Safe Autologous Stem Cell Transplant for Diabetes

March 1, 2015

According to a recent WHO report, diabetes is one of the top ten leading causes of death worldwide; 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. It is reported that diabetes is the leading cause of renal failure and blindness in developed countries, a person suffering from diabetes also has high chances of having a limb amputated. The risk of limb amputation is 10 times higher in diabetic patients. It is also known that most diabetic patients develop hypertension and cardiovascular diseases, which account for high rates of morbidity and mortality among adult patients. Most patients receive treatment through oral medication but this is also dangerous since after sometime they become insulin dependent. Oral insulin medication is also not so effective since exogenous insulin cannot provide the tight glycemic control exerted by the pancreas-derived insulin secretion. Due to these myriad problems stem cell therapy can be very useful in replacing the affected cells and restore normal cell function normalizing insulin levels in the long run.

What is autologous stem cell transplant?

The body has stem cells in the bone marrow, in muscle tissues and also in the adipose tissues. These stem cells turn into red blood cells, white blood cells, or platelets to help your body stay healthy. However there are situations when the amount of stem cells in the body is not enough to keep you healthy. This may be caused by some diseases like multiple myeloma or by aging. When this happens there will be need for supplementing the amounts of the stem cells so that they can be able to offer protection to your body. This calls for stem cell transplant which may be done by placing healthy stem cells in your body through an IV to restore the normal functions of the stem cells. at times the stem cells may be harvested from outside the body especially from placentas after successful normal delivery, however when this stem cells are sourced from within the body of the patient then it is referred to as autologous stem cell 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.

autologous stem cell transplant

How stem cells collected

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. In adults, most autologous transplants use stem cells from blood. In a child, the decision whether to use cells from the bone marrow or the blood depends on the size of the child.

Mesenchymal stem cells work best for diabetes

In the past cell based therapy as used in treatment of diabetes began by use of islet transplantation have been successful in providing a source for insulin secreting cells. However this method has had its share of failures and disadvantages that created a vacuum that doctors hoped to be filled by a better cell based therapy. Some of the downs of the islet transplantations included; limited donors, graft rejection, the need for continued immune suppression and exhaustion of the donor cell pool. the search for a more reliable and sustainable source of insulin secreting cells made stem cell therapy a target as a promising alternative for islet transplantation in diabetic patients who fail to control hyperglycemia even with insulin injection. Autologous stem cell transplantation may provide the best outcome for those patients, since 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.

autologous stem cell transplant Cell-based therapies for diabetes mellitus had achieved lots of success with the application of islet transplantation from cadaveric donors, and the success of the Edmonton protocol back in 1999. Despite the success of islet transplantation in fighting diabetes more so for type 1, there were some drawbacks for example there was need to use immunosuppressive regime so as to favor graft acceptance and prevent rejection. It is with these loopholes that researchers sought to find better treatment with mesenchymal stem cells. 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.

In autologous stem cell transplant the most effective mesenchymal stem cells are used to differentiate into insulin producing cells. The mesenchymal stem cells can be harvested in the bone marrows or in the adipose tissues where they are found in plenty. The mesenchymal stem cells have very many advantages when used as they have a high capacity to self-replicate and differentiate to bone and fat-forming cells and other tissue cells. They 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. For more information on diabetes, 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.

Safe Autologous Stem Cell Transplant for Diabetes

Vaginal Rejuvenation With PRP And Stem Cell

October 16, 2014

New Direction In Sex Therapy: Vaginal Rejuvenation With PRP And Stem Cell

The need for sex therapy arises from the fact that there are many individuals who encounter one of the many forms of sexual dysfunction at some point in their lives. For women, there are many different forms of sexual dysfunction that may make it necessary for them to seek treatment. This is why vaginal rejuvenation with PRP and stem cell therapy offer new direction in sex therapy.

The need for sex therapy

Women can encounter one of the many forms of sexual dysfunction at some point in their lives. The causes are varied, but they may be natural or induced by the presence of another factor such as disease or even medication that is being used to treat a completely unrelated condition.

Regardless of what specific type of sexual dysfunction a woman may be suffering from, one thing about sexual dysfunction problems is that they are usually degenerative in nature. What this means is that once a specific type of problem sets in, it is unlikely that it will subside over the course of time. This makes it necessary for one to seek medical attention immediately.

Types of sexual dysfunction in women

Vaginal Rejuvenation Women may have one of the many forms of sexual dysfunction problems. For example, many are the women who fail to experience orgasms during sexual intercourse. Known as female orgasmic disorder, this problem inhibits the ability of a woman to lead a sexually fulfilling life. There can be many different types of causes for this condition but it is normal to find that its presence in an individual is contributed to by multiple factors. Also, there is variation in the manner in which the problem is manifested in women. For some, there may be complete absence of orgasm in their lives; this is the severe form of the disease. For others, the orgasm may be too weak for the woman to get full satisfaction; this is the mild form of the condition.

Apart from problems with experiencing orgasms, some women may find it difficult to engage in sex altogether. This is so because of the women may not experience any desire for sex. There are several causes for this. For example, some women who have gone through their menopause period do complain of a low level of desire in sex. This in itself may not be a problem. However, the moment the lack of desire interferes with the sexual life of an individual, the need to get treatment arises definitely.

The third type of sexual dysfunction that is common in women is pain when having sex. Although lack of enough lubrication during sex has been known to contribute to a painful sexual experience, this is a completely different problem altogether. Here, a woman experiences pain in the course of penetration and even during the actual process of intercourse. This is a complicated problem that is usually caused by multiple factors, key among them being the psychological state in which the woman is. This condition makes it very difficult for a woman to have pleasurable sexual experience. Its occurrence, therefore, wreaks havoc in one’s sexual life.

How PRP stem cell therapies work

Basically, this type of therapy has its foundation on the concept of tissue regeneration. The human body has special stem cells whose main function is to differentiate and give rise to new cells that replace those which are worn out. This is a fundamental physiological process in the body and it is quite evident in the process of healing of a wound after injury. Stem cells are able to give rise to new cells thus leading to regeneration of the tissue and overall healing of a wound.

At the heart of this therapy is use of platelets that that are rich in plasma. Known as platelet-rich plasma, this substance is able to stimulate rapid division of stem cells thus leading to regeneration of tissue. First, blood is drawn from a woman and specially treated to separate the platelets from other blood components. The stem cells are then triggered to release growth factors before being injected to the vaginal area.

The platelets that are injected into the area stimulate rapid division of stem cells giving rise to new tissues. It is this regeneration of tissues that leads to vaginal rejuvenation in women, leading to treatment of different forms of sexual dysfunction.

How PRP stem cell therapy gives new direction in sex therapy

Vaginal Rejuvenation There are several ways in which PRP stem cell therapy gives new direction in sex therapy. To begin with, the therapy is completely natural since it uses platelets that have been obtained from the body of an individual and used to treat the same individual. Unlike other forms of treatment for sexual dysfunction, PRP offers the advantages of natural treatments to women, the main one being lack of side effects.

The second one is that the therapy has been seen to treat different forms of sexual dysfunction problems in women quite effectively. Rejuvenation of the vagina makes it possible for a woman to experience orgasm during sex quite easily. This is because of the renewal of vaginal tissue as well as the clitoris. Also, rejuvenation of the vagina enhances the sexual life of an individual in many different ways. The vagina becomes supple and appealing because of the rich supply of blood thus, enabling one to enjoy her sexual life in general.

Dr. Dalal Akoury of AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Centre is a specialist in the use of PRP stem cell therapies to treat different forms of sexual problems in women. Here at AWAREmed, we have devoted ourselves to ensuring that women enjoy their health and wellbeing to the maximum. And since sexual wellness is an integral part of overall wellness and health of an individual, we take pride in helping many women overcome some of the most pressing sexual problems in their lives. Feel free to visit us in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina for safe and effective therapies.