There is a lot of big news coming out of the world of regenerative medicine, and for good reason. If we were able to go beyond healing, and instead found new ways for our bodies to properly regenerate, then what we can do to help people in need will go beyond the wildest imagination.
One of those areas of regenerative medicine that’s getting the most traction and interest in the medical community and beyond to the wider public is stem cell research. Cells researchers have zeroed in to this area of medicine because of stem cells’ role in cell replication, which, in the future, can potentially help reverse a whole host of issues from heart attack injuries to blindness to even aging.
Even with the way that current research is going, stem cell research shows a lot of promise in helping boost healing.
There are, however, a few different cell types, so which stem cell therapy is the most successful? Let’s get into it:
What are Stem Cells?
A good place to start in understanding which stem cell therapy is the most successful is to understand what stem cells are. So, what are stem cells?
In short, stem cells are the building blocks of all cells. There are two types of stem cells.
Embryonic cells (literally the cells of embryos) have the potential to become absolutely any cell in the human body. As those cells age, however, they become locked in.
As adults, we all still have stem cells, but they are limited in what they can be. Bone marrow stem cells can become blood, for example, but not tendons.
It is important to know the difference between these two cell types because cells researchers are using both to help develop treatments.
Before you start worrying about where embryonic stem cells are taken from, they are only sourced from donated IVF clinics by the cell owners. Typically this happens if they’ve given up on IVF, or if it was a success and they’re done having children. However, we need a different approach for embryonic stem cells to be used widely. That is why there’s also research into reverting adult stem cells back into an embryonic state.
Potential Applications for Stem Cell Therapy
Stem cell treatments essentially work by injecting either the body or a targeted area with a concentrated dose of stem cells. This works to revitalize the area with cells that then convert into the type of cells that are needed most by your body. For those whose stem cell count is low, or who want to improve their ability’s regenerative abilities, they can be a game-changer.
You may wonder, what are stem cell injections, and if there’s anything else in them. The good news is that injections are only stem cells and a growth hormone designed to help those stem cells work in the body.
Stem cell therapy can be used to help minimize conditions like arthritis, or even help heal the heart muscle cells after heart failure. How? By becoming new cells where you need them most. This could be your tendons or, nerves, or even heart muscle cells.
Types of Stem Cell Therapy
There are a few different types of stem cell therapy:
Embryonic Cells: This is mainly used in medical research and is not widely available.
Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells: These types of stem cells are adult cells that have been reprogrammed to an embryonic state. While the potential is huge, the science is just in its infancy.
Adult stem cells: Cells taken from bone marrow, fatty tissue, blood, or even muscle. These are known as multi-potent, and have a limited range but are the most commonly used cell types.
Umbilical cord blood stem cells: These are adult cells isolated from donated umbilical cords. While they are adult, they lack a protein other stem cells have, which makes them less likely to be rejected by new hosts.
Which Stem Cell Therapy is the Most Successful?
Technically, the most successful stem cell therapy is bone marrow transplants. This is because bone marrow transplants, which essentially mean taking stem cells from the bone marrow to use in treatment, is the only FDA-approved option today.
That means there are more success cases because this treatment can and is covered by insurance.
As for elective stem cell treatments, the most successful option is from umbilical cord blood. These cells are less likely to be rejected after an injection. When you go to a trusted clinic like ours, the cells are also screened and purified, which does impact the stem cell therapy cost.
To further help improve the success rates of our clients, we also conduct a thorough consultation and then review your case. We only take on patients we believe have a good chance of seeing success, so you can trust your investment has the highest possibility of working.
How Can Stem Cell Therapy Help You?
Though stem cell therapy is still in its infancy, there is still a lot that you could potentially get from it. Currently, the only FDA-approved stem cell therapy is bone marrow transplants, but that does not mean you can’t opt-in for elective stem cell treatment.
The cells we use here at Bioxcellerator are cells isolated from umbilical cords. Though they are part of after-birth, they are considered adult cells, so there is no ethical dilemma. We also work to purify them, and boost their numbers so that our patients get a full dose of high-quality cells during their treatment.
Stem cell treatment may help reduce inflammation, heal joint injuries, or even alleviate arthritis. If you want to know more about what stem cell therapy can do for you, just get in touch with us.
You can call us, or visit one of the locations we cover to get started. We’ll answer every question you have, and if you’re interested, we’ll even run a full consultation so we can determine if stem cell therapy is a good fit for you.
