Frequently Asked Questions – Stem Cell Therapy

How are stem cells used for regeneration?

The idea behind using regenerative therapies at a cellular level is to introduce healthy cells to replace damaged ones in important tissue and organs.  Because stem cells have special abilities to morph into different types of cells and fulfill necessary roles in different organs, they can perform the necessary functions the damaged cells used to.

When stem cells are injected properly into damaged or injured tissue, they can assume the context and performance of the cells before they were damaged or injured. The necessary function of that particular part of the body can be resumed once the damaged or injured cells have been replaced by healthy ones.

Where do stem cells come from?

While stem cells can be found in all kinds of places in the the body, there are only a handful of sources from where stem cells used for regenerative stem cell therapy are extracted. And, there are distinct advantages and limitations that can be associated with cells drawn from the different sources.

The first source of stem cells is from umbilical cord tissue.  Retrieving umbilical cord tissue is non-invasive, ethical and comes from umbilical cords that are cut immediately following the live birth of a newborn baby.

Umbilical cord tissue contains mesenchymal stem cells which have the ability to go where the body needs them most, release growth factors and specialize into tissue types that make tissue regeneration possible.  Plus they reduce inflammation and don’t make a patient feel sick.

Bone marrow and adipose (fat) tissue stem cells require surgery for extraction. 

Embryonic (fetal) stem cells are harvested in ways that may be considered unethical and controversial in other parts of the world and that process ends in the destruction of human embryos.

*Important Note: StemCellTherapyRx.com ONLY uses stem cells from umbilical cords and has NEVER used or will use embryonic stem cells.

Who are ideal candidates for stem cell therapy?

Do you have pain in your back, neck, hip, shoulder, ankle or knee?  If you have disc damage, ligament damage or joint pain, then it is likely you can find a reputable stem cell therapy clinic with licensed medical providers who will be willing to treat you,

If surgery would otherwise be a viable option, but you have been told there are too many risk factors and your overall health or safety could be put at risk, then stem cell therapy might be the alternative approach to healing and the elimination of pain you’ve been looking for.  People die on operating tables every day because the pain they were feeling was so great they were willing to risk it.  There are other options and steam cell therapy is a popular one.

Reputable companies will not make outrageous claims and promise miracle cures.  We encourage you to make your own informed decisions regarding your health and healing plans.

What medical specialties utilize stem cell therapy?

There is a wide range of medical conditions where a regenerative approach using stem cells can make good sense.  It is not uncommon for specialties including orthopedics, rheumatology, and immunology to include stem cell therapy.

Is stem cell therapy painful?

A licensed medical provider can inject stem cells into your bloodstream and/or the areas of discomfort/pain in your body.  It only takes a few minutes and feels about the same as any other immunization or shot.

How does stem cell therapy compare to PRP (platelet-rich-plasma), hyaluronic acid therapy and steroids?

PRP is designed to accelerate healing, and is largely comprised of red blood cells and proteins which activate a patient’s natural healing processes.  PRP does not replace or repair damaged cells like stem cell therapy. It enhances the body’s ability to perform it’s natural healing process in a shorter period of time. PRP therapy can be used in addition to stem cell therapy.

Hyaluronic acid therapy is used to lubricate and cushion joints.  It does not rebuild or re-generate cells.

Steroids affect the inflammatory process.  They can help reduce pain, but serve more to mask pain than they do to heal the causes of the pain. 

What are the steps of the regenerative healing process using stem cells?

Step one is Recruitment. Injured, diseased and malfunctioning cells send messages through the body that recruit mesenchymal stem cells to the area in need of help.

Step two is Grouping.  When mesenchymal stem cells reach the area of concern, they group together with other cells to begin working, minimizing inflammation and promoting tissue repair.

Step three is Morphing.  As stem cells morph into the type of cells necessary to compensate for the failing, damaged or dysfunctional cells, regeneration begins.

What quality controls should be in place for stem cell therapy clinics?

