Dr. Joseph Kaye of Optimal Wellness MD

Dr. Joseph Kaye of Optimal Wellness MD Boston answers questions on antiaging medicine, how to stay young, and just what antiaging doctors do!

First I would like thank Dr. Kaye for taking the time and effort to share his knowledge and perspectives about antiaging medicine with us.

How long have you been in practice and how many patients do you have?

I opened my practice, Optimal
Wellness MD of Boston in January of 2010. Currently I have about 350 active clients with a goal of no more than 500 per physician. I am seeking a additional physician to join my group to handle the demand for my services.

What was it that made you specifically interested in the field of antiaging medicine?

Antiaging medicine is the application of the techniques of Functional Medicine to the condition of premature aging. Functional Medicine is the new specialty, in which I am trained, which seeks to find and correct the root underlying causes of illness-rather than just treating symptoms.

So, antiaging medicine is the specialty in which antiaging doctors seek to learn the deeper root causes of the symptoms of premature aging and then intervenes to correct them, restoring health and vitality. To me, the is the exciting part of antiaging medicine—to really help people in the greatest of medical challenges: the aging process itself. For the first time in history, we are now learning exactly what is happening on a cellular and biochemical level to cause the ailments associated with old age.

At Optimal Wellness MD I enjoy the application of the information to improve the health of my patients. I get such positive feedback from my patients that it is a joy to come to work. So, I get an intellectual stimulation from constantly learning about new breakthroughs in the science of aging and I get the personal satisfaction from helping my patients in a dramatic way.

What are the differences between a traditional family doctor and antiaging doctors?

I am trained as both an emergency medicine physician and as an internist. I know the traditional model of medicine as well as the current functional and antiaging model of medicine. Both have their strong points.

Our current traditional medical system is designed to diagnose and treat the symptoms of disease when it is in its final or acute stage. It is not designed to create wellness or to effectively prevent disease. It is much easier to prevent disease than to cure it. We strive not only to diagnose disease in its early stages when it can be more easily reversed, but to prevent it.

At Optimal Wellness MD Boston we use the techniques of functional medicine to optimize the functions of the body systems. While we may use traditional drugs and hormones, we also employ the targeted use of nutritional supplements and scientifically tested natural medicines to achieve health objectives that are not possible with standard pharmaceuticals. Finally, we focus on diet, the main component of health.

What are the benefits of seeing antiaging doctors?

We focus on wellness, prevention of disease, and have as our goal the restoration of optimum health-not just the palliation of symptoms. We have specialized knowledge in the use of bioidentical hormones, nutrients, and natural as well as conventional pharmaceuticals. We focus on fitness and diet to a much greater extent than typical physicians.

Will antiaging doctors network with each other and with my family doctor?

Of course.  We constantly discuss cases by email or iphone and trade medical literature. In addition, I attend 3 or 4 major conferences per year where I network with hundreds of similar physicians, learn about the new technologies, and bring that back to my patients.

I frequently call family doctors to explain my plan of therapy, write case summaries for their records, and exchange laboratory test results in order not to needlessly repeat labs and tests. I give my patients copies of their tests and my notes to share with their physicians if they wish to do so.

What kinds of patients come to you and what are they looking for in the way of help?

I see a wide variety of patients in my antiaging medicine practice, both men and women. A typical patient may be in his or her 40s or 50s with the beginning of chronic disease such as high cholesterol, menopause, andropause, hypertension, irritable bowel, fatigue, depression, and so on. They have often spoken to their primary doctor but have not been helped.

Often they are told “get used to it, your getting old” or they are started on antidepressants, cholesterol drugs, etc. These patients want a better option. They are often successful in their careers but that may have lead them to ignore their health somewhat. Now they realize that, unless they take action, they will end up ill and debilitated in their retirement years. They seek me out to help them change course and regain their health and vitality.

What is the particular focus you take with your patients and why?

I use a holistic approach. I obtain as much information by use of a 50-page questionnaire as I am able before the visit. I review this with the patient. It covers everything: from medical history to symptoms to specific questions about hormone deficiency to diet to toxicity, and so on.

I spend plenty of time with the patient-90 minutes to 2 hours on a first visit to confirm my findings, explain some parts of the history and perform an exam and some initial diagnostic testing. I may order follow-up testing. I discuss diet.

I then create a holistic treatment plan that addresses all their conditions, not just one or two; I focus on finding and correcting the root causes of their symptoms or diseases. As a result I often can greatly improve the patients health.

How do you decide which treatment plan is best for each patient?

I always base my treatment on my evaluation of their physical and biochemical condition, their motivation, how much effort and time they can devote to the process, and their ability to afford various treatment plans.

It is no use to create an “cadillac” plan if the patient can’t afford it. I always plan without any reservations, then I discuss the options with the patient. I tailor what I do to the patient’s means and ability. Many powerful health enhancements are not expensive and can be done by anyone-eating a correct diet for instance.

Which nutrients and drugs, in your experience have been the most helpful for your patients?

I use hundreds of drugs or nutrients or herbals in my antiaging medicine practice and each can be effective for the right condition. It is important that one be tested for a condition that can benefit from a product-no guessing. Some of the more powerful nutrients and drugs I use are bioidentical hormones, TA-65, Protandim, benegene, Nerf-2 activators.

What sort of relationship do you see between one’s mental state and their physical health?

If one believes they ought to sit down and rest simply because they are “old” then they will experience an acceleration of the symptoms of aging. In a sense, one must use it or lose it. This applies to the brain as well as the body.

So one must remain physically and mentally active to avoid premature deterioration. If one’s belief is that they must stay vigorous and active regardless of their age, they will appear and function at a younger level.

In general, what sort of relationship do you see between stress and health, and how can a certain degree of physical or mental stress as through caloric restriction benefit our health?

A person with no stress is dead. Some stress is beneficial; excessive stress is deadly. Mental stress we cannot control is harmful. Stress we can handle helps us grow and achieve new skills-that is productive stress.

Caloric restriction is only beneficial when all the nutritional needs are being met. Improper caloric restriction that deprives one of enough of certain nutrients or protein will shorten life, not extend it and is a harmful source of stress.