Tanya Zuckerbrot is doubling down to defend her controversial F-Factor diet against dozens upon dozens of claims made against her and the company!
As we previously reported, the trendy weight loss program came under fire after influencer Emily Gellis Lande (pictured above, inset) took to her Instagram Story to share the mass DMs she’s received from alleged past and current clients who revealed serious side effects from following the plan and Zuckerbrot’s words of advice.
[TRIGGER WARNING: Details of weight loss and eating disorders]
The many health issues cited included migraines, rashes, miscarriages, rectal bleeding, and much more. F-Factor’s founder (above) reacted by posting a video to her IG account over the weekend, blaming any “gastric distress” on whey intolerances or allergies, further gaslighting the alleged victims. Her page is now private.
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After our report went live on Tuesday, the registered dietician again spoke out, telling Page Six about accusations of lead poisoning levied against her fiber/whey protein bars and powders:
“What I can categorically confirm is that the rumors of dangerous levels of lead in the product is false.”
She continued to defend the F-Factor “lifestyle,” slamming the countless claims of side effects as “unfounded” and a “rumor”:
“In over two years we have received less than 50 complaints asking for refunds. This rumor that somehow I created a product that’s harming people’s health is so malicious and frankly unfounded.”
Rather, Zuckerbrot believed the attacks on her, her family, and her company have been from online bullies, revealing she’s been “cyberstalked” over “the past three months.” She’s since contacted “the authorities.”
She probably doesn’t mean the FDA. LOLz!
Additionally, Tanya, who assured her products are “100 percent safe,” but refuses to release the Certificate of Analysis (COA) further asserted the bloating and rashes are due to an “allergy to whey protein,” thus the company is “creating a vegan protein powder for the people who express an intolerance to whey.”
Before we continue, it’s worth noting whey protein is found in milk, therefore you’ll come across it in almost all dairy products, like yogurt and cheese. So, it seems the dietician is claiming her clients must also be unable to tolerate these as well. Seems like they would have figured that out at some point in their lives if so…
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In response, Emily EXCLUSIVELY shared this statement with us on Thursday, writing about the founder’s blatant denials of women’s alleged experiences:
“My sole wish from the start of this discussion is for women to be heard and acknowledged. For a company and founder to completely disregard thousands of women speaking out with similar health concerns speaks volumes. To gaslight me and claim I’m crazy does as well. All I’ve ever wanted was for these women to be heard, and at the very least, for the founder to address it in a meaningful way that could begin a discussion towards healing this disaster.”
Her page has continued to be flooded with DMs with various accounts of former F-Factor followers, who described not only physical ailments, but the effects on mental health, like panic attacks and triggered eating disorders.
On Wednesday, she took to her Instagram, sharing more about becoming the medium for these victims to safely open up about their stories:
“ELEGANCE! EDUCATED! KLASSY! I’ve been reminded this week of the importance of speaking the truth, the importance of fighting for anyone being silenced, the importance of using your moral compass in life to do the right thing. I get asked over and over again how I ended up involved in this story? Well I simply heard something and it didn’t sit well with me. The concept of a health professional telling anyone not to take an antidepressant medication (medicine that has saved me and helped me live a normal life) in order to stay thin, was mind boggling to me. I’ve taken a multitude of anti anxiety medications in my life, and they are vital and necessary for myself and many to live happily and healthy. Could it be frustrating to have weight gain as a side effect? Absolutely. Does that mean I would ever give up on my mental health to be thin? No. So I spoke out. And then I spoke out again, months down the line when I saw a company blatantly gaslighting victims instead of recognizing their pain.”
Emily pressed on, adding how she’s been attacked merely for bringing these claims to light. Touching on the scare tactics, she posted:
“Turning a story about women harmed by a diet into a story about cyber bullying. It’s almost too ridiculous to believe it’s real. But then I watched it unfold in front of my eyes. Thousands of messages poured in over the next few days, which turned into weeks. Women silently suffering with hives, rashes, migraines, disordered eating, massive GASTROINTESTINAL issues, ER visits for being impacted, colons removed, the list goes on. The stories do not end. The victims want to be heard. I simply became the vehicle for that. Then I got viciously attacked; threatened to be ‘exposed’, cyber bullied online daily by anonymous accounts, the attacks don’t end. But, alas, the message is out, diet culture is tricky, but gaslighting victims is dangerous. It’s unethical, it’s immoral, and it deserved to be called out. The saying goes, ‘don’t shoot the messenger’ – I’ve already taken plenty of heat, and I’m ok with that. I’m the wild card, I’m the one who can’t be bought off, or silenced. Ellie and Jannyboy raised me old school. I’m a product of two poor Jewish kids from the Bronx, who taught me to stand up for what is right in life. I still got it! #playonPlaya #YouStillGotTheWrongGirl”
More is likely to come out as this battle rages on! Perhaps a class-action lawsuit will be filed by former and present F-Factor followers if the company refuses to be transparent with their customers?? What do U think, Perezcious readers?
We’ll continue to keep you updated!
[Image via Tanya Zuckerbrot/Twitter & Emily Gellis Lande/Instagram]
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