Tag Archives: Cell (biology)

Treating Diabetes With Stem Cells

May 2, 2015

Stem Cell Therapy for Diabetes

DiabetesDiabetes is a serious disease that has continued to debilitate the human race. This disease comes in two forms namely the diabetes type 1 which is also known as juvenile and the type 2 diabetes which is also known as adult diabetes. The type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disorder which occurs when the immune system mistakenly attacks and kills the beta cells of the pancreas. When this happens the release of insulin in the body will be interfered with adversely. Consequently, sugar builds up in the blood instead of being used as energy. About five to 10 per cent of people with diabetes have type 1 diabetes. Type 1 diabetes generally develops in childhood or adolescence, but can also develop in adulthood. Type 1 diabetes is always treated with insulin. However some dietary approaches can be used to help in keeping the sugar level right.

Diabetes is one of the top ten leading causes of death worldwide according to a recent WHO report; in 2012 the global prevalence of diabetes was estimated to be more than 10% among adults. The most prevalent type of diabetes is the type 2 and it is rampant in adult population. Diabetic patients develop hypertension and cardiovascular diseases, which account for high rates of morbidity and mortality among adult patients. In the past treatment of diabetes has been marred by different factors, oral medications that were the major form of treatment are not as effective as after sometime the patient may develop insulin dependence. Oral insulin medication is also not so effective since exogenous insulin cannot provide the tight glycemic control exerted by the pancreas-derived insulin secretion. Researchers consequently have been prompted to come up with better ways of addressing this menace. Stem cell therapy is the new effective way that is hoped to save the human race. It works by replacing the damaged cells and normalizing the blood sugar level.

Autologous stem cell transplant for treatment of diabetes

The stem cells are very important owing to their crucial functions in the body. These cells are present in the bone marrow and in the adipose tissues. Owing to their ability to form other cells and tissues, they can be harvested from either the bone marrows or the adipose tissues and be used to heal or replace cells in the affected places. When the harvest of the stem cells is done from the patient’s own body and the used within his body then it is called autologous stem cells transplant. Autologous stem cell transplant is safer since the cells are from the body and therefore there is no risk of them getting rejected neither to induce unpleasant allergic reaction nor require need for immunotherapy. The autologous stem cell therapy can be used to replace the affected cells and help restore proper functioning.

In autologous stem cell transplants, the doctors use peripheral blood stem cell transplantation. With peripheral blood stem cell transplantation, the stem cells are taken from blood. The growth factor G-CSF may be used to stimulate the growth of new stem cells so they spill over into the blood. G-CSF is a protein that is produced naturally in the body. The blood is removed from a vein and passed through a machine that separates the stem cells. The machine then returns the remaining blood through a needle in the person’s arm or through a central venous catheter. This way of collecting stem cells is called apheresis

Using mesenchymal cells yields best results

DiabetesBefore the use of autologous stem cell transplant, the islet transplantation was majorly used in cell based therapy for diabetes treatment. This method however successfully used in the past has its own disadvantages. Its major pitfalls included the following; limited donors, graft rejection, the need for continued immune suppression and exhaustion of the donor cell pool. To help fill these pitfalls that made this treatment unpleasurable, researchers targeted the stem cell therapy as a better alternative and they were not wrong, it has been noted that the stem cell therapy works better for diabetic patients who fail to control hyperglycemia even with insulin injection. This is because autologous cells are readily available and do not entail prolonged hospital stays or sustained immunotoxic therapy. Among autologous adult stem cells, mesenchymal stem cells therapy has been applied with varying degrees of success in both animal models and in clinical trials.

The cell based therapies had been introduced in treatment of diabetes for diabetes mellitus and it surely achieved success. It involved the use of islet transplantation. It was so successful especially in treatment of diabetes type 1 but it had some other failures that could not be overlooked and it’s these failures that are now addressed by the stem cell therapy. Stem cell therapy is a solution to some of the drawbacks of islet transplantation especially the shortage of donors. Autologous stem cell therapy allows for a person’s on organs to be used in the transplant.

The mesenchymal stem cells are used as they are able to proliferate and form new more effective cells replacing the damaged cells. They are mostly harvested in both the bone marrow and the adipose tissues where they are available in the highest amount. The mesenchymal stem cells help maintain the capacity of multilineage differentiation potential, both within and across lineage barriers. They are easy to cultivate and expand, and maintain pluripotentiality after prolonged culture conditions.

Diabetes is a killer disease; visit us at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Centre at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Dr. Dalal Akoury (MD) an expert in integrative and regenerative medicine will be able to help.

