Numan vs Second Nature

Jump to: Quick comparison | Clinical evidence | Programme approach | Support and coaching | Who should choose each | FAQs | Take home message

When choosing between Numan and Second Nature for medication-supported weight loss, the key differences come down to clinical track record, UK healthcare integration, and how you access human coaching alongside daily AI support.

Second Nature has focused exclusively on weight management since 2017 and is commissioned by the NHS across 43 ICBs and Health Boards. Our 12-month outcomes are published in JMIR Formative Research¹.

Numan is a UK-based digital health company that began in men’s health (treating conditions like erectile dysfunction and hair loss) before expanding into weight loss in 2022.

They’ve since grown to serve over 500,000 patients across all their services, hold a ‘Good’ rating from the Care Quality Commission (CQC), and now offer weight-loss programmes for both men and women.

Both services prescribe the same medications. The differences lie in the clinical evidence, how they deliver support, and the depth of behaviour-change programming alongside medication.

This guide was written by Second Nature, so it naturally reflects our perspective, but we’ve aimed to present Numan’s strengths and limitations as fairly as possible.

Numan vs Second Nature: quick comparison

Trustpilot ratings and review counts checked on 15 October 2026.

Clinical evidence and NHS partnership

Second Nature: NHS-commissioned with published 12-month outcomes

Second Nature has focused exclusively on weight management and behaviour change for over eight years. The NHS has commissioned our programmes since 2017, with 43 ICBs and Health Boards across the UK using our services to support over 250,000 patients.

Our published research in JMIR Formative Research shows specific outcomes for our medication-supported programme¹:

• 19.1% average weight loss at 12 months among the 135 active subscribers
• 77.7% of the 179 participants with 12-month weight data achieved at least 10% weight loss
• 69% of the 116 survey respondents reported no side effects at month 12

These results do not include everyone who started: 341 people joined the study, and 179 provided weight data at 12 months.

Separately, an NHS England-funded evaluation reported weight loss at 12 months across providers in the digital NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme³. These results came from diabetes prevention services, not GLP-1 medication programmes.

Numan: internal programme data and conference research

Numan published a retrospective analysis of 2,366 patients in its weight-loss programme, covering a 90-day period². The study reported:

• 10.3% average body weight loss at 90 days
• 11.3% weight loss among participants who engaged with both coaching and the app
• 7.5% weight loss among those using medication alone (without coaching engagement)

This is meaningful programme-specific data, and the finding that coaching engagement was associated with around 50% greater weight loss supports the value of behavioural support alongside medication.

However, this study has not been published in a peer-reviewed medical journal. It appears on Numan’s website rather than in an independent publication, so it hasn’t undergone the external scrutiny peer review provides.

Numan’s clinical research team, led by Dr Rebecca Jones (PhD, University of Cambridge, 30+ peer-reviewed publications), has published extensively in other areas of health, but academic journals haven’t yet published programme-level weight-loss outcomes.

Numan has also presented nine-month tirzepatide outcomes at ObesityWeek 2025⁸. These results are a conference poster, rather than a full peer-reviewed journal article. Second Nature’s published medication-supported outcomes cover 12 months. Second Nature also has NHS commissioning alongside its published medication-supported programme research.

Programme approach

Both programmes combine medication with lifestyle support, but they differ in structure and philosophy.

Second Nature: structured behaviour change with non-restrictive nutrition

Our approach is built on the COM-B model (Capability, Opportunity, Motivation, Behaviour)⁴ and runs across four phases: Core, Grow, Maintain, and Sustain.

We don’t recommend calorie counting, cutting out food groups, or labelling foods as ‘good’ or ‘bad’. Many studies link highly restrictive dieting to weight regain over time⁵, and for some people, intensive calorie tracking can be associated with poorer psychological outcomes around food.

Instead, we focus on building habits around balanced meals, understanding your hunger signals, and developing a sustainable relationship with food that lasts beyond medication.

This matters because research found that participants regained around two-thirds of the weight they’d lost in the year after semaglutide and the study’s lifestyle support stopped⁶. Our programme is specifically designed to prepare you for life after medication from day one.

