Catching Up With Holly Madison

A defining figure of early-2000s pop culture, Holly Madison rose to fame in Playboy, on The Girls Next Door, and Holly’s World before becoming a successful author and Las Vegas headliner. Now, she’s opening up about a more personal chapter- her recent autism diagnosis in adulthood. In this candid conversation, the Vegas-based entrepreneur shares how this diagnosis shapes her relationships and daily life, and how she’s embracing health and wellness practices to support her well-being while balancing motherhood, business, and life in the public eye.

Jennifer Walker: Thank you so much for meeting with us today, Holly! I have been looking forward to connecting with you for a very long time.

Stephanie Shehan: I know you were at the last Grant A Gift Foundation event and spoke about Autism, and you’ve also been quite active with your wellness efforts (stem cells, exosomes, etc.). What prompted your wellness journey?

Holly Madison: There are a lot of different things converging regarding my recent health journey. Part of it is becoming aware that I am on the Autism spectrum, and that started when I got divorced. My ex-husband had spoken to my mother and had some questions about why I seemed to have trouble connecting with people. My mother stated that she always suspected that I had Asperger’s. That was something that people didn’t really get tested for when I was a kid; there wasn’t a lot of awareness surrounding it. He relayed that to me (my mom hadn’t shared her suspicions with me), I looked it up online and thought, ‘that sounds exactly like me!’. The signs and symptoms seemed so familiar. I got really curious about it. When I would do interviews about my past and my journey in this industry, I started noticing little connections here and there. Maybe I had made a specific decision because of the way that I am, or maybe I felt a certain way due to my condition. I really wanted to get a formal diagnosis (which I finally did about 3 years ago). It took a long time to even find a professional who would give an adult diagnosis. When I connected with Grant A Gift, I was super excited to help out; they are doing such great work and offer such great resources in the community.

As far as wellness, that comes from two places: getting older and wanting to look young forever, and also, I have had chronic fatigue since I was a teenager. I find it so frustrating because I have the most ambitious mind and the most sluggish body. That’s always been a struggle for me. I’ve always needed so much sleep and been groggy throughout the day, no matter how much coffee I pound. I started seeing a few functional doctors and doing all of the supplements and wellness protocols, and that would help a little bit. But I feel like what really put it over the edge was when I went down to Panama in November to get stem cells and exosomes. The stem cells go to wherever the body has inflammation, so during my treatment, I was visualizing ‘Please go to my thyroid! Please go to my adrenals and wake me up!’ I feel like the treatment really worked. I still need to be careful to get enough sleep, but to be honest, I haven’t ever felt this way during my adult life. I can get up and feel normal. I’m more sensitive to caffeine than I used to be (I’m drinking my coffee half decaf now), and I can get through the day with a lot more energy.

SS: Did you do treatment via IV?

HM: Yes, I did IV. They also offer exosomes that you can inhale. If you are an athlete with an injury (for example), you can have stem cells injected directly into that injury itself. But that’s not specifically what I was looking for.

JW: Traveling to Panama for this treatment, are you able to stay somewhere near the facility to have a recovery day, or do you just receive the treatment and then head back to the U.S.?

HM: My experience was that I was there for a week, including the travel days. I was in a hotel and would travel to the clinic every day for a few hours. This left time in my schedule each day for other activities like sightseeing and content creation. Each day was a different protocol, and 3 of the days were specific for the stem cell IV infusions. I also had been feeling like my periods were super irregular, and I was concerned about going into early menopause. While in Panama, they set me up with an OBGYN who works directly with the clinic. That’s actually where they get the stem cells from- the OBGYN’s patients donate their umbilical cords. The OBGYN was fantastic; he found a cyst on my ovary, and he removed it that same day. This type of thorough medical attention is so different from what I’ve experienced in the U.S., where my OBGYN hasn’t offered me a vaginal ultrasound since I was pregnant many years ago. But also, had I found a golfball-sized cyst on my ovary in the U.S., I would have had to have a full-on surgery. Instead, they put me out a little bit, aspirated it, drained it, and it was done. The process couldn’t have been easier, and the attention to detail was crazy. Overall, I had 3 days of intravenous stem cells, a day of intravenous exosomes, and I also had a microneedling facial where they applied exosomes directly to my face, and I received a different wellness modality each day (hyperbaric chamber, red light therapy, etc). It was a week of various treatments and options. The whole experience was super fun.

