes a daily calorie intake of 1,300-1,500 calories. This calorie restriction creates a deficit that promotes weight loss in most people.
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans confirms that reducing calories aids weight loss in the short term. Cutting about 500-750 calories per day leads to about 1-2 pounds of weight loss weekly.
Carbohydrate Modification
The diet recommends consuming 40-60 grams of carbs per meal. Limiting carbohydrate-containing foods can help control blood sugar and appetite.
A review in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition concluded that reducing carbohydrates to 130 grams daily or less can improve body weight and other metabolic disease markers.
Exercise Recommendations
Golo advises doing 30-60 minutes of exercise daily. Aerobic and resistance training are important for achieving weight loss and preventing weight regain.
According to the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, getting 150-300 minutes of moderate exercise weekly promotes clinically significant weight loss.
Release Ingredient Analysis
The minerals and botanicals in Release have demonstrated potential to aid blood sugar regulation and weight loss. However, research uses larger doses than whats in Golos proprietary blend.
Chromium - A review in Diabetes Technology & Therapeutics found chromium picolinate supplementation significantly improved insulin sensitivity. But effective doses were 400-1000 mcg per day.
Banaba Extract - Banaba contains corosolic acid, which shows promise for supporting normal blood glucose according to an article in Integrative Medicine Research. But studies used 10-48 mg, not 125 mg.
Rhodiola Rosea - Per Nutrients journal, rhodiola exhibits anti-diabetic activities by reducing oxidative stress and regulating the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. However, research used 340-680 mg doses.
Overall, Release contains science-backed ingredients, but in lower doses than shown effective in studies.
Benefits of the Golo Diet
Potential benefits of the Golo diet include:
- Promotes calorie deficit - Lower calorie intake creates short-term weight loss.
- Balances blood sugar - Carb modification and Release can help regulate glucose and insulin.
- Supports metabolic health - Key nutrients like chromium, zinc, and magnesium improve metabolic factors.
- Includes coaching - Weekly consultations increase accountability and motivation.
- Provides structure - Meal plans and Release taking remove decision fatigue.
Downsides of the Golo Diet
Potential downsides of the Golo diet include:- Low calorie intake - 1,300 daily calories is very low, especially for men or active people.
- High cost - The monthly price is expensive for a basic diet program.
- Heavily marketed - The emphasis on Release seems more commercial than scientific.
- Unsustainable - Rapid results from calorie restriction often lead to rebound weight gain.
- Lacks nutrition - No guidance given on getting nutrients, vitamins, minerals.
Does Golo Produce Long-Term Results?
Like most commercial diets, Golo will likely produce initial weight loss results due to its calorie-restricted meal plans.
However, severe calorie restriction often backfires after the first few months. Hunger and cravings increase while metabolism slows, resulting in dieters regaining lost weight.
The Golo diet bans no foods, so its carb-controlled, calorie-conscious approach could work for long-term weight maintenance if dieters increase calories after the initial fast weight loss phase.
But its price point may deter people from sticking with the program for more than a few months.
Who Should Try the Golo Diet?
The Golo diet may appeal to people who:
- Need structure and accountability
- Struggle with carbohydrate or sugar cravings
- Have insulin resistance or blood sugar regulation issues
- Prefer meal delivery services for convenience
However, the diet requires taking supplements, paying a monthly fee, and purchasing pre-made foods, so it likely wont work for everyones preferences and budget.
Who Should Avoid the Golo Diet?
The Golo diet is not recommended for:
- Anyone with a history of disordered eating
- Te
FAQs
What is the Golo Diet?
The Golo Diet involves consuming 1,300-1,500 calories per day, limiting carbs, exercising, and taking a supplement called Golo Release to help balance blood sugar and insulin.
What is in the Golo Release supplement?
Golo Release contains zinc, chromium, banaba leaf extract, rhodiola rosea, magnesium, and B vitamins to support glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity.
Does the Golo Diet align with science?
Yes, the Golo Diet's principles of calorie control, carb modification, and exercise support proven weight loss strategies. But its supplements contain lower doses than studies.
What are benefits of the Golo Diet?
Benefits include short-term weight loss, blood sugar regulation, accountability through coaching, and providing structure with meal plans.
What are downsides of the Golo Diet?
Downsides include very low calorie intake, high cost, heavy supplement marketing, metabolic slowdown risk, and lack of guidance on complete nutrition.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.
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