Numan: medication-centred with coaching across multiple domains

Numan’s programme pairs medication with Nu AI support and one-to-one human health coaching on request, covering nutrition, exercise, sleep, and mindset. Their approach frames obesity as a chronic disease influenced by genetics, hormones, and environment rather than personal failure, which aligns with current medical understanding.

Numan’s coaching team includes nutritionists, exercise physiologists, and behaviour change specialists, led by a registered dietitian with over 20 years of experience in behaviour change and obesity (formerly at Weight Watchers International and Allurion Technologies). Their clinical research is overseen by Dr Rebecca Jones, an award-winning researcher specialising in obesity and weight management.

Numan’s app provides weight tracking, clinician messaging, medication reminders, and educational content. Participants can request a human health coach through the app’s Account menu. Matching depends on availability, so there may be a wait before a coach is assigned.

The main structural difference is that Numan doesn’t offer a standalone non-medication programme. If you want to transition off medication with continued support or prefer a lifestyle-only approach, Second Nature provides that option.

Support and coaching

Second Nature: registered dietitians and peer support groups

Second Nature provides an assigned UK-registered dietitian or nutritionist for one-to-one coaching, available five days a week through both group and private messaging. These professionals are:

• Registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) or the Association for Nutrition (AfN)
• Trained specifically in GLP-1 medication support
• Supervised by senior dietitians
• Supported by in-house psychologists on behaviour change coaching

Your membership includes one-to-one coaching, plus human-led webinars and AI support for everyday food and habit questions. AI can provide quick answers between conversations with your coach.

Your nutritionist or dietitian gets to know your circumstances, agrees practical changes with you, and follows up on how they’re working. This ongoing relationship provides personal accountability and professional judgement alongside the app’s daily support.

This approach reflects the clinical standards we’ve developed through our work with the NHS since 2017.

You’re also placed in a small peer group with others on similar programmes. Research consistently shows that peer support improves weight-loss maintenance⁷, and every Second Nature membership includes this community element.

Second Nature’s app includes:

• 300+ recipes designed for people taking weight-loss medications
• Food and mood journals identifying patterns
• Daily educational content (audio or written)
• Habit tracking with behavioural insights
• Medication management with side-effect support

Numan: AI support and human coaching on request

Numan provides Nu AI support and human coaching on request. Members select ‘Request a coach’ in the app and are matched based on availability. Human clinical support remains available separately. Their support team includes:

• Nutritionists, exercise physiologists, and behaviour change specialists
• Named clinicians, including a Lead GP (Dr Luke Pratsides) and Medical Director (Dr Bryony Henderson)
• A registered dietitian leading behavioural medicine and health coaching services
• Unlimited clinician messaging through the app

Numan’s data suggests that patients who actively engage with both their coaching and app features achieve meaningfully better results than those using medication alone (11.3% vs 7.5% weight loss at 90 days)². This supports the value of their coaching model.

The main difference is how coaching is provided. Second Nature includes a registered dietitian or nutritionist as part of the programme, plus webinars and daily AI support. Numan includes human health coaching, but members need to request it and are matched subject to availability.

Numan lists named clinicians and qualified professionals on their website, but doesn’t publish a full register of all coaching staff or their individual regulatory registrations.

Second Nature includes private one-to-one coaching as well as small peer support groups. Numan’s human coaching is individual, without a structured peer-group element. Both programmes therefore offer private support.

Who should choose each programme?

Choose Second Nature if you:

• Want a programme backed by published, peer-reviewed 12-month clinical outcomes
• Value NHS-commissioned approaches and institutional trust built over eight years
• Want an assigned registered dietitian or nutritionist for one-to-one coaching, with webinars and AI support included
• Benefit from small peer support groups and shared accountability
• Want a structured behaviour change plan (COM-B framework) for life after medication
• Want the option of a non-medication programme

Choose Numan if you:

• Want a CQC-rated ‘Good’ provider with 500,000+ patients across their platform
• Prefer Nu AI for daily support, with human health coaching available on request
• Want multidisciplinary support covering nutrition, exercise, sleep, and mindset
• Value strong Trustpilot ratings (4.6/5 from 36,000+ reviews)
• Want a wider range of medication options (Mounjaro, Wegovy, Alli)
• Prefer a dedicated women’s programme with menopause-specific support

Frequently asked questions

Is Numan or Second Nature better for Mounjaro?

