Recently BRAINZ Magazine sat down with Dr. Kien Vuu, one of the most sought-after anti-aging physicians in the country to discuss his post-pandemic thoughts on staying healthy this spring/summer and achieving our maximum human potential.
Dr. Vuu, tell me about your background — What led you to this field?
I’m a concierge performance and longevity physician, and I specialize in human optimization and anti-aging medicine. My focus is on personal empowerment through a patient-centric approach, combining integrative and traditional medicine with ancient wisdom to not only remove or lessen the burden of lifestyle-related diseases, but to optimize human potential. I live what I preach, but it wasn’t always that way – either in terms of my career path or my own health.
I was actually a boat refugee from post-war Vietnam; I was the only surviving infant that endured eight grueling months on a refugee boat packed with 2,000 other refugees. My family spent three months in a Philippine refugee camp before our family was sponsored to the United States when I was 2 years old. I grew up in Chinatown, Los Angeles, and one would think I would be grateful to be alive after my experience. But when I compared myself to the other kids in school or the kids I saw on TV, I just saw myself as this immigrant child who was poorer, shorter, and less American than those around me. I felt every kind of “not enough”-ness — not tall enough, not rich enough, not American enough.
And it was really that story of not being enough that carried into adulthood. This led me to receive validation and love from external things, whether it be money, power, or a sense of accomplishment.
I began my career being a physician, specifically an interventional radiologist, which is minimally invasive surgeon using medical imaging to perform surgeries. I worked long, hard hours, had lots of patients, and was always striving and “chasing” these benchmarks of success. And it wasn’t until the stressful lifestyle of chasing these external endeavors caused me to develop chronic diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and was on several prescription medications, that I really had to take a deep look into my life to see where in my life I was not in alignment. It’s been quite the journey of self-rediscovery, self-love, and stepping into a more authentic and powerful version of myself.
That journey back to self along with additional training in nutrition, epigenetics, biohacking, and anti-aging and regenerative medicine led me not only to heal myself, but become the best version of myself - the strongest, smartest, healthiest, and happiest version of myself even as I age. By optimizing myself and finding purpose in my own being, I am now able to offer this to others who desire the same.
What’s the main problem you solve for people/patients?
The problem I help clients overcome is unlocking their human potential so they can excel at their chosen professions, in their personal relationships, and in their relationships with themselves. Many of my clients are C-suite professionals, executives, athletes, and celebrities who have very demanding jobs or careers that necessitate them being at the top of their game – 24/7. Work demands, stress, and poor professional performance frequently spill over into personal relationships (or lack thereof), and these individuals find themselves unable to thrive physically, sexually, mentally, emotionally, socially, or spiritually.
A majority of my clients are men, and so, the “performance” problems frequently have a bedroom component in addition to the boardroom component. By offering them the knowledge and tools to regain their edge and increase libido, they can once again experience enhanced sexual energy and an elevated sense of inter-connectedness with their partners.
How does that problem impact their lives?
When people are able to reclaim all aspects of their health, they become thrivers, not just mere survivors. This allows them to experience increases in confidence, problem-solving, and productivity, a greater sense of personal fulfillment and happiness, and opens them up to the opportunities that can ultimately bring them greater professional and personal success.
After patients work with you, how are they transformed?
Patients who are able to access a new level of health, vitality, creativity, and happiness can in turn, use these elements to do just about anything they choose to do – only better. Many people lose weight. Many people enhance their metabolic health. Many tell me they’ve regained the edge they felt lost with age. With this newfound energy, confidence, and performance, my clients not only experience greater satisfaction in their own lives, but they can share the best of themselves with and for the benefit of others. Many of them share they have a newfound purpose or see even greater possibilities with the legacies they want to leave to the world.
What do you see for the future of medicine? What excites you and concerns you?
I see many more physicians and health enthusiasts embrace performance and longevity medicine where again the aim isn’t merely to heal disease, but how to optimize our human potential. And I’m a strong advocate of the concept of both the Science of Longevity and Art of Living being crucial elements to reach this endeavor.
Regenerative and anti-aging medicine is here and will only get better, and we’re on the cusp of something quite exciting and life-altering in terms of disease prevention and reversal. For many people, this will translate into additional healthy, frailty-free years (healthspan), and these individuals can expect to live well into their 100s. So, instead of simply living longer (lifespan), perhaps being hooked up to machines or confined to a wheelchair, they’ll actually remain vibrant, mobile and more independent for a longer time.
Some of the medical technology that will expand human healthspan and lifespan includes stem cell therapy, exosomes, gene editing, and lab-grown tissue and organs.
Yet, while this is wonderfully exciting, my concern is that there’s an inherent danger if we rely too heavily on medical technology (science-focused care).
