Luke Huber, ND, MBA, is vice president of product innovation and scientific development for Life Extension in Fort Lauderdale, FL. In this role he oversees scientific affairs for Life Extension Clinical Research. One of his most recent projects has been updating the fifth edition of the Life Extension Disease Prevention and Treatment book, containing 130 evidence-based protocols to combat the diseases of aging. Dr. Huber graduated cum laude from Eastern Michigan University in 1994 and earned his naturopathic medical degree in 1998 from Bastyr University. In 2000 he became the first naturopathic doctor to complete a two-year hospital-based residency, performed at Cancer Treatment Centers of America’s flagship hospital located near Chicago. Dr. Huber also earned a master of business administration from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst with high honors. He is board-certified in naturopathic oncology and a fellow of the American Board of Naturopathic Oncology. Dr. Huber has spent much of his career in the natural products industry while simultaneously maintaining a clinical practice. He has served as technical director at Emerson Ecologics, director of quality, education, technical and regulatory affairs at Arkopharma-USA, and as a consultant to Nutraceutical International Corporation. He is also the owner of an integrative medical practice he founded in 2003, Huber Natural Health, LLC, located in Salem, NH.

 
Health E-Insights: Why has Life Extension continued to offer the Disease Prevention and Treatment book?

Dr. Huber: Disease Prevention and Treatment is the foundational textbook of the Life Extension organization. Life Extension is dedicated to extending the healthy human lifespan by providing information that will help individuals delay the aging process utilizing innovative, integrative approaches to disease prevention and treatment. Life Extension is an information organization that consistently provides meaningful, cutting-edge health content that is of deep interest to healthcare practitioners while also being accessible to the lay-audience. Disease Prevention and Treatment is a well-regarded source illustrating the best of conventional medicine, exposing the gaps in the mainstream medical paradigm, while highlighting often overlooked innovative, integrative approaches to health and disease.
 
Health E-Insights: Was updating the fifth edition challenging?

Dr. Huber: Yes. The fifth edition of Disease Prevention and Treatment was 10 years in the making and the pace of scientific and medical discoveries is now occurring at a dizzying pace. The goal of Disease Prevention and Treatment is to provide an in-depth examination of 130 common health concerns, including the diseases of aging, with an explanation of the pathophysiology of each disease, diagnostic testing, conventional and innovative medical treatment, with a review of integrative medical options.
 
Health E-Insights: How can health-conscious consumers use the book?

Dr. Huber: Disease Prevention and Treatment is a comprehensive innovative, integrative medical reference for consumers providing actionable, evidence-based protocols for the prevention and management of 130 common health concerns. Consumers will find a wealth of information on natural compounds, novel pharmaceutical agents and comprehensive blood testing to complement conventional standard-of-care treatment.
 
Health E-Insights: What is Life Extension’s competitive advantage?

Dr. Huber: We are unique in that we offer such a wide range of products and services. Life Extension began in the early 1980s providing life-saving information to health conscious consumers, helping individuals make better lifestyle choices to optimize their health. The products and services Life Extension provides include membership, the Life Extension magazine, Life Extension Disease Prevention and Treatment book, Life Extension Clinical Research (which develops in-house research as well as providing contract research organization services to ingredient and supplement companies), blood testing services, as well as dietary supplements. The nutritional products that Life Extension supplies are evidence-based. We are one of the most scientifically rigorous companies in the natural products industry.
 
Health E-Insights: Do you see problems with our healthcare system?

Dr. Huber: The U.S. healthcare system is based on a disease model rather than a model of prevention and health optimization. If our healthcare system had more of a focus on maintaining optimal health rather than managing active disease, we could save billions of dollars while vastly improving the quality of life for millions of our citizens, which is priceless. 
 
Health E-Insights: What do you think is the future of dietary supplements?

Dr. Huber: The use of dietary supplements will continue to grow as millions of Americans discover the disease treatment model is not working for them and realize using preventive, nutritional, integrative approaches will significantly enhance their quality and length of life.
 
Editor’s note: For more information about the Disease Prevention and Treatment book visit www.LifeExtension.com/dpt.
 
Sheldon Baker is well known for creating nutraceutical brand marketing and public relations campaigns. For Health E-Insights interview consideration, contact him at Sheldon@NutraInk.com. And follow him on Twitter @NutraInk.