You’ve likely heard about stem cells as the new frontier in medicine. What you may have heard less about is their specific uses for everyday medical patients. Stem cell therapy has a broad range of applications, and at Stem Cell Institute, we have seen it improve the lives of thousands of patients.
Stem cell therapy may be helpful in improving the body’s ability to repair itself. At Stem Cell Institute, we use our specially selected Golden Cells™ to treat conditions including heart failure, arthritis, autism, and sports injuries.
What Is Stem Cell Therapy Used For?
Stem cell therapy is a form of regenerative medicine that may help promote the body’s repair response. It seeks to heal tissue that has become injured, diseased, or dysfunctional. Over the years, stem cell therapy has become a more recognized treatment option for a variety of health conditions such as heart disease.
Teresa’s Story
Teresa had been struggling before her first round of stem cell therapy at our Panama City clinic in late 2016. Due to her congestive heart failure, she was gaining seven to 12 pounds of fluid around her heart every night.
She was also suffering from:
- Shortness of breath
- Fatigue
- Swollen legs
- Difficulty breathing
She was taking 60mg of Lasix medication a day to help with her symptoms.
Since her first treatment, Teresa has seen massive improvements in her congestive heart failure. She now only gains 3 pounds of fluid around her heart every night and has weaned herself down to 20mg of Lasix. She was having trouble walking before her first round of treatment, but now she walks three miles a day and works out with a trainer twice a week.
So what brought Teresa back for a second round of treatment in 2022? It was actually for the best reason possible.
Her pacemaker had failed, and she needed it and her defibrillator removed. Thanks to her previous stem cell transplant, she only needs to replace the defibrillator for safety reasons. This is because, according to her doctor, her once-“dead” right atrium has regenerated enough to no longer need the support of a pacemaker!
Teresa knows first-hand the power of stem cell treatment. She’s a perfect example of how it can not only improve patients’ lives but save their lives as well.
What Do Stem Cells Treat?
Allogeneic (donated) mesenchymal stem cells may help treat a wide range of conditions that aren’t responding to standard-of-care medicine. They accomplish this by reducing inflammation, modulating the immune system, and promoting tissue regeneration.
The team at Stem Cell Institute stays on the cutting edge of research and treatment. We work with leading research institutions and physicians all over the world, collaborating to treat serious health problems such as:
- Autism
- Autoimmune diseases
- Cerebral palsy
- Frailty of aging
- Heart failure
- Multiple sclerosis
- Osteoarthritis
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Sports injuries
Autism
Autism is a spectrum of issues often distinguished by problems with communication and social interactions. While the exact cause isn’t known, children with autism often have lower levels of oxygen in certain parts of their brains. They can also have an inflammatory problem in the gut related to immunology issues.
Donor mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are adult stem cells, which are ideal for treating patients with autism. They allow our team to provide a uniform dose each time without having to collect them from the patient. Instead, we collect them from umbilical cord tissue donated from normal, healthy births. They also have the benefit of being superior to similar cells harvested from fat or bone marrow, with no cases of rejection in our 15+ years of treating patients.
Renzo’s Story
Renzo had been suffering from gastrointestinal issues such as severe constipation for eight years. According to his parents, Pablo and Susie, Renzo’s gastrointestinal issues were completely resolved after his first visit to Stem Cell Institute for therapy. Not only that, but he became more verbal in communicating his wants and needs. They have returned for a second time to continue working towards developing his conversational language abilities and plan on returning again in the future.
Learn more about how stem cell treatment may help with autism.
Autoimmune Diseases
An autoimmune disease is a condition that causes the immune system to produce a protective response against naturally occurring tissues and substances in the body. In short, it’s the body rebelling against itself. This can affect a single organ or involve tissues in multiple parts of the body. There are many different types of autoimmune diseases that behave in unique ways.
At present, autoimmune diseases are often treated with immune-suppressing drugs. While they may temporarily improve symptoms, they typically don’t treat the disease itself and can result in long-term negative effects. Alternatively, mesenchymal stem cells may have the ability to modulate the immune system while preserving the body’s ability to fight off other disease-causing factors.
Jamie’s Story
Jamie was diagnosed with mixed connective tissue disease—a combination of five or six autoimmune diseases. This includes:
- Lupus
- Scleroderma
- Raynaud’s syndrome
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Sjögren’s syndrome
- Polymyositis
This combination of issues caused bodily inflammation that resulted in heart issues such as pericarditis.
Jamie was completely reliant on others and described herself as “scared to hope” upon learning about stem cell therapy. Since coming to Stem Cell Institute, she has reclaimed more of her life and is excited to take back even more.
Learn more about stem cell treatment for autoimmune diseases!
Cerebral Palsy
Abnormalities or injuries of the brain can cause cerebral palsy, often occurring in the womb. However, these abnormalities can occur at any time during the first two years following birth. This condition affects functions associated with the brain and nervous system, including:
- Thinking
- Learning
- Movement
- Seeing
- Hearing
Adult mesenchymal stem cells from umbilical cord tissue home to damaged tissue and are known to secrete molecules called trophic factors. These are known to stimulate the repair of damaged nervous tissue in both the brain and the spinal cord. Thanks to donated umbilical cord tissue, patients don’t have to rely on saved umbilical cord blood, which does not contain the type of stem cells we use, from birth to receive treatment.
Ava’s Story
Mary has been bringing her daughter Ava to Stem Cell Institute since she was a year old. Cerebral palsy has affected every aspect of Ava’s life in a tremendous way. Since bringing her to our clinic, Mary has seen big changes in Ava’s cognitive abilities. Mary’s doctors told her that Ava would never be able to sit, but she was sitting on her knees and crawling six months after her first treatment. With every visit, Ava shows additional growth thanks to stem cell therapy.
Learn more about how umbilical-derived stem cells may help with cerebral palsy!
Frailty of Aging
Our bodies change as we age and move further away from homeostasis. This makes it harder to adapt to external and internal stressors, causing us to be more susceptible to disease and injury. The effects of aging can vary from loss of strength and endurance to dependence on others for everyday needs. Stem cell treatment may be able to help improve these markers of aging.
According to a recent clinical trial, groups treated for the frailty of aging using human allogeneic mesenchymal stem cells (allo-hMSCs) showed noted improvements in key areas such as inflammatory biomarkers and physical performance. Studies on mice have produced similar results. As more research is done in the form of clinical trials and others, there is increasing scientific evidence for confidence in allo-hMSCs stem cells to ameliorate the effects of aging.
John’s Story
At 86 years old, John has already scheduled his third stem cell therapy session with us. He was initially struggling with neuropathy in his feet. However, he saw immediate results after his first session and was able to walk to the bathroom without discomfort. Along with improvements in his skin, he has seen improved kidney function with more waste being removed.
Learn more about how MSCs can help with the frailty of aging.
Heart Failure
Heart failure occurs when the heart can’t pump enough blood throughout the body. This can occur for a number of different reasons such as a functional or structural disorder.
These can be in the form of:
- Cardiomyopathy
- Coronary artery disease
- Heart valve problems
- Hypertension
While there is no cure for heart failure, MSCs may be able to improve heart function and potentially slow the disease process.
Emmanuel’s Story
Emmanuel had a heart attack despite being in perfect health, resulting in “half of his heart no longer functioning”. He had a stent implanted, but his son did some research of his own and discovered the power of stem cell therapy. Since undergoing stem cell therapy, Emmanuel has been able to move around and work much more easily, greatly improving his quality of life.
Read more about heart failure and umbilical-derived stem cells!
Multiple Sclerosis
Known as MS for short, multiple sclerosis occurs when the immune system targets parts of the myelin sheath. This layer acts as an insulator for neurons, but the autoimmune response prevents the neurons from properly communicating with each other. Stem cell therapy may be able to help regulate the immune system and regenerate the myelin sheath.
Current FDA-approved treatments for multiple sclerosis only help to reduce the severity of the condition but don’t repair the damage it causes. Human umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hUCT-MSCs) possess regulatory properties that may improve the condition by stopping the immune system from attacking the myelin sheath. They may contribute to the regeneration of the myelin sheath (remyelination) as well.
Joyce’s Story
Joyce saw an improvement in her energy levels after her first stem cell transplant. She was finally able to do things with friends and family that she had not been able to do for years. She also noticed an improvement in her pain levels and was able to cut back on medications. Since her second treatment, Joyce has seen even more improvement in her energy and pain levels.
Learn more about how hUCT-MSCs may help with multiple sclerosis.
Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis is a group of abnormalities involving the joints. Also known as degenerative arthritis or degenerative joint disease, it can cause parts of the joints to degrade. This can result in joint pain, stiffness, tenderness, and locking. hUCT-MSCs may be able to heal these tissues and stop the pathological response while retaining your body’s ability to fight the disease. They may kickstart healing in animals suffering from various forms of arthritis.
Osteoarthritis happens when inflammation and oxidative stress gradually damage cartilage. MSCs release substances that fight inflammation and play a crucial role in tissue repair and renewal.
On healing tissues that have been damaged by arthritis, mesenchymal stem cells may modulate the immune system. This gives them the unique ability to stop the pathological response of osteoarthritis while allowing the body to defend itself from the condition.
William’s Story
William was initially a skeptic of stem cell therapy. However, his doctor recommended it to him along with his niece who has experienced what it can do first-hand. He considers his first visit a resounding success and now doesn’t experience pain in his knee and shoulder.
Learn more about how mesenchymal stem cells may fight osteoarthritis!
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) causes your immune system to attack constituents of the joint such as type I collagen. The current treatments for rheumatoid arthritis provide some improvement. Unfortunately, they can also cause long-term problems due to inhibiting the immune system. Furthermore, they don’t heal tissue damage that has already occurred. Not only can this destroy the joint, but it can also lead to other issues such as heart and kidney damage.
Stem cell therapy may be able to:
- Reduce inflammation
- Modulate the immune system to prevent autoimmune attacks
- Promote tissue repair in the heart and kidneys
Mary’s Story
Mary had brought her son to us for treatment multiple times before she decided to try it for herself. She had been struggling for years with rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia symptoms. After years of false starts, Mary describes the feeling after her first treatment as amazing. “I feel like I could literally do cartwheels for months and months after my first treatment!”
Learn more about how stem cell therapy may help with rheumatoid arthritis!
Sports Injuries
Sports injuries can have a massive effect on the human body by affecting:
- Bones
- Muscles
- Tendons
- Ligaments
- Cartilage
This can be a major blow to professional athletes and weekend warriors alike. Fortunately, allogeneic stem cells may be the key to getting back in the game. hUCT-MSCs may be able to help speed up the healing process without the need for invasive surgery.
Our unique Golden Cells™ may aid in reducing inflammation and promoting the healing process. These are important factors when it comes to common sports injuries such as Achilles tendonitis, runner’s knee, tennis elbow, ACL/MCL tears, and rotator cuff tears. At Stem Cell Institute, our goal is to reduce pain and eliminate or delay the need for surgery.
George Kittle’s Story
Professional football players endure pain and injuries over the span of their careers, and George Kittle is no exception. He’s well aware of the need to stay in shape. This sent him on a search for alternatives to surgery that wouldn’t leave him sitting on the bench. Fortunately, he discovered how Stem Cell Institute could help him stay on the field.
Are you ready to see the difference stem cell treatment can make in your life? Apply today!
Stem Cell Institute in Panama City, Panama is at the forefront of applied stem cell research. Since our inception in 2006, we have performed over 50,000 procedures, helping thousands of families across the United States and around the world embrace the opportunity for a better life. Our medical team prioritizes the health and well-being of all our patients through top-notch stem cell treatment and care.