Stem Cell Therapy for Diabetes

 

Related articles
Facebooktwitterpinterestlinkedin

Stem Cell Therapy May Offer an Effective Parkinson’s Disease Treatment

March 7, 2015

Stem Cell Therapy May Offer an Effective Parkinson’s Disease Treatment

The Parkinson’s disease has affected many people in the past and it still startles to know that this disease is still affecting millions of people across the globe. Doctors have been treating only the symptoms of this disease as there is no known cure of the Parkinson’s disease. Recently there has been lots of research on the field of integrative regenerative medicine to help in treatment of this disease. The stem cell therapy is one of the ways that have been investigated by researchers to establish if there is a possibility of this disease having a known cure which is effective.

Despite the fact that the Parkinson’s disease has no known cure, the cause of this disease is known. This disease is caused by the continued loss of dopamine-producing cells in the brain. Dopamine is a crucial brain chemical that helps to regulate movement and emotional responses among other functions.

When a person is suffering from this disease, he will suffer deficiency of dopamine. The Parkinson’s disease is known to target and kill dopamine-producing nerve cells, or neurons, in part of the brain called the substantia nigra. The effects of Parkinson’s disease on the nerve cells of the brain may be the reason for such problems in sleeping, motivation and thinking that Parkinson’s disease is known for but also it has been linked to the linked to the formation of clumps of a protein called alpha-synuclein in the brain. These abnormal protein clumps are called Lewy bodies and are dangerous in the body.

Continued death of the nerve cells results in Parkinson’s patients developing tremors and rigidity, as well as slowed movements. Other conditions that these patients will suffer from as a result of continued death of the nerve cells in the brain includes depression, sleeping disorders, dementia and even constipation. However dementia may be suffered at a much later stage when the damage on the nerve cells has spread widely. They may also lose their sense of smell.

Parkinson’s Disease

Due to the fact that depletion of dopamine causes Parkinson’s disease, doctors have been utilizing treatments that are useful in boosting the levels of dopamine din the brain. One of the most commonly used treatments is the use of a drug known as the Levodopa. This drug has been in use since 1960s when it was discovered. It works in a manner that supplements dopamine levels as it converts into dopamine while in the body. In this case the drug Levodopa stands in for the damaged neurons that ought to produce dopamine. Currently there are also other drugs that are used as dopamine to stimulate the nerve endings. Patients may also go through some therapies and put on special diets all aimed at improving the dopamine levels. In case the disease has advanced a patient may have to be treated through surgeries which may include deep brain stimulation with implanted electrodes. however, the treatments that have been mentioned above only work to mitigate on the effects of the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease but do not slow down or reverse the damage that the disease cause on the nerve cells in the brain. It has also been reported that even with the above treatments it reaches a time when the patient’s condition will deteriorate. There has also been a problem with early detection of the disease as mostly the disease is diagnosed lately after a patient has lost most of his dopamine and the nerve cells in the brain are already damaged. It is with the view of seeking a whole treatment for the disease that scientists began research on the ability of the stem cells to treat Parkinson’s disease.

The stem cell therapy may help

Parkinson’s disease is a dark medical field, its immediate cause isn’t known but scientists have today known which part of the brain is affected by this disease as well as the cells that are often affected by the disease. the stem cells which are known replicate several times giving rise to new cells are already being used to grow dopamine producing nerve cells in laboratories to aid the study of this disease. The stem cells are majorly used in the labs when the genetic cause of the disease is known. The disease destroys cells but through stem cells therapy, the damaged cells can be replaced by healthy new cells of the same type.

Research studies of 1980-90s bred hope

Parkinson's DiseaseIn 1980-90s researchers worked to find out if the cell replacement therapy could be used to quell the harmful effects of the Parkinson’s disease. The findings of these researchers have since been a foundation upon which current researchers increase the scope of their study on the effects of cell replacement therapy on the Parkinson’s disease. Particularly, Swedish, American and Canadian researchers have transplanted the developing nigral dopamine-producing neurons from human fetuses into animals and human patients with Parkinson’s disease. In these studies there were some great improvements while in other cases there were only modest changes.

A new study has since resurfaced. This study is much larger in scope and will include clinical trials. The study titled TRANSEURO aims at addressing the issues of consistency in efficacy as well as reduction in side effects associated with stem cell transplant. There is optimism that stem cell transplant to replace the damaged nerve cells could help in fighting this disease. Dr. Dalal Akoury (MD) is an expert in integrative medicine and a founder of AWAREmed Health and Wellness Center located at Myrtle Beach South Caroline. Visit her for more information on most lifestyle diseases.