Both services prescribe Mounjaro and include clinical monitoring alongside the medication. The difference is in the support that comes with it.

Second Nature provides registered dietitians trained in GLP-1 medications, a structured four-phase behaviour change programme, and small peer support groups. Our published research shows 77.7% of participants with 12-month weight data achieved at least 10% weight loss¹.

Numan provides Nu AI support, with one-to-one human health coaching available on request and subject to matching availability. Clinical support is also included.

Their 90-day programme data shows meaningful outcomes, particularly among patients who engage with coaching alongside medication². Second Nature also provides private one-to-one coaching, alongside its peer groups.

Has Numan published clinical evidence?

Numan has published an internal retrospective study of 2,366 patients showing 10.3% average weight loss at 90 days². This data appears on their website rather than in a peer-reviewed journal, which means it hasn’t undergone independent external scrutiny.

Second Nature’s outcomes are published in JMIR Formative Research, a peer-reviewed journal, and cover a full 12-month follow-up period¹. The separate NHS-funded evaluation concerned the digital NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme, rather than medication-supported treatment³.

Numan also has nine-month tirzepatide data presented at ObesityWeek 2025⁸. A conference presentation and a full peer-reviewed journal article involve different levels of review.

Which service has NHS backing?

Only Second Nature has NHS commissioning, which has been in place since 2017 across 43 ICBs and Health Boards. Numan operates as a private service without NHS partnerships.

This NHS relationship reflects confidence in our clinical approach, governance standards, and data security. It’s worth noting that NHS commissioning is not a requirement to prescribe weight-loss medications safely; Numan is CQC-registered and rated ‘Good’.

NHS commissioning is an additional layer of institutional validation that indicates a programme has met rigorous public healthcare standards.

What qualifications do Numan’s coaching team have?

Numan’s coaching team includes nutritionists, exercise physiologists, and behaviour change specialists. Their behavioural medicine team is led by a registered dietitian with over 20 years of experience, and their clinical research is led by Dr Rebecca Jones (PhD, Cambridge). Named clinicians including their Lead GP and Medical Director are listed on their website.

However, Numan doesn’t publish a full public register of all coaching staff or their individual registrations with their respective regulatory bodies. This makes it harder to verify the specific qualifications of the coach you’d be assigned.

Second Nature employs UK-registered dietitians and nutritionists who are registered with the HCPC or AfN, with specialised training in GLP-1 medication support and supervision from senior dietitians.

Can I switch from Numan to Second Nature?

Yes. We’ll review your medical history and current medication to ensure a safe transition. Our prescriber will advise when to take your next dose based on your current medication and treatment history.

Many members join Second Nature after starting with other providers, often seeking more structured behaviour change support alongside their medication. Our dietitians will work with you to continue your progress without disruption.

Does Numan offer programmes for women?

Yes. While Numan began as a men’s health company, they now offer a dedicated women’s weight-loss programme that addresses menopause-related weight gain, hormonal challenges, and body composition. Their coaching team includes specialists who tailor advice for women’s health needs.

Second Nature’s programme is open to all adults, with support from dietitians who tailor advice to individual needs regardless of gender.

Which has better customer reviews?

Both services have strong Trustpilot ratings. Numan has 4.6/5 from over 36,000 reviews, while Second Nature has 4.6/5 from over 8,100 reviews.

Numan’s significantly higher review volume reflects their larger patient base across all services (weight loss, men’s health, diagnostics).

Second Nature’s reviews are specific to weight loss and have been built consistently over eight years. Both ratings suggest genuine satisfaction, and it’s worth reading recent reviews on both platforms to find experiences relevant to your situation.

Is Numan just a medication delivery service?

