Biggest roadblocks in longevity medicine⎮Extension Health NYC launch ⎮Meet Mastermind speaker Dr. Amy Killen
Your sneak peek into the world of Longevity Docs.
Hey Docs, David here.
Thank you to all the Longevity Docs who shared their personal stories about the challenges of building a longevity clinic. It takes years to build expertise and trust, which is invaluable for patients.
Dozens of Longevity Docs gathered in NYC to support Dr. Kuo’s Extension Health launch.
Excited to have Dr. Amy Killen joining the Longevity Docs Mastermind as a speaker and expert.
Happy Sunday!
David Luu
🚨 Longevity Docs News
🗽 NYC Meetup: Extension Health launch
Many Longevity Docs gathered in New York for the launch of Extension Health, a new generation longevity clinic and to support our fellow member Dr. Jonathann Kuo.
Dr. Kuo: “We offer comprehensive longevity diagnostics (DEXA V02 RMR 3DBodyScan Blood Work) and advanced therapeutics (Plasmapheresis, EBOO, HBOT, Regenerative Medicine, Neuro-Resets, Peptides) in one facility here in NYC. We have a multidisciplinary team of physicians that coordinate personalized care plans.”
👋 Community: Welcome to our new members
Amanda Kahn - New York, NY, USA
Neil Forest - Singapore
Eve Henry - San Carlos, CSA, USA
Silvia Samarin - Skofljica, Slovenia
Jon Berner - Seattle, WA, USA
Mohammad Shanti, MD - Winnipeg, USA
Greg Bailey - London, UK
Ran Crooke - London , UK
Nilay Donmez - NYC, NY, USA
Join a global network of 150+ physicians committed to evidence-based precision longevity medicine.
🎤 Events
Dr. Amy Killen will speak at the Longevity Docs Mastermind NYC on October 5-6
Meet Dr. Amy B. Killen, a leading longevity and regenerative physician who will be joining the Longevity Docs Mastermind as a speaker and expert.
Dr. Killen is the founder and CEO of the Human Optimization Project (HOP), a longevity-focused nutritional supplement company. She’s also the co-founder of longevity clinic franchise Humanaut Health, and Reputable, a health tech data aggregator that empowers insights through experimentation.
She and her partner, Dr. Adelson, are behind the pioneering Full-Body Stem Cell Makeover, which involves the injection of regenerative cell therapy into the skin, hair, and sexual organs.
💬 Buzz in the Chat
What were the biggest roadblocks to getting started in longevity medicine?
I think the biggest thing is lack of financial security. Its very hard to leave a well-paying job in the conventional medical space to do anything outside of it, let alone a mostly cash-only practice. It could take months or even years to start making money, or never. Either Longevity is day job, and moonlight in like an urgent care, or vice versa
Totally agree!! I started by doing my ortho practice all day and my longevity clonic a few hours at night in a tiny room i shared with an accupuncturist. Did that for 15 years slowly growing longevity practice and learning. Was really hard to make the leap to leave traditional ortho practice. But that was the only way to ever make longevity practice successful!! I left a very good stable income, ownership in a surgery center and mri... really really hard!! But so much happier.
I think one of the next biggest challenges is hiring staff. It is so hard to find good help, OMG! knowing how to hire, train, pay, and then FIRE people is something we doctors are terrible at
The hardest part is definitely the money as Sajad says. There is no insurance coverage, no referral networks, not to mention the entire concept goes against the way most people are taught to think about when to use medicine…which means you have to hustle to market yourself, build a great experience…not skills we are taught and hard for even seasoned business people.
Similar, left colorectal and pelvic floor surgery to set up an aesthetics business which has given me full permission to make all the business mistakes whilst perfecting others. And I now see this as my VC to allow me to live my life and offer womens health and longevity to the women who are receptive in all the spaces I can.
