Living longer - greater longevity - is currently an area of intense interest. Stem cell infusion is an important part of that discussion - as I will describe below. We are extremely interested in longevity, and many patients who come to us do so specifically because they want to live longer and be healthier in the process.
For this reason, we feel it important to understand everything that is and is not useful for longevity so that we can advise our patients. I will first discuss how stem cells can help and then what scientific evidence has shown to be useful and not useful.
STEM CELL ANTI-AGING EFFECTS: Stem cells are evolutionarily developed and genetically programmed to help heal our body. For this reason, they are arguably the most important part of our body’s anti-aging capability. Their mechanism of action is very complex and incompletely understood at present: but certain facts are quite clear.
INFLAMMATION: Virtually all human diseases and degenerative processes are mediated by inflammation. While inflammation is a necessary part of healing, unwanted or excessive inflammation results in stroke, heart attack, and the progression of cancer as well as all autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, MS, and many more. Even osteoarthritis, long presented as a simple wear and tear phenomenon, only produces pain when the wear and tear results in inflammation.
Orthopedic surgeons, such as myself, are aware that many people have attrition of cartilage and other signs of osteoarthritis on x-rays without pain. It is only when this attrition results in an inflammatory response that pain is experienced. And it is why many people with arthritic joints do not have pain. As we age our overall state of inflammation tends to become greater. Slowing down or even reversing that inflammation can directly diminish the aging process.
It is therefore extremely relevant to understand that stem cells are inherently potently anti-inflammatory. When injected intravenously they seek out inflammation in the body and directly decrease the inflammation.
DRUGS ARE NOT THE ANSWER: It is very important to understand that there is no pharmaceutical drug that decreases inflammation without serious side effects. Cortisone is anti-inflammatory but kills cartilage, kills tendon cells, and causes a general wasting away of body tissues.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen (Motrin and Advil), naproxen (Aleve), and all the rest, including aspirin, decrease inflammation but have a high incidence of bleeding ulcers, kidney problems, liver problems, and more. Indeed, their use is directly associated with at least 16,000 deaths every year in the United States from their side effects as estimated in a paper in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Stronger “biologics” such as Humera and Enbrel, which are used for autoimmune diseases, predispose to infection and increase the risk of contracting cancer.
ANTI-INFLAMMATORY SUPPLEMENTS: What about supplements? Substances such as Curcumin (found in turmeric) and Boswellic acid which comes from Frankincense, Pycnogenol, and many others have anti-inflammatory properties. They are completely safe, and we use them for example in the treatment of arthritis. However, their anti-inflammatory properties are much less powerful than pharmaceutical drugs. Stem cells, however, have powerful anti-inflammatory properties but are completely safe when used properly.
STEM CELLS ARE THE ONLY SAFE YET HIGHLY EFFECTIVE ANTI-INFLAMMATORY SUBSTANCE YET DISCOVERED: Platelet rich plasma (PRP), which we use liberally in the treatment of bone and joint disorders, is the only other substance that comes close. However, it is less effective overall, has limitations on where it can be safely used, and has no systematic or anti-aging capability.
STEM CELLS PROMOTE HEALING: The other property that makes stem cells particularly useful for anti-aging is their inherent ability to help heal tissue. They do this by secreting growth factors, and exosomes, and by directly “talking to” other cells from your immune system. Unlike Cortisone, and anti-inflammatory drugs, which diminish healing, stem cells enhance healing while they diminish inflammation.
LONGEVITY SUPPLEMENTS: It is controversial whether or to what degree supplements can increase longevity. The anti-diabetic drug Metformin was long promoted as increasing lifespan. However, recent studies have indicated that it does not increase longevity and other studies seem to show that it actually decreases the ability to build muscle.
There is animal evidence that NMN, NAD, Resveratrol, and some other supplements can increase longevity. For those with interest, it is important to consult a good functional, integrative, or anti-aging doctor to pursue this. Stem cells, unlike industrially produced supplements and drugs, are the completely natural way that nature has evolved to preserve and heal us. And many of our patients receive stem cell infusions for longevity in addition to taking supplements – they are complementary and do not conflict.
WHAT KIND OF STEM CELLS: We use mesenchymal stem cells. They are harvested from the umbilical cords of ladies after term cesarean sections who donate them to the Vitro Biopharma tissue bank and cell laboratory in Golden, Colorado. They are FDA-approved for use in humans. They are completely safe with no serious adverse events ever having been associated with their use.
They are NOT embryonic or fetal so there are no ethical issues with their use. Due to FDA regulations, we cannot use them in the United States but infuse them in the beautiful Caribbean Island nation of Antigua and now in Athens, Greece. They are stored in liquid nitrogen until immediately before use. They are provided intravenously and can be injected into joints, the scalp, the skin, and elsewhere under my direct supervision.
Our team are experts with more than three years of experience with me, and we will be moving into a beautiful new state-of-the-art hospital facility – the best in the Caribbean - in June 2024.
RESEARCH DATA: Through our 501c3 research foundation, we have more than 50 patients enrolled in a study looking at how stem cells affect DNA Epigenetics (telomere length, DNA methylation, DNA mitotic index). Our results so far show that stem cells lower a patient’s physiologic age and improve the resistance to cancer in most cases.
This research is ongoing and is the first direct evidence that stem cells can significantly enhance health and longevity. In subsequent blogs, I will describe how stem cells produce other anti-aging effects on skin, hair, the endocrine system, and more.
PROTOCOL: We provide intravenous stem cell infusions regularly in Antigua and Athens for longevity purposes and to treat disease. A single 60-90-minute infusion is all that is necessary. Most of our patients feel better after the infusions and many patients take them once a year to improve their overall health and longevity.
Our Prodromos Stem Cell Institute team, at 847-699-6810 and care@thepsci.com, are happy to answer any questions and refer interested parties to me for an in-depth consultation. We see patients in person in Glenview, Illinois, Naples, Florida, and remotely from all over the world.