• Their labs should be compliant with FDA Current Good Manufacturing Practices (CGMP) and FDA Good Tissue Practices (GTP)
• Stem cells should be procured in a sterile, FDA compliant laboratory
• There should be strict testing standards in place for testing and quality control
• Stem cells from umbilical cord tissue should only be obtained with informed consent by donors
• Stem cells should be delivered to lab production facilities directly from the hospitals where they were donated
• Concentrations of stem cells should be standardized to ensure accurate treatment doses
• For optimal preservation, single-dose stem cell preparations should be shipped using dry ice

What are the different types of stem cells?

The first type of stem cell is a Totipotent cell and it can morph into becoming any kind of tissue.

The second type of stem cell is a Pluripotent cell and it can also morph into becoming any kind of tissue except placental tissue.

The third type of stem cell is a Multipotent cell and they can morph into becoming 2 or more cell types.

The fourth type of stem cell is a Unipotent stem cell and it can only morph into one type of cell.

What are some of the variables that affect the success of stem cell therapy?

It depends and there are multiple variables that can increase your chances of success and minimize your risks of failure. 

Beware of stem cell therapy companies who make exaggerated claims, overstate probabilities of success and promise the cure for everything. Ethical stem cell therapy clinics will not agree to provide stem cell therapy to every patient who approaches them. 

Always use licensed medical providers who get their stem cells from reputable labs with outstanding track records for quality control and strict protocols for the procurement and delivery of mesenchymal stem cells (from umbilical cords ideally).

Stem cells extracted from your own bone marrow and adipose tissue (fat) produce far fewer mesenchymal stem cells because of aging. Generally speaking, more mesenchymal stem cells means more healing power.

If you have had cancer in the last two years we advise AGAINST stem cell therapy.  Beware of any stem cell therapy companies who would agree to treat you with stem cells if you have had cancer within the last 24 months.

What is the controversy about embryonic stem cells?

According to information found in the Mayo Clinic website, embryonic stem cells are obtained from early stage embryos, which is a group of cells that forms when a woman’s egg is fertilized with a man’s sperm in an in vitro fertilization clinic. 

Because human embryonic stem cells are extracted from human embryos, several questions and issues have been raised about the ethics of embryonic stem cell research.  In the United States, there are guidelines for how embryonic stem cells may be used in research, what the donation process should be like and stipulations that stem cells from embryos created via in vitro fertilization can only be used when the embryo is no longer needed.  Stem cells are to be donated only with informed consent .

Embryos being used in embryonic stem cell research come from eggs that were fertilized in an in vitro clinic and weren’t ever implanted in a woman’s uterus. The stem cells can live and grow in petri dishes and test tubes in a laboratory environment.

The controversy often revolves around the definition of when life begins, regardless of whether or not an egg and sperm connect in a human body or in a lab.

*Important Note: StemCellTherapyRx.com ONLY uses stem cells from umbilical cords and has NEVER used or will use embryonic stem cells.

Can you use a health savings account to pay for stem cell therapy?

For most qualified health savings accounts and flexible spending accounts the answer is yes, but we encourage you to double check with the particular company you work with who handles the dispersement of your funds.

Are there side effects or negative reactions linked to stem cell therapy?

Mesenchymal stem cells have very few antigens on their surfaces that can generate an immune response.  That means they aren’t likely to prompt reactions from a patient’s immune system.

What is so special about mesenchymal stem cells?

Mesenchymal stem cells fall under the Multipotent stem cell category.  When it comes to migration, they have a unique and remarkable ability to go where the body needs them most.  As part of stem cell therapy, they can be injected into the bloodstream, identify the areas they are most needed and go there.

When tissue is damaged and needs to be repaired, mesenchymal stem cells can grow and regenerate into the tissue cell types the body needs, in the areas the body needs them.  Plus, they act in an anti-inflammatory way and aren’t likely to prompt a reaction from a patient’s immune system which can make them useful against chronic and autoimmune diseases where inflammation can be a challenge.

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