Casey Means Net Worth (2026): How the MAHA Movement Leader Built a Metabolic Health Empire

Casey Means Net Worth Overview

Dr. Casey Means has emerged as one of the most influential—and controversial—voices in American health policy. Her estimated net worth of $5 million reflects her position as co-founder of Levels Health, a company valued at $300 million as of 2024. But her wealth tells only part of the story. As Trump’s nominee for Surgeon General and a central figure in the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement, Means has become a political lightning rod whose influence extends far beyond her bank account.

Among the health guru net worth rankings, Means represents a new breed: the physician-turned-tech-founder-turned-political-adviser. Her wealth comes from founder equity in Levels, royalties from the #1 New York Times bestselling book “Good Energy” (co-authored with her brother Calley), and sponsored content partnerships on social media. Her medical license has been inactive since January 2024, as she shifted focus entirely to advocacy, technology, and politics.

The trajectory from Stanford-trained surgeon to Surgeon General nominee happened remarkably fast. Whether you view her as a visionary reformer or a controversial wellness entrepreneur depends largely on your politics—but her financial and cultural impact on American health discourse is undeniable.

Who Is Dr. Casey Means?

Casey Means was born to Grady and Gayle Means in Washington, D.C. She attended Stanford University for both undergraduate and medical school, graduating from Stanford Medicine in 2014. Her early career path followed a conventional trajectory: she began an ENT surgical residency at Oregon Health and Science University, a demanding five-year program that would have led to board certification in otolaryngology.

Then she quit—near the program’s completion—to pursue functional medicine instead. This decision became central to her public narrative: the insider who saw the system’s flaws and walked away. She founded a functional medicine practice in Portland, Oregon, focusing on root causes of chronic disease rather than symptom management.

The pivot proved prescient for her career, if not for her surgical credentials. In 2024, her Oregon medical license was placed on inactive status. She had already moved on to bigger platforms.

Professional Credentials and Current Roles

Means co-founded Levels Health, a continuous glucose monitoring company that raised significant venture funding and achieved a $300 million valuation. She served as Chief Medical Officer, though her role has evolved as she took on political advisory positions. She also holds an investor and/or adviser role in Truemed, her brother’s company that enables tax-advantaged HSA/FSA spending on wellness products.

On May 7, 2025, President Trump nominated Means as Surgeon General following the withdrawal of his earlier nominee, Dr. Janette Nesheiwat. The nomination was based on RFK Jr.’s recommendation—Means had served as a close adviser to Kennedy’s 2024 presidential campaign alongside her brother. Her confirmation hearing was postponed when she went into labor in October 2025. As of January 2026, the nomination returned to the President after Senate inaction.

How Casey Means Makes Money

Understanding Means’ revenue streams reveals how modern health influencers monetize at the intersection of medicine, technology, and politics. Her income flows through several channels, each reinforcing the others in what amounts to a sophisticated personal brand strategy similar to Dr. Mark Hyman and other functional medicine entrepreneurs.

Levels Health Equity

As co-founder and former CMO of Levels Health, Means holds equity in a company valued at $300 million as of 2024. The company offers continuous glucose monitoring through an app that provides exercise tracking and diet coaching based on real-time metabolic data. While her exact ownership stake isn’t public, co-founder stakes in venture-backed health tech companies of this scale typically range from 5% to 15%. Even a conservative 5% stake would represent $15 million in paper value at current valuation.

Levels fits the zeitgeist perfectly: it gives people data about their own bodies, promotes metabolic awareness, and aligns with the broader movement away from pharmaceutical interventions toward lifestyle optimization.

Book Sales and Publishing

“Good Energy: The Surprising Connection Between Metabolism and Limitless Health” was published by Avery/Penguin Random House in May 2024. The book became an instant #1 New York Times bestseller and has sold over one million copies. Co-authored with her brother Calley Means, it argues that metabolic dysfunction underlies most chronic diseases—a thesis that resonates with the MAHA movement’s critique of processed food and pharmaceutical interventions.

Bestselling health authors typically earn $2-4 per hardcover sold, plus advances ranging from $250,000 to over $1 million for platform-backed authors. With million-plus copies in print, publishing likely generates several million dollars in royalties.

Sponsored Content and Social Media

Means has built a substantial social media following promoting metabolic health principles. She has monetized this through sponsorships from dietary supplements, creams, teas, and other wellness products. The economics of health influencer sponsorships vary widely, but creators with her reach and credibility typically command $10,000-50,000 per sponsored post or partnership.

Speaking and Media

Means has appeared on major platforms including Tucker Carlson, Joe Rogan, and The Rubin Report. These appearances, while often unpaid, drive book sales and brand awareness. She has also appeared at live events in Washington D.C. alongside her brother, drawing standing-room-only crowds interested in the MAHA agenda.