JW: Being the only health and wellness publication in Las Vegas, we really are working to educate our readers about the various types of wellness modalities and how facilities can make them more accessible. It’s refreshing to hear your story and know that you are opting to advocate for your own health, as we all should be…

HM: Somebody needs to open a hungover depot or a recovery center where you can go and refresh, rehydrate, and repair yourself after a night out. That would be a great idea!

SS: What are your favorite wellness modalities, either put into your self-care practice at home, or somewhere nearby in Vegas...

HM: At home, I have a red light sleeping bag, and I love it! If I have time to sit in it before I go to bed, I feel like I sleep really well. I also really love the cold plunge sauna rooms at Pause Studio. They give you the room for an hour, which is really fun, so that you can bounce back and forth between hot and cold. I had only cold plunged once, and it was crazy, but honestly, it doesn’t feel as bad if you’re popping back and forth. It makes you feel amazing.

JW: Circling back, what does having an autism diagnosis change for you? Are you now looking at your own wellness through a different lens, perhaps incorporating lifestyle changes?

HM: Having the diagnosis makes wellness more of a priority for me. I recognize now that I definitely need it (as everyone does)... but I need it now more than ever to help reset and be at my best.

JW: What misconceptions about autism did you personally hold before your diagnosis?

HM: When I was younger, I thought autism looked like one thing. My first introduction to it was a character in a Babysitters Club book who had to go to a special school, was nonverbal, and had a gift for memorizing dates. I didn't realize what a spectrum it was.

JW: How did you decide to share your diagnosis publicly?

HM: Ever since I started doing reality TV, I've kind of been thrust into this place where I can't really keep anything secret, and I feel like I have to be fully transparent to even be understood by some people. I felt like the diagnosis gave some insight into my decision-making progress, it factored into some stories I was sharing, and that was it. I actually started sharing my suspicions before I was diagnosed, and I felt like if this was going to be something I talked about publicly, I had a responsibility to explore a diagnosis and learn more about it.

JW: Looking back, do you feel you’ve been “masking” for much of your life? What did that look like for you?

HM: I've definitely been masking, always looking for cues, stumbling around, and trying to mimic behaviors to fit in. I don't think I was ever very good at it, though.

JW: Did your career reward traits that are actually autistic strengths?

HM: I think I got into the worst possible career for my autistic strengths. I would have been much better off in something academic or behind-the-scenes creative. To thrive as a TV personality who came from the reality TV world, effortless social skills and outgoing personalities are more what works.

JW: What do you wish people understood about autism in adult women (or adults in general)?

HM: I wish people understood that it's a spectrum and it appears so differently in individuals. It doesn't look like one thing.

JW: Has your creativity been influenced by your neurodivergence?

HM: I think my ability to catalogue inspiration in my brain probably helps.

JW: If you could speak to your 15-year-old self, what would you tell her?

HM: Hold on, it's going to be a bumpy ride. And take more pictures. You're going to need receipts.

JW: Traveling must affect your sleep schedule. Aside from red light, is there anything that you have tried and recommend for sleep wellness?

