Maintenance Phase: "The Diet Crimes of Metabolife"

Episode Date: February 12, 2026
Hosts: Aubrey Gordon & Michael Hobbes

Overview

In this episode, Aubrey and Michael dive into the wild rise and dramatic fall of Metabolife, one of the most popular diet pills of the late 1990s and early 2000s. The episode explores the origins of Metabolife—including the criminal backgrounds of its founders—the legal/social climate that enabled its explosive success, the dangers inherent in its key ingredient (ephedra/ma huang), and the broader implications of unregulated dietary supplements in the US. With their signature irreverence, the hosts dissect deceptive marketing, regulatory loopholes, and the real human harms caused by Metabolife and similar products.

Key Topics & Insights

The Era of Diet Pills and Deregulation (90s—Y2K)

• Context: Metabolife launches into a booming diet and wellness industry, powered by MLMs (multi-level marketing) and a public obsessed with fitness and thinness.
  • “This is the era of Buns of Steel, of Stop the Insanity, of Sweating to the Oldies... MLMs are on the rise.” —B [01:03]
• Advertising and Panic: Industry-funded ads (including a bizarre Mel Gibson cameo) stoke fears of FDA overreach by implying the government would raid homes over vitamin use—a manufactured crisis to avoid regulation.
  • “They are hiring [Mel Gibson] for a TV ad... You should call Congress and be like, whatever they want, don’t give it to them. These people have too much money.” —A [09:03], [09:09]

The Legal Backdrop: Diet Supplement Health & Education Act (DSHEA) [05:15–08:42]

• DSHEA’s Impact: Passed in 1994, this law reclassified dietary supplements as "food" rather than "drugs," essentially removing FDA oversight unless a product was already proven dangerous after release.
  • “It is functionally like, almost complete deregulation of the supplement industry.” —B [07:14]
  • “Supplement makers do not have to prove that an ingredient is safe before taking it to market.” —B [06:59]
• Political Influence: Bipartisan support (notably from politicians with major contributions from Herbalife) enshrined lax rules that benefit the supplement industry.

Metabolife’s Shady Beginnings [09:17–15:25]

• The Founders’ Criminal Pasts: Michael Ellis and Michael Blevins, childhood friends from San Diego, attempt meth production before launching Metabolife.
  • “He was charged because he had rented a house for the express purpose of cooking meth in it.” —B [12:33]
  • “My meth joke is true.” —A [12:40]
• Lack of Qualifications: Ellis’s credentials are a string of unrelated jobs—ex-cop, chauffeur, PI, not chemistry.
  • “Does he have any background in chemistry? ... No, he’s like a random guy.” —A [15:14]

The Product: From Weightlifting Supplement to "Herbal Weight Loss" [15:25–17:07]

• Origins: Initially marketed as a bodybuilding supplement, Metabolife pivots to weight loss for higher sales.
• Ingredients: Marketed as containing "ma huang" (Chinese herbal remedy), which is actually ephedra—a strong stimulant and meth precursor—and loaded with caffeine.
  • “The ingredient listed on Metabolife isn’t just Ma Huang, it’s Ma Huang concentrate.” —B [26:48]
  • “So it’s about one espresso shot worth of caffeine.” —B [17:26]

MLM Structure and Explosive Growth [17:41–19:34]

• MLM Pyramid: Recruitment extends even into prisons by Blevins; as with all MLMs, early entrants profit while later recruits lose.
• Market Dominance: Within four years, Metabolife claims $1 billion in annual sales.
  • “In 1999, just four years after the launch, they report $1 billion in sales.” —B [18:41]

The Real Dangers of Ephedra [22:19–27:39]

• Stimulant Risks: Ephedra (and its derivatives—ephedrine, pseudoephedrine) increase heart rate and blood pressure and are methamphetamine precursors.
  • “On the more intense end, ephedra does increase your heart rate... which in turn can lead to cardiac events, stroke, all kinds of acute, really scary things. And... hallucinations, seizures and psychosis.” —B [25:27]
• Compounded with Caffeine: Caffeine boosts dangers even more.
  • “Adding caffeine to this is really like pouring lighter fluid [on it].” —B [27:37]
• Marketing as "Natural": The illusion of herbal/natural = safe sets consumers up for harm.
  • “You rebrand this thing that is just like a pharmaceutical... people think they’re taking something natural and herbal, but... you’re just taking drugs.” —A [26:22]

Adverse Events and Media Scrutiny [28:18–43:01]