Stem Cell Therapy May Offer an Effective Parkinson’s Disease Treatment

 

Related articles
Facebooktwitterpinterestlinkedin

Stem Cell Therapy Used By Pro Athletes to Heal Injuries

March 6, 2015

Stem Cell Therapy Used By Pro Athletes to Heal Injuries

The intriguing medicinal abilities of the stem cell therapy seem to have got embraced by athletes.  today there are athletes who are using the stem cell therapy to help heal joint related injuries that they get in the course of playing their games and ultimately reduce their ability to play as well as they ought to. Stem cell therapy seems to be a game changing strategy in treating injuries that would rather be complicated treating with surgery alone. however despite the known benefits of the stem cell therapy and its exceptional relief it offers to patients given that it is the most versatile approach to treatment of diseases, It has not got into mainstream medical treatments for sports medicine and most of the time the teams do not pay for the costs incurred by athletes who opt to get treated through the stem cell therapy needless to mention it is still not recognized in the US. Despite these some athletes have chosen to tap into the immense potential of stem cell therapy to heal their respective injuries.

Chris Johnson, 28 is one of the many of NFL players who have opted to have their injuries a stem cell therapy treatment having heard of the amazing potential of the stem cell therapy when he visited orthopedic surgeon James Andrews in January, 2014 to fix his ailing left knee. Johnson had suffered a torn meniscus while in action for the Titans. When Dr. James Andrews presented him with the idea of stem cell therapy he decided to give it a try.

Knee injuries

“When I tore my meniscus and played the season out, through the wear and tear, I lost a lot of cartilage,” says Johnson, who was signed by the Jets to bring explosiveness to their offense. “When you put the stem cells in, it might be able to help rebuild that cartilage in your knee. Hopefully, it makes your knee better for even more years.” he adds.

Having agreed to have the therapy done, Johnson had stem cells siphoned from bone marrow with along needle from the iliac crest of his pelvis and had these stem cells injected directly on his injured knee. This was done with hopes that the stem cells will not only work as anti-inflammatory agents but also hasten the healing of the knee by repairing the torn meniscus.

Stem cell therapy is popular among NFL Players

Evidently, Johnson is not the only athletes who have used the stem cell therapy to heal his injury. Another Pro athlete, Peyton Manning is reported to have tried a stem-cell treatment in Europe in 2011, which was his final year with the Colts with an aim of fast-tracking his recovery from neck surgery.  another athlete, Prince Amukamara, Giants cornerback had a slow-healing broken metatarsal treated with stem cells by a foot specialist in North Carolina after his team’s Super Bowl XLVI run. One NFL linebacker paid $6,000 a pop for a 1-milliliter vial of donated placenta tissue containing stem cells to be injected into each of his beat-up knees this offseason but asked for his name not to be used in this story because he didn’t tell his team’s medical staff. This shows how amazing the stem cell therapy is in view of these pro-athletes.

It is reported that stem cell therapy has become more popular with NFL athletes, as it now stands, of the 32 teams, hundreds of the players have got stem cell treatment for their various injuries. This averages to six players per team which is impressive, however the stem cell therapy is still not a mainstream treatment and it still is somehow a shadow that is not understood by many. however, evidence of the stem cell therapy’s usefulness in treating athletes’ injuries is so far largely anecdotal, NFL teams often will not pick up the bill for players, and the overseas market for treatments not approved in the U.S. makes the whole field seem somewhat taboo but this has not discouraged the athletes which may mean that they have seen some benefits with the therapy.

Knee injuriesThe sports doctors have been recently pushing for the NFL teams to pick the bills that athletes incur while getting the stem cell therapy and to shun this view of stem cell therapy as farfetched. Dr. Andrews who is an expert in biologics – term refers to substances that are produced in living systems such as humans, animals and microorganisms, rather than manufactured like drugs is an important in this push. it is expected that when the US embraces the stem cell treatment for the athletes then the sport doctors like Dr. Andrews will be able to offer their star-studded clientele more of these treatments more effectively in the U.S. in this agenda the retired NFL players will be studied to prove how well the stem cell therapy works in treating arthritis of the knee, this is a more regenerating approach to treatment of injuries.

“We have had one big revelation in sports medicine over the last 50 years, and that was the arthroscope,” Andrews says. “I’ve been looking for the next wave, and I think the biologics, particularly stem-cell therapy and enhancement of the healing properties, will be it.”

“We’ve been saying that since the new decade of this new millennium, so we’re already behind.” he concludes.

Finally, Stem cell therapy is a promising treatment for orthopedic diseases; you may tap into the unique medicinal properties of the stem cells to help you beat orthopedic conditions. Visit us at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Centre at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Dr. Dalal Akoury (MD) an expert in integrative and regenerative medicine will be able to help.