HM: I’m guilty of trying a bunch of new things at once to improve my health, but the problem with that is that it’s hard to narrow it down to figure out which of those modalities is actually helping! I have noticed lately that my sleep has improved, so it’s either because I started taking potassium, or it could be that I have made it more of a priority to do red light and then take a magnesium salt bath before bed. I had also gotten into the habit of drinking this particular smoothie that contained a myriad of functional mushrooms and minerals. There are a few possibilities for my improved sleep lately. I also just ordered an Oura ring and am excited to try it. I know that a lot of experts suggest that for optimal sleep health, it’s best to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, and I just can’t do that, unfortunately. For the most part, I try to get to bed by 1 AM and wake up by 9 AM, but sometimes I can’t even do that consistently, as it depends on my kids'/custody schedule, my work, and recording schedule the next day. I just have to sort of accept that for this phase of my life and work on everything else that I can control. For each individual, there is bound to be a piece of health and wellness advice that simply doesn’t work. And that’s mine.

SS: What would you say your top 3 supplements are?

HM: Probiotic for sure. Also, I am someone who has suffered from depression on and off throughout my life, and I find a lot of benefit from taking the Bulletproof zinc with copper supplement. When I first started taking it, I had run out of it and forgot to refill it. I soon noticed that my depression was flaring up and realized that it had started soon after I stopped taking the supplement. Once I started up again, I felt better right away. I also love Nordic Naturals fish oil supplement- it really helps with dry eyes and some other issues I have had from time to time. As far as peptides, I have started taking the BPC-157 capsules. It helps a lot with soreness and muscle recovery.

SS: Talk a bit about your fitness routine…

HM: I love doing Lagree, which is kind of a Pilates-ish type workout. I go to Lagree Lab in Vegas. When I’m in town, I go every other day. I also just started working out with a trainer to incorporate more weight training. I actually work out a lot, almost every day when I’m in Vegas. No matter what, every day I try to do at least 5 minutes of abs; it really makes a difference. I also love going to Raeya Wellness and using their HOCATT™ Chamber. You go in, and it has like 5 different modalities that bring out the toxins in your body. The facility itself is gorgeous, very spa-like. They offer massages and facials. I’m also a fan of lymphatic drainage massage facials; I think they work wonders. I love using the vibration plate machines; I really feel that the more I use them, the places in my body that are holding on to extra inflammation start to loosen up.

SS: Are you at the point in your wellness journey where you are delving into hormones yet?

HM: Yeah, over the past year, I started seeing a functional doctor, and I get my hormone panels done regularly. I actually recently had to switch my medical insurance, as what I previously had wasn’t covering labs. Let me tell you, labs are not cheap!

SS: Yes, and most regular PCP’s won’t touch the hormone panels…

HM: That’s why I had to find a functional doctor…

JW: We hear this a lot and can relate. Many of our readers hit obstacles when trying to test hormones with their regular doctors, only to be told that their doctors won’t test them until they reach menopause. Ideally, we’d like to get a sense of where we’re at before that stage so that we can incorporate preventative wellness plans in anticipation of all of the changes we go through during menopause. It can be so frustrating.

HM: It should be a requirement. I know our healthcare system is in shambles. I have a long list of things that I feel should be included in general healthcare. I think when you’re pregnant, it should be a requirement to meet with a therapist in case you get postpartum, you already have somebody on speed dial who knows you and is at the ready if you need to call. Getting back to hormones, I think even as early as the late 30’s you should start getting your hormones checked. People are starting to go into perimenopause earlier now. I have friends who are 35 and already having hot flashes! A vaginal ultrasound should be given with your annual Pap, especially after age 40.

JW: I love this list that you’ve come up with! I thought that I read somewhere that you are thinking of running for Mayor of Las Vegas. Is that right?

HM: One day, I would love to. I’m not totally hung up on that position; I would just love to be more involved and advocate for our community in some meaningful way. I usually say I’d love to be the Mayor of Vegas as it sort of sums up all of the ambitions I have under one title. This would need to be once my kids are grown up so that I could totally focus on the job, but I would love to do something like that in the future.

JW: Well, I’m all for it, and I think you should definitely run for Major. Just based on this conversation alone, you have addressed a lot of concerns here, and I like where your head and heart are at. You’d have our votes!