• Reported Harms: Within two years, large numbers report adverse reactions, including hypertension, cardiac events, psychosis—and, by 1999, 35 deaths are linked to Metabolife.
  • “By 1999, the FDA reports over 1,000 adverse reactions... and 35 of those are deaths.” —B [29:48]
• Aggressive Defense: Metabolife sues media outlets and attempts to discredit both scientific critics and plaintiffs, often using private investigators.
  • “Metabolife starts suing people... When negative stories crop up, Metabolife often files suit for defamation.” —B [30:15]
• Questionable Safety Claims: Their supposed "lab testing" is unsubstantiated—small studies, high dropout, mishandled trials.
  • “Their ‘studies’ have extremely small sample sizes, high dropout rates, and in one case, they couldn’t account for the contents of the bottles.” —B [37:33]
• Label Inaccuracy: Independent tests show active ingredient levels may be off by as much as 130% compared to the label.
  • “The amount of active ingredient in some brands varied by as much as 130%.” —Dr. Gurley, read by A [34:13–34:48]

Legal, Government, and Personal Fallout [43:42–50:14]

• Escalating Government Action: Congressional hearings, a DOJ criminal investigation, and intense media scrutiny follow as death and injury counts rise.
  • “Metabolife users have reported 95 heart attacks... and 81 deaths.” —B [44:49]
• Founder Convictions: Both Ellis and Blevins face jail time—Ellis for lying to the FDA, Blevins for gun charges.
  • “He was sentenced to six months in federal prison and a $20,000 fine.” —B [49:14]
• Tax Evasion & Suicide: The company hides $93 million; their accountant, Michael Compton, dies by suicide after admitting to fraud.
  • “Their accountant, Michael Compton, admits to federal authorities that he did cook the books... When the story broke, Compton died by suicide.” —B [50:09–50:15]
• Minimal Penalties: Despite billions in sales and egregious harm, Metabolife receives relatively small fines.

The Final Straw: Athlete Deaths & Ephedra Ban [51:22–54:00]

• High-Profile Death: Orioles pitcher Steve Belcher dies at 23 after using ephedra for weight loss, prompting national outrage.
  • “Steve Belcher, a professional athlete, collapses and dies.” —B [52:11]
• Market Crater & Ban: Ephedra sales drop by more than 50% in a year; in 2003, the FDA finally bans ephedra.
  • “Ephedra represents 5% of sales... but they are 45% of adverse events.” —B [54:22]
• Pseudoephedrine Further Restricted: US laws (including the Patriot Act) clamp down on access due to meth production.
  • “Ultimately, it passed as part of the Patriot Act.” —B [54:59]

Broader Impact and Takeaways [55:24–56:32]

• Metabolife Today: Reformulated with (ineffective) green coffee bean extract, but no ephedra.
• Systemic Issue Remains: The regulatory loopholes left by DSHEA persist, allowing hazardous or entirely useless supplements to thrive.
  • “There are supplements on the market legally that are very, very hazardous or just full scans.” —B [56:10], [56:15]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Industry Deregulation:
  • “You’re just trusting Gwyneth with your long-term health. And Gwyneth is like the best-case scenario, honestly.” —A [07:33]
• On Founder’s History:
  • “Your meth joke is so much truer than you realize.” —B [12:42]
• On Ephedra’s Effects:
  • “I imagine the effects being somewhere on the cocaine spectrum.” —B [31:54]
• On Dangerous Marketing:
  • “The illusion of herbal/natural = safe sets consumers up for harm.” —A [26:22]
• On Regulatory Failure:
  • “There are supplements on the market legally that are very, very, very hazardous or full-on scams.” —B [56:10]
  • “It’s totally indefensible.” —A [56:24]
• On Personal Accountability:
  • “Again, it’s not unlike the shooting when he was at the police force, where you’re like, what a bummer. You don’t seem to be grappling with this on any level of depth.” —B [50:25]
• On the Absurdity of it All:
  • “Go to jail just for the dip. Just for your fucking tin of Skull.” —B [49:38]
  • “By which you mean they are still raiding the home of Mel Gibson? ...Simply for putting vitamins in.” —A [56:32]

Timeline & Major Segments

• [00:50–04:33]: Industry landscape, Mel Gibson's infamous ad, DSHEA background
• [09:17–15:25]: The criminal histories and formation of Metabolife
• [15:25–19:34]: MLM beginnings, product launch, formulation shift, initial sales
• [22:19–27:39]: Ephedra’s pharmacological effects & health risks
• [28:18–43:01]: Reports of adverse events, lawsuits, label inaccuracies, media scrutiny
• [43:42–54:00]: Congressional and criminal investigations, notable deaths, regulatory bans
• [55:24–56:32]: Aftermath, regulatory legacy, continuing risks

Conclusion

Aubrey and Michael expose Metabolife as a case study of how regulatory neglect, corporate greed, and misleading marketing endanger public health. Despite huge body counts and criminal behavior by founders, minimal penalties were levied and lasting regulatory reform remains out of reach—leaving consumers vulnerable to the next "miracle" supplement fiasco. Their account is at once hilarious and horrifying, highlighting the urgent need for common-sense consumer protections in wellness industries.

For further episodes on related topics:

• Maintenance Phase: "Fen-Phen"
• Maintenance Phase: "Herbalife"