My journey was almost the opposite. I had been employed in ER and occ med for 20 years, got frustrated after a corporate acquisition and left. Spent less than a year as an insurance medical director (a disastrous story for another time) then just took the leap with my own money and some financing. Built out my space without a single patient. It took about 7 months to get my first patient (who is still with me 16 yrs later) and nearly 3 years to become profitable. Is it perfect? No, but my happiness, personal and professional satisfaction and results I'm able to deliver for my patients is unmatched. I'm very appreciative of this group for learning and exchanging ideas. In my neck of the woods there aren't many others to collaborate with.
Echo this! I started with a solo interventional pain management practice 15 years ago in a 300 sq ft office with a consultation desk with the c-arm squeezed in the corner. I was sharing space with a few neurologists and had to do per-diem anesthesia on the weekends and evenings after work to make ends meet. Built my longevity practice at a 2nd location 3 years ago and opening right when COVID happened - we had only an in-person business at that point and struggled to dig ourselves out of a hole. Fast forward a few years and I have a growing practice that I just launched as Extension Health this week! Bootstrapped and self-funded all along. Hustle and determination do pay off in the long run - couldn't be happier!
Hearing the same stories as mine is inspirational. Should have asked some questions before going out on my own again. I would have avoided a few speed bumps
I think what I have learnt about running a business with a large pay roll, leases, HR etc pale into insignificance when I think about what I have learnt about myself. It has brought me much closer to the next evolution and iteration. Many many painful and expensive mistakes. But like I say - it has helped me relate to my patients more closely. And it’s helped me heal old wounds around how I view the world. Magical.
Very inspiring to hear all your stories. Being in the early stages of my transition to this space, I am in a position that a lot of you are recalling. Financially has been scary at times, but continuing with determination to do medicine better and become an expert like so many great minds on here!
There is such richness to each of our stories. And so much to be gleaned. We need to create The Longevity Docs Moth !
🩺 Publications
Proteomic signatures improve risk prediction for common and rare diseases
These findings show that sparse plasma protein signatures, including both disease-specific proteins and protein predictors shared across several diseases, offer clinically useful prediction of common and rare diseases.
Nature - Recommended by Dr. David Luu
Establishing healthy longevity clinics in publicly funded hospitals
Collaboration with research institutions and industry partners is crucial for advancing healthy longevity medicine and creating standardized protocols. In this article, we review the process of creating healthy longevity clinics in public hospitals to ensure the best possible care for individuals pursuing healthy longevity.
Geroscience - Recommended by Dr. Andrea Maier
Effect of gut microbiome modulation on muscle function and cognition: the PROMOTe randomised controlled trial
Studies suggest that inducing gut microbiota changes may alter both muscle physiology and cognitive behaviour. Our results demonstrate that cheap and readily available gut microbiome interventions may improve cognition in our ageing population.
Nature Communications - Recommended by Dr. Sanjay Raisoni
Association of Egg Intake With Alzheimer's Dementia Risk in Older Adults: The Rush Memory and Aging Project
Frequent egg consumption is associated with a lower risk of Alzheimer's dementia and AD pathology, and the association with Alzheimer's dementia is partially mediated through dietary choline.
The Journal of Nutrition - Recommended by Dr. Steven Murphy
🌐 In the News
Forbes: The Longevity Movement: What to Make of the Hype
New York Times: The Key to Longevity is Boring
Forbes: The Longevity Revolution: Financial Trends And Opportunities In An Aging World
🗓️ Events & conferences
👉 Longevity Docs Mastermind: NYC - October 5,6
LiveLong Summit: Los Angeles - August 3,4
Cellular Senescence - the Road to Immortality : Novato - August 12
ARDD: Copenhagen, Denmark - August 26,30
RAAD Festival - Anaheim CA - September 5-8
Peptide Therapy Certification - September 6-7, Orlando, FL
Cannes Longevity Festival: Cannes, France - June 25,27 2025
About Longevity Docs Mastermind
The Longevity Docs Mastermind is a physician-only event focused on precision and evidence-based longevity medicine. This is where the medical leaders of today shape the future of longevity.
New York City - October 5-6, 2024
Convene 101 Park Avenue, NYC