The Stem Cell Cure. Kerry Johnson MBA PhD
cells are extremely potent anti-inflammatories.
4. Fresh food + exercise + positive mindset = best anti-aging cocktail.
CHAPTER 3
How Stem Cells Work
We are powered by our stem cells from conception to death.
Understanding Fundamentals
Wonder how many people would get a haircut if our hair could not regrow! That cut on your finger—a surgeon can stitch it up to bring the skin edges together, but ultimately the skin closes up because of cell growth and multiplication. Though we may not be aware of it at all times, cell multiplication and replacement is a fundamental process that goes on in our body 24/7. Unfortunately, the dreaded disease cancer only exists because our cells replicate. Cancer is just a manifestation of the regeneration and replication process gone awry! There happen to be too many cells in one place; cell multiplication is out of control. In most cases, a pathologist can only determine cancer when the cells are compared with an area of normal cells. Cancer cells actually look like their own host cells.
Stem Cells Can Form Other Cells
Let’s expand further by exploring this question: What is a stem cell? And the answer is that a stem cell is a cell capable of self-renewal and capable of forming other cells. We all start our journey as a stem cell. The self-renewal capability of your stem cells is maintained throughout your life. It is the ability to grow into other cells that varies at different stages of your life. At the embryonic stage, the stem cell is capable of growing into any kind of cell or organ system. As you mature, your stem cells are able to grow only into cells they are surrounded by. This is what unfolds in their natural state. Of course, a stem cell can be programmed in a laboratory to grow into a particular type of cell. The process involved in reprogramming a stem cell is currently an area of tremendous research. Also, different tissues have different regenerative capacity. That means different stem cells behave differently. Within the world of stem cells, there are different types. Various stem cells may be required depending on the particular condition being treated. A stem cell that heals your knee will not cure your diabetes! Stem cell treatments are most effective when they replace or repair cells that are missing. So when the cartilage in your joint is worn out, you need stem cells that are capable of regenerating the cartilage. When you have diabetes due to lack of insulin production, you will need stem cells that are capable of producing insulin.
In the past, healing has been largely dominated by chemicals that can suppress the symptoms of pain. Anti-inflammatories such as NSAIDs and steroids have been commonly used. Drugs that are designed to suppress the inflammation end up suppressing the function of those very same cells that are in need of healing, causing further harm. Our symptoms may resolve in the short run, but at the same time, these medications can be very toxic. These medications interfere with cell function rather than promote regeneration and repair. There is a reason why most medications stop working after a while; the cells become so damaged they become resistant.
As we have learned, the presence of inflammation takes away the ability of your cells to multiply and replace themselves. That is why inflammation is the basis of most conditions that take root in your body. This inflammatory state then diminishes the ability of the local cells to perform any meaningful repair or healing. Common conditions such as joint pain, tendinitis, asthma, arterial blockage, and hepatitis are all examples of chronic inflammation. Uncontrolled inflammation is the root cause of many conditions that afflict us.
Your Body Naturally Heals Itself
Your body naturally heals itself daily. When you sprain an ankle or suffer a minor injury, repair and regeneration sets in, and you heal. That is how you survive. Your body fixes minor issues and renews cells. But when the injury is more profound or repetitive, the local cells are not able to perform continued meaningful repair or regeneration. For example, let’s take tennis elbow. This is an initial sprain or inflammation at the site of the muscle attaching to the elbow bone. When that early inflammation does not get a chance to heal, the inflammatory process becomes chronic. Slowly it gets to a stage that will require some form of treatment to get relief. Sometimes we make the process worse by not resting. This is seen very commonly among athletes. Without providing rest to the body part that’s hurting, inflammation persists and can become chronic.
Regenerative treatment is the basic fundamental concept that aims to jump-start your local cells to help repair cell damage. And, of course, as you know by now, one major tool in the box of regenerative treatments is stem cells. The single most important property of stem cells is that they can exert a strong anti-inflammatory effect. Stem cells can clean up inflammation at the cellular level without causing any side effects. This is contrary to what you have experienced with NSAIDs and steroids. Stem cells exert a major impact on healing by not only growing new cells, but also secreting certain growth compounds that make the local environment at the site of injury healthy. That allows new cells to form and start functioning normally. This is how regeneration and repair happens and you ultimately heal. Nature’s best gift to us!
Five Important Stem Cell Functions
Besides being powerful anti-inflammatories, stem cells perform many functions that aid in regeneration and repair. There are five important functions a stem cell performs. These five main actions are how stem cells help you in fighting injury and disease:
1. They replace dead cells by forming new cells.
2. They release growth factors and compounds that promote cell growth.
3. They promote blood flow in the area of healing by forming tiny new blood vessels.
4. They cancel out the body’s own inflammatory responses.
5. They slow the breakdown process.
All of the above mechanisms lead to a healthy local environment among the cells. An environment that is more conducive to repair and regeneration.
These functions are critical to the efficacy and effectiveness of stem cells. They help define the possible applications of stem cells and the role they can play in a variety of conditions. Often stem cells are thought of as something that will create a whole new joint, organ, or even a duplicate copy of your body. And someday we may get there. For now the stem cells’ most important job is regeneration and repair. The stem cells work in conjunction with your local cells to help remove inflammation and promote blood flow. This will allow nutrients to reach the problem area, further aiding the healing process. Better blood flow helps remove toxic waste material and reduce inflammation. In essence, stem cells work to improve the local environment at the site of injury and disease. A healthier environment then jump-starts the local cells to function again.
In order for stem cells to do their job, they need to be delivered precisely to the site of disease or injury. Unless stem cells reach that site, they cannot modify the local environment of the damaged cells. Stem cells continue to multiply and replicate and repair the cells as time goes along. However, we do not have the full capability to do this for every condition. A more realistic application of stem cells for now is in the area of joint pain and sports injury. Stem cells have provided a much-needed alternative for the management of joint pain, tendinitis, plantar fasciitis, back pain, and sports injuries.
CASE STUDY: SAMIR
Samir, a 40-year-old pharmacist, has complained of pain in his feet for years. He has been diagnosed with plantar fasciitis. His profession requires standing for long hours and certainly has contributed to his condition. Samir has tried physical therapy, has had cortisone injections multiple times, and has sought opinions from numerous doctors. Except for a few days of intermittent relief, his pain has always been there. Samir has been told by several doctors that he just has to learn to live with the condition. There may not be any cure.
Samir’s older brother is a primary care physician in the community and knew of a doctor who specialized in stem cell treatments. He referred Samir to his physician friend. Samir was evaluated. Using ultrasound