We all know that stem cells hold the promise of curing many diseases and ailments in the future. However, stem cells in therapy are not a new phenomenon. In fact, stem cell therapy in Austin is one of the most innovative ways to fight disease by accelerating healing and recovery.
Stem cell therapy Austin has seen remarkable success when used to treat injuries and chronic conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, Parkinson's Disease, Alzheimer's Disease, and autoimmune disorders like Lupus or Rheumatoid Arthritis.
This post will discuss how stem cell therapy in Austin has helped patients with these conditions and more!.
What is stem cell therapy?
Stem cells are the building blocks of life. They can be found in every organ and tissue of the body, and they are responsible for repairing damage.
The stem cells available in clinics are often taken from bone marrow or fat, but they can also be reproduced through the use of pluripotent stem cells. Scientists have recently discovered that these pluripotent stem cells can be created ex vivo with just a few simple steps.
For example, it is possible to take some cells from your spit or blood, then allow them to multiply into an unlimited number of pluripotent stem cells that you could then inject back into your body.
However, this process is still not FDA-approved for human use in America at this time.
The role of stem cells in fighting disease
Stem cells are the body's building blocks. They give rise to all types of different cell types in the body, like skin cells or brain cells. Stem cells are found in every organ and tissue of the body.
Stem cell therapy has been proven to be an effective medical treatment for many disease conditions, including type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). Diabetes occurs when there is not enough insulin produced by the pancreas to manage blood sugar levels. This is because the beta-cells that produce insulin have died or become impaired. When stem cells are injected into a patient's pancreatic duct, they can regenerate these beta-cells, leading to improved function.
Other diseases treated with stem cell therapy include arthritis, Parkinson's Disease, Alzheimer's Disease, Lupus or Rheumatoid Arthritis. Patients fighting these diseases have seen their symptoms diminish after receiving stem cell treatments.
How stem cell therapy works
Stem cells are the body's building blocks. They can create new cells of any kind for healthy tissues to grow, or they can make repairs when the body is injured. There are three types of stem cells:
* Embryonic (the earliest form)
* Adult (found in the tissue around the fetus, like bone marrow)
* Induced pluripotent stem cells (adult stem cells that have been reprogrammed to a state similar to embryonic)
The type of stem cell therapy administered will depend on what your doctor thinks will be best for you.
For example, if you have a chronic injury, doctors might use adult stem cells because they're already in your system and don't require as many ethical considerations as embryonic or induced pluripotent stem cells. In this case, the doctor would take a sample from your bone marrow and extract those adult stem cells from your body. The doctor would then inject those cells back into your body where they could help heal damaged tissue.
How does stem cell therapy work for different diseases?
There are many different types of stem cells, and each type has the ability to regenerate different types of tissues.
Stem cell therapy is a diverse field with many different applications. There are three main classifications of stem cells that are used for therapy: embryonic stem cells, adult stem cells, and umbilical cord blood (UCB) stem cells.
Embryonic stem cells come from an embryo that has been destroyed in the process of obtaining them. Adult stem cells come from bone marrow or other organs. UCB can be collected immediately after birth or at any time during pregnancy.
These three types of stem cells have the capacity to produce specialized tissue for specific purposes like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, Alzheimer's Disease, Parkinson's Disease, and autoimmune disorders like Lupus or Rheumatoid Arthritis.
Stem cell therapy works by injecting these or introducing them into specific areas that need or want healing at a faster rate than normally possible.
Stem cells and cancer
Cancer is one of the leading causes of death in America. It's also a leading cause of disability and suffering. And, while the medical community has made progress treating cancer with chemotherapy and other treatments, there are still many who would benefit from more effective therapies.
Fortunately, stem cell therapy may be the answer to these problems.
Stem cells have been shown to help patients with several types of cancer including breast cancer, leukemia, lymphoma, skin cancers like melanoma, and more. By injecting specialized stem cells into damaged or diseased areas—like your bone marrow or your brain—the stem cells can help eliminate damaged tissue and replace it with healthy tissue. This is a remarkable achievement in a world where cancer treatment often means debilitating side effects for patients.
In fact, when used in conjunction with traditional treatments like radiation therapy or chemotherapy, stem cell therapy can reduce toxicity levels and promote higher rates of recurrence-free survival. In some cases, even eradicating the disease entirely!
Stem cells and autoimmune disorders
Recent research has found that stem cells can help in treating autoimmune disorders.
Autoimmune disorders involve an overactive immune system mistakenly attacking the body's own tissues, leading to inflammation and chronic pain. These types of disorders are hard to treat, but stem cells have shown promising results in treating them.
This study focused on people who had rheumatoid arthritis and found that many patients saw significant improvements after receiving a treatment with stem cells.
The study found that this type of therapy is effective for people who have rheumatoid arthritis because it attacks the root cause of the disorder: inflammation. Inflammation is a key component in causing pain and other symptoms associated with rheumatoid arthritis. When these stem cells break down, they release proteins which trigger anti-inflammatory responses from the immune system, stopping inflammatory processes from damaging joints and tissue around them.
Stem cells and diabetes
Diabetes is one of the most common diseases in the world. In fact, 8.5% of Americans have diabetes, and it's a major cause of heart disease and stroke.
In 2005, scientists from the University of Texas at Austin conducted a study on stem cells to see if they could positively influence blood sugar levels in patients with Type I Diabetes who were experiencing kidney failure. They found that stem cells had a positive impact on insulin levels in these patients.
This groundbreaking study proves that stem cells can be utilized to help people with diabetes by regulating blood sugar levels and preventing the onset of end-stage renal disease.
Since then, more studies have been conducted using bone marrow stem cells to show improvement in diabetic mice models. This proves promising for future research and development!
Stem cells and Parkinson's Disease
One of the most common conditions stem cell therapy in Austin is used to treat is Parkinson's Disease.
Parkinson's Disease is a chronic degenerative disorder of the central nervous system that often causes uncontrollable tremors, slowing movement, and balance issues. The disease affects approximately 1 million Americans and 10 million people worldwide.
Since Parkinson's Disease has no cure, stem cells in therapy offer hope for relief. In the clinic setting, the patient's own stem cells are harvested, processed, and re-injected into their tissue where they form new neurons and nerve connections. Compared to traditional medications like levodopa or L-dopa, this therapy can relieve symptoms of Parkinson's Disease more effectively and without some of the side effects.
The efficacy of stem cell treatment for Parkinson's Disease has been demonstrated by many peer-reviewed studies: One study found that patients who treated with stem cells had improved motor function while those on L-dopa did not; another study found that patients who treated with stem cells had increased dopamine uptake while those on L-dopa did not; and yet another study found that subjects who were administered transplants from fetal tissue experienced significant improvements in speech abilities when compared to subjects receiving transplants from adult tissue alone
Stem cells and Alzheimer's Disease
In one study, stem cell therapy was shown to help Alzheimer's patients by increasing the number of neurons in the brain. In another study, stem cells were shown to increase blood flow in the brain and decrease plaque buildup.
If you or a loved one are suffering from this debilitating disease, consider stem cell therapy as an alternative treatment option.
Conclusion
Stem cell therapy has been a powerful tool for fighting disease for a long time, and it's only going to become more useful as we learn more about the cells and their capabilities. To learn more about this type of treatment and how it can help you, make an appointment with one of our stem cell specialists today.
​Schedule your appointment now, Call (512) 337-7722