Companies, Products, and Investments

Means’ business portfolio spans health technology and wellness products. Her ventures share a common thesis: that metabolic health is foundational to overall wellness, and that technology can empower individuals to optimize their biology without relying on conventional medical interventions. Among doctors and longevity medicine practitioners, she represents the tech-founder pathway to wealth.

Levels Health

The centerpiece of Means’ business activity, Levels offers continuous glucose monitoring through a subscription model. Members wear CGM devices and use the Levels app to track how foods, exercise, and sleep affect their blood sugar. The company positioned itself at the intersection of biohacking culture and mainstream wellness, attracting users interested in optimizing their metabolic health.

The company has raised significant venture funding and built a waitlist-based growth model that created exclusivity and demand. Levels represents the health tech founder playbook: identify a health metric people care about, make it accessible through technology, and build a community around optimization.

Truemed (Adviser/Investor)

Means is listed as an investor and/or adviser to Truemed, her brother Calley’s company. Truemed provides letters of medical necessity that enable consumers to use pre-tax HSA/FSA funds for wellness products, gym memberships, and supplements. The company was valued at over $40 million and raised $34 million from Andreessen Horowitz. This business model directly benefits from policy changes the Means siblings advocate for—expanding what qualifies as medical spending.

Media, Books, Shows, and Partnerships

Means’ media footprint extends across podcasts, television, and publishing. Her approach mirrors that of Dr. Robert Lustig in leveraging viral content to drive book sales and policy influence, though her political alignment distinguishes her from more academically-focused predecessors.

Good Energy Bestseller

“Good Energy” reached #1 on the New York Times bestseller list and has been endorsed by figures including Jay Shetty, Mark Hyman, Terry Wahls, and Robert Lustig himself, who called it “a story of a medical system run amuck.” The book argues that metabolic dysfunction—the body’s inability to efficiently produce and use cellular energy—underlies conditions from depression and anxiety to diabetes and cancer.

The book has spawned numerous unofficial cookbooks and companion guides, indicating strong reader engagement. It has been translated into multiple languages and remains a steady seller in the health category.

Podcast Appearances

Means has appeared on major podcasts including Joe Rogan Experience, Tucker Carlson Show, and Dr. Mark Hyman’s The Doctor’s Farmacy. These long-form appearances allowed her to explain metabolic health concepts in detail while reaching audiences numbered in the millions.

Political Partnerships

Through her close association with RFK Jr. and the MAHA movement, Means has access to political platforms unavailable to most health influencers. She participated in live-streams from Washington D.C. and appeared at events in the Kennedy Caucus Room on Capitol Hill. These political connections amplify her message while creating potential conflicts of interest that critics have highlighted.

Controversies and Criticisms

Means’ prominence has attracted significant scrutiny, particularly given her political role and business interests.

Her medical credentials have been questioned. She completed medical school but did not finish her surgical residency, meaning she never achieved board certification. Her medical license has been inactive since January 2024. Critics argue this makes her unqualified for the Surgeon General role, which traditionally requires significant clinical and public health experience.

The Surgeon General nomination itself proved controversial. Far-right activist Laura Loomer called her a “total crack pot.” RFK Jr.’s former running mate Nicole Shanahan was critical of the nomination, claiming there was an understanding that the Means siblings would not play a role in the Trump administration. Anti-vaccination campaigners who favored other candidates also criticized the choice.

Conflict of interest concerns have been raised about the Means siblings’ business interests intersecting with their policy advocacy. Truemed’s business model benefits directly from policies expanding HSA/FSA spending on wellness products—policies the siblings actively promote. A competing wellness company filed an ethics complaint in May 2025 alleging that Calley Means used his government position to pressure them.

Supporters counter that Means brings needed disruption to a healthcare system failing to address chronic disease. Her Stanford education and clinical experience, though incomplete, provide more medical background than many policy advisers. The metabolic health framework she promotes aligns with growing scientific interest in insulin resistance and cellular energy production.

Frequently Asked Questions

Sources

1. Wikipedia. “Casey Means.” Accessed January 2026. wikipedia.org
2. NPR. “‘Good Energy’ explores how to measure and boost your metabolic health.” June 14, 2024. npr.org
3. STAT News. “Calley and Casey Means: Making chronic disease a conservative cause.” October 7, 2024. statnews.com
4. Penguin Random House. “Good Energy by Casey Means, MD & Calley Means.” penguinrandomhouse.com
5. Porchlight Books. “Good Energy: Instant #1 New York Times bestseller with over a million copies sold.” porchlightbooks.com
6. Leaders Dimension. “Dr. Casey Means Net Worth.” May 8, 2025. leadersdimension.com