Very often, patients ask us how they can improve the quality or quantity of their mesenchymal stem cells prior to a procedure. More than a decade of experience and research in the orthopedic stem cell field has taught us that there are certain things you can do to improve the function of your stem cells.
Here are some ways to enhance your mesenchymal stem cells prior to treatment.
Nutrition
Reduce your sugar intake.
This common advice deserves to be reiterated. When we say sugar, we mean any food that is rapidly absorbed and converted to glucose in the blood. Obvious sources of sugar include the table sugar we put in coffee, soft drinks, desserts and fruit juices, etc. Less obvious sugars include refined grains in bread, cookies and pasta. Sugar intake combined with too little activity produces insulin spikes in the blood that can cause metabolic syndrome, which can lead to weight gain, insulin resistance and high blood pressure. According to one study, adult stem cells lived longer in cell culture when glucose levels were reduced. High blood sugar has also been found to reduce the regenerative potential of stem cells.
It is extremely important to make an effort to reduce or eliminate added sugars. Today, we are especially concerned about processed and added sugars, as more and more research is showing that these foods not only promote cancer, but also a wide variety of chronic diseases. Eliminating sugar from the diet will accomplish a number of things, such as improving quality of life, helping to control weight and improving stem cells. Interestingly, many fruits (despite the sugar content), such as berries, counteract the negative effects of sugar due to their high phytonutrient content.
A note of caution: switching to artificial sugars, such as sucralose (e.g., Splenda, yellow sachets) and aspartame (e.g., NutraSweet, blue sachets), is not the answer to stopping sugar consumption. Artificial sugars act similarly to real sugar in the body and can also stimulate excessive insulin release and lead to metabolic syndrome and obesity. These substitutes also alter the intestinal flora and are associated with an increased risk of stroke and dementia.
To begin with, we recommend considering a strict low glycemic index diet. This type of diet is beneficial because it helps control insulin release and blood sugar. The glycemic load of carbohydrates can be measured on a scale from high to low, where high means a rapid rise in blood sugar and low means that sugars are digested and absorbed slowly into the blood. For example, fruit juices have a high glycemic index because they reach the bloodstream very quickly, causing a sharp rise in insulin. Whereas most vegetables, legumes and unrefined whole grains are at the lower end of the scale.
It is advisable to follow a diet that excludes all or almost all sugar prior to the stem cell procedure. It is also worthwhile to have your physician monitor your blood for hemoglobin A1C (HBA1C), which reflects your average blood glucose over the previous 3 months. The HBA1C you want to achieve is close to 5.0 or lower.
Reduce your calories
It has been shown that even short-term caloric restriction can improve stem cell function.
A study has shown that when mice follow a reduced-calorie diet, their muscle stem cells improve their function. This improvement was observed in both young and old mice. Short-term calorie restriction has also been shown to improve the functionality of mesenchymal stem cells.
We mentioned that this option has been effective in mice, but what about humans? At least one study in humans has shown that losing weight through a low-calorie diet helped increase the amount of circulating stem cells in the blood. We recommend reducing calorie intake by approximately 20% during the two weeks prior to stem cell harvesting. One strategy that may be helpful is called intermittent fasting, time-restricted feeding or fasting that mimics fasting.
Stay active