Which is why I also believe the Art of Living is just as important. When we study people living in the so-called Blue Zones, we see that personal choices can counteract some genetic shortcomings and elicit what I call “natural longevity.” Remaining healthy and active well into their 90s and 100s, these people show us just how important epigenetics is to successful aging. Individuals achieve their own unique state of thriving through their daily behaviors, something which we broadly define as wellness behaviors:
PHYSICAL – Treating the body like one’s temple: Getting adequate, good quality sleep, at least seven to eight hours nightly; focusing on high quality nutrition, including lots of plant-based foods, healthy fats, and little to no red meat; no refined sugars, artificial sweeteners, or “fake foods;” engaging in some form of exercise or recreational movement every day is good for the entire body and mind.
EMOTIONAL – Expressing joy, laughter, and mirth: Celebrating one’s own life and the lives of others.
MENTAL – Finding focus and meaning in one’s life: Starting each day with mindfulness mediation or by expressing gratitude for the positive things in one’s life.
SOCIAL – Engaging with other people and becoming more socially active: Sharing one’s experiences with others contributes to a better understanding of the broader human experience.
SPIRITUAL – Discovering one’s purpose for being: Focusing on the “we,” instead of the “me” does wonders for the soul; volunteering or performing random acts of kindness offer a spiritual high.
As a practitioner, it’s my job to work with patients to identify the best course of action to achieve the patient’s immediate and long-term health goals. I believe that there’s a balance between science-focused care and wellness-focused care that ultimately serves the patient’s needs. Fine tuning this balance is what really excites me about the future of medicine.
Are you a fan of supplements? Why or why not?
I am very much in favor of vitamin and mineral supplements. Our bodies require optimal levels of vitamins, minerals, and biologic compounds to function optimally. Despite our best efforts to eat healthy, foods have become nutrient-depleted over the decades and this has led to the need to fortify one’s diet. Even if the soil was perfect and you ate a mostly plant-based, rainbow-colored diet every day, there are genetic predispositions which hamper absorption in the G.I. tract. The stress of modern life compounds the problem by increasing the body’s need for antioxidants to deal with the daily exposure to stress, pollution, and other chemicals. The body’s innate antioxidant reserves decrease with age, so supplemental antioxidants are essential.
Nutrient deficiencies are unique to each individual, and so I recommend bloodwork to determine whether a patient has any deficiencies due to either dietary intake, genetic variants, or both. This allows me to recommend intelligent supplementation based on a patient’s specific needs. Even though we tend to focus on vitamins and minerals – because we have FDA recommended intake levels – there are a plethora of phytonutrients for which there aren’t specific RDAs (which I find to be a gross underestimate of what I find optimal levels should be), but we know them to be important contributors to optimal health.
What are 3 things that anyone can do to reclaim their health and live with more purpose?
Number one is to do a self-audit, utilizing reflection and raw introspection. Determine where you’re at presently, in terms of your physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual health. Assuming it’s sub-optimal, what would you like it to be? What is your vision for the future? Why do you want to change? By laying all your cards on the table so to speak, you can then choose to go forward and make the changes necessary to make your vision a reality.
Realize that personal choices and habits – both healthy and unhealthy – affect your biology. Work with a physician who specializes in performance and longevity to supplement your self-audit and create a lifestyle plan which balances the science-focused care with wellness-focused care. Even if you have unfavorable genetic variants, you can make lifestyle choices that prevent the “bad” genes from ever being expressed.
Live your life with more authenticity. Giving back helps reinforce your purpose in life, and if you want to thrive in life, you’ve got to “show up,” or “just do it” as Nike says. Be your best self in all that you do. Good health will follow.
Anything else you’d like to add?
My recent book, Thrive State: Your Blueprint for Optimal Health, Longevity, and Peak Performance, is a testament to my own self-audit that put me on the path to better health. I encourage readers to pick up a copy if they want to reclaim their health and live with more purpose. My book is available at thrivestatebook.com, Amazon , Barnes & Noble, and anywhere books are sold. Readers can also reach out to me via my website (kienvuu.com), my Thrive State Podcast, or on social media (@kienvuumd).
Thank you, Dr. Vuu!
About Dr. Vuu
Dr. Kien Vuu is one of the most sought-after anti-aging physicians in the country and best-selling author of THRIVE STATE: Your Blueprint for Optimal Health, Longevity, and Peak Performance. At his VuuMD Longevity and Performance Clinic, Dr. Vuu regularly works with celebrities, top corporate executives, and high-functioning professionals to optimize their health, performance, and vitality. He’s also a health media personality, appearing on national TV shows such as The Doctors and Access Hollywood, and helps to train the next generation of physicians as assistant professor of health sciences at UCLA. As someone who has overcome two chronic diseases himself, Dr. Vuu is passionate about empowering people to reclaim their health and live with fulfillment, abundance, and purpose.