No. This is a common misconception. Numan’s weight-loss programme includes medication alongside Nu AI support, human health coaching on request, clinician oversight, and app-based behaviour change content covering nutrition, exercise, sleep, and mindset. Their own data suggests patients who engage with coaching lose meaningfully more weight than those using medication alone².

That said, Numan doesn’t offer a standalone non-medication programme. If you want structured support without medication, or a programme specifically designed for transitioning off medication, Second Nature provides both options.

Compare Numan with the best UK medicated weight-loss programmes and Voy. Our guides also explain private Mounjaro prescriptions and how to switch Mounjaro providers.

Take home message

Second Nature and Numan both prescribe effective weight-loss medications with support alongside the medication. The choice comes down to what matters most to you.

Second Nature brings eight years of specialist weight management experience, NHS commissioning across 43 health boards, published peer-reviewed 12-month outcomes, and an assigned registered dietitian or nutritionist for one-to-one coaching, with human-led webinars and daily AI support included.

Our structured behaviour change programme is specifically designed to help you build habits for life after medication. Some people still need ongoing medication to maintain weight loss⁶.

Numan has built significant scale (500,000+ patients across all services), holds a CQC ‘Good’ rating, and offers Nu AI support with human health coaching available on request alongside medication.

Their research includes 90-day programme data and newer nine-month conference results, and their clinical team includes experienced researchers and registered healthcare professionals.

If NHS experience, longer-term peer-reviewed evidence, and structured behaviour change with peer support are your priorities, Second Nature is likely the better fit.

If you prefer Nu AI support with the option to request a human coach, a large established platform with strong Trustpilot ratings, and a wider medication range, Numan may suit you better.

Second Nature's Mounjaro and Wegovy programmes

Second Nature provides Mounjaro or Wegovy as part of our Mounjaro and Wegovy weight-loss programmes.

Why choose Second Nature over other medication providers, assuming you're eligible?

Because peace of mind matters.

We've had the privilege of working with the NHS for over eight years, helping people across the UK take meaningful steps toward a healthier, happier life.

Our programmes are designed to meet people where they are, whether that means support with weight loss through compassionate one-to-one health coaching, or access to the latest weight-loss medications (like Mounjaro and Wegovy) delivered alongside expert care from a multidisciplinary team of doctors, psychologists, dietitians, and personal trainers.

At the heart of everything we do is a simple belief: real, lasting change comes from building better habits, not relying on quick fixes. We're here to support that change every step of the way.

With over a decade of experience, thousands of lives changed, and a long-standing record of delivering programmes used by the NHS, we believe we're the UK's most trusted weight-loss programme.

We hope to offer you something invaluable: peace of mind, and the support you need to take that first step.

References

1. Richards, R., et al. (2025). A Remotely Delivered GLP-1RA-Supported Specialist Weight Management Program in Adults Living With Obesity: Retrospective Service Evaluation. JMIR Formative Research, 9, e72577.
2. Numan. (2024). Evaluating the effectiveness of Numan’s Weight Loss Programme: a 90-day review. Numan.com.
3. Ross, J.A.D., et al. (2022). Uptake and impact of the English National Health Service digital diabetes prevention programme: observational study. BMJ Open Diabetes Research & Care, 10(3), e002736.
4. Michie, S., van Stralen, M.M. & West, R. (2011). The behaviour change wheel: A new method for characterising and designing behaviour change interventions. Implementation Science, 6, 42.
5. Mann, T., et al. (2007). Medicare’s search for effective obesity treatments: diets are not the answer. American Psychologist, 62(3), 220-233.
6. Wilding, J.P.H., et al. (2022). Weight regain and cardiometabolic effects after withdrawal of semaglutide. Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism, 24(8), 1553-1564.
7. Lemstra, M., et al. (2016). Weight loss intervention adherence and factors promoting adherence: a meta-analysis. Patient Preference and Adherence, 10, 1547-1559.
8. Numan. (2025). Impact of Engagement on Weight Loss Outcomes with Tirzepatide and a Digital Health Programme. Conference poster presented at ObesityWeek 2025.