Stem Cell Therapy Used By Pro Athletes to Heal Injuries

Related articles
Facebooktwitterpinterestlinkedin

Stem Cells For Relieving Chronic Pain

March 3, 2015

Relieve Chronic Pain without Surgery with Stem Cell

Chronic pain can make your life unbearable. No one wants to be maimed by chronic pain. However there are conditions that may enslave you to chronic pain. Diseases such as cancer and arthritis are known to cause unbearable pains that must be mitigated failure to which the pain may beckon some other grievous conditions that may shorten your life in the long run. There has been various ways through which patients have been put on programs that help them mitigate on the effects of chronic pain. Some of the most common avenues through which chronic pain is managed are through the use of pain drugs such as the opioids. However the use of these drugs also poses a great challenge as the patient may become dependent on them and they can also be easily abused leading to addiction among other problems associated with narcotic drug use.  Apart from the use of these opioid to manage chronic pain there are also circumstances that a chronic pain patient may have to be put to surgery to help reverse the chronic pain and restore normal tissue functioning.

Well, today there are leading regeneration centers that have understood that there must be a better way of dealing with chronic pain. the frustrations that patients go through in search of a better treatment for their pain has put scientist on their heels, researching on better ways that are not only effective but also affordable. Today most regeneration centers dealing with chronic pain are focusing on providing innovative stem cell treatments to our patients in order to reinvigorate their quality of life without complex surgery that most patients maimed by chronic pain dread. With advanced technology, chronic pain patients are getting better treatment that is less invasive by the use of stem cell therapy.

chronic pain

Stem cell therapy can help in controlling your pain

Stem cell therapy is a highly beneficial treatment that aims to assist patients who typically suffer from chronic pain, take back control of their lives. Stem cells have contributed to the healing process of various patients with medical conditions that resulted in damage to the joints or nervous system. You will however need to find a reputable hospital or doctor who has experience in treating chronic pain with stem cell therapy to help you take back control of your life. Generally, the use of stem cell therapy in pain management has seen many patients of pain for example those maimed by osteoarthritis, back pain, rheumatoid arthritis, knee joint pain and rotator cuff syndrome get relief from pain and improve quality of their lives. Stem cell therapy is yet to replace the old ways of managing pain such as use of opioids that may make the patient addicted to them in the long run and surgery that is dangerously invasive and cause myriads of discomfort. Today, reputable doctors are utilizing stem cell therapy for patients suffering from osteoarthritis, neurological diseases and degenerative conditions. The pain treatment is now aimed at reducing pain, increasing strength, increasing flexibility, increasing mobility and energy of chronic pain patients that suffer from these conditions.

How is it done?

Chronic PainAs mentioned earlier, the stem cells are responsible for healing of the body, the body needs to have enough of these stem cells to be able to heal incases of acute pain. However the stem cells may get diminished as a person ages there by utilizing the power of stem cell therapy, the patient’s own stem cells can be harvested and injected right into the area where they are most needed. The process involves isolating these stem cells from a sample of the patient’s blood, bone marrow or adipose tissue and injecting them into the damaged body part to promote healing. Platelet-rich-plasma (PRP), a concentrated suspension of platelets (blood cells that cause clotting of blood) and growth factors, may also be used to assist the process of repair. The stem cell therapy works to repair the damaged tissues by utilizing the healing ability of undifferentiated cells that form all other cells in our bodies.

Before, the harvesting of the stem cells that are to be used in the treatment, a doctor will apply a local anesthetic in the area from which these stem cells will be harvested. After which, about 30-60cc of bone marrow stem cells or about 20cc of adipose-derived stem cells is extracted. What follows is separation of stem cells and the platelets from the rest of the body by the help of a centrifugal machine. Finally, the    Healthy stem cells and growth factors are then injected directly into the damaged area where they facilitate healing of the damaged tissues. After this stem cell injection, PRP injection may also be given after four to six weeks should there be need.

At AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center we assist a wide variety of patients who suffer from chronic pain with our stem cell therapy. Chronic pain can be overbearing, draining, and leave you feeling hopeless. That’s why it’s important to remember that there is help available at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center. Our lead doctor, Dr. Dalal Akoury (MD) has a vast experience in the field of integrative medicine that pain patients can tap on for their own good. Call on her today at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina and find out how she can harness the power of stem cell therapy to help you win back control of your life.

Relieve Chronic Pain without Surgery with Stem Cell

Related articles
Facebooktwitterpinterestlinkedin

IV NAD: The Best Addiction Treatment

March 1, 2015

IV NAD Is the Best Addiction Treatment

After a long term use of drugs of abuse as a result of addiction to the drugs, the body’s cells, tissues, organs and neurotransmitters will be affected adversely by the drugs. It is therefore important to correct this during treatment therapy. NAD IV therapy can be used to replenish the drained enzymes and target brain restoration

What is IV  NAD?

NAD is an abbreviation of Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide. It is a coenzyme that is present in all living cells. The compound is a dinucleotide, this simply means that it consists of two nucleotides joined through their phosphate groups. One nucleotide contains an adenine base and the other nicotinamide. Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide exists in two forms, an oxidized and reduced form abbreviated as NAD+ and NADH respectively. It is therefore safe for us to say that NADH is a reduced form of NAD. IV NAD is a crucial coenzyme in metabolism.  In metabolism, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide is involved in redox reactions, carrying electrons from one reaction to another. The coenzyme is, therefore, found in two forms in cells: NAD+ is an oxidizing agent – it accepts electrons from other molecules and becomes reduced. This reaction forms NADH, which can then be used as a reducing agent to donate electrons. These electron transfer reactions are the main function of NAD. Therefore there is need for a balance between the NADH and the NAD to maintain a favorable environment for homeostasis. Apart from its functions in electron transfer, the NAD has other functions in the body such as being a substrate of enzymes that add or remove chemical groups from proteins, in posttranslational modifications.  Owing to its importance on performing these functions, the enzymes involved in IV NAD metabolism have been targeted to help come up with drugs that could heal different complications.

IV NAD

The IV NAD and the NADH are crucial in the production of energy in the mitochondria. What happens after eating is that the vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, proteins and fats from our diet provide the building blocks to our bodies. Energy that is produced from citric acid cycle makes NAD and links it to hydrogen forming NADH which enters the electron transport chain in the mitochondria and is sparked with oxygen which breaks the nutrients to give energy through oxidation. This energy enables the heart to beat sufficiently and enable muscle contraction providing cellular energy that is required by the body cells to function. The energy that is produced is also used by the brain therefore if the level of NADH is low then the brain will not function well at the same time if NAD level is low then production of energy will be low. There is need to establish a favorable ratio between the NAD and NADH since without a good balance of the two then there will be fatigue and depression which are factors that mostly deter addicts from quitting using their substances of abuse.

In most cases IV NAD deficiency is first evident in brain-related symptoms of poor concentration, difficulty focusing, and attention deficit disorders. If the energy shortage lasts long enough, brain neurons cannot synthesize neurotransmitters. When this occurs, the molecules of consciousness such as serotonin, dopamine, and noradrenaline are affected. Anxiety, depression, sleep disturbance and other mood changes can then arise. These are not good for addicts as they may trigger them to use drugs as escapade. Many addicts got trapped after trying using drugs as self-medication against fatigue and depression. This even lowers NAD level even further and it is a continuous vicious cycle. It is also important to note that the crucial enzymes that catalyze the Citric Acid Cycle are inhibited and may get destroyed by chemical toxins that create oxidative or free radical damage. The sources of this damage are substances of abuse like cigarette smoke, drugs, and chronic stress. This problem may also be caused by exposure to myriads of toxins.

IV NAD the best therapy for addiction

Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide often abbreviated as NAD is a metabolic co-enzyme and is charged with the important job of structuring, repairing, and remodeling every cell in the body. Drug use often leads to destruction of many cells and nerves in the body and therefore any addiction treatment therapy must seek to restore the health of the damaged tissues in order to give a lasting healing effect on the client. It is therefore important that there are adequate levels of NAD in the body.

IV NAD

IV NAD deficiency in the body can be corrected by having an IV NAD therapy. This will not only increase the production of energy but will also increase the level of NADH which is critical for enzymatic action. The IV NAD goes straight to receptors in the brain and so is not digested in the stomach. Another reason for ensuring balance between NAD/NADH is that the correct ratios will help in restoring damaged neurotransmitters by drugs. It is a detoxifier that works faster as it takes only few days rather than weeks or months to flush out stored drugs from the body and its organs, replenish balance in the brain, and reverse damage. Results can be mental clarity, cognitive function increase, focus and concentration returns, more energy, better mood, positive outlook.

And finally, AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center  encourages addicts to come for addiction recovery .We have qualified doctors who will see to it that every addict is helped to break the bond of addiction and enjoy life of freedom. Dr. Dalal Akoury (MD) is committed to availing help to every patient. Call on her at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina for help.

IV NAD Is the Best Addiction Treatment

 

Related articles
Facebooktwitterpinterestlinkedin

  • Recent Posts

  • Blog Categories