At The Vitamin Shoppe, we believe that everyone is deserving of wellness. That’s why we assembled a diverse, accomplished team of health and fitness experts to share their tips, tricks, and personal stories online and in-store. Our hope is that this Wellness Council will inspire, motivate, and guide you along the path to your best self.
Meet Max Lugavere
Max Lugavere is an American health and science journalist, bestselling author, and filmmaker based in Los Angeles. Lugavere began his career studying film and psychology at the University of Miami. From there, he turned his attention to brain health, nutrition, and wellness. He is the author of the New York Times bestselling book Genius Foods and the host of the podcast The Genius Life, which has reached millions of listeners worldwide. His work has been featured on major platforms including The Today Show, The Joe Rogan Experience, and TEDx.
Lugavere is also the creator of Little Empty Boxes. This documentary chronicles his mother’s battle with dementia and explores the factors that influence brain health. “She’s the reason my private passion became my public advocacy,” Lugavere says. “My career began with a question I couldn’t stop asking: Why did my mom get sick, and what could we have done differently?”
Today, he says brain health remains his north star. However, his research and writing have shown him that the brain doesn’t exist in a vacuum. “The best thing you can do for your brain is take care of the body it’s attached to. Body composition—how much fat and muscle you carry—turns out to be one of the most powerful and most modifiable levers we have for long-term cognitive health.”
Lugavere is himself an avid strength trainer. “I’ve been lifting weights for nearly 30 years. It started as a teenage obsession (my high school thesis was on creatine way back in 2000) and became the through-line of my life.”
Through his writing, media appearances, and speaking, he translates complex scientific research into practical insights for broad audiences. His personal and professional experience with brain health brings unique expertise to The Vitamin Shoppe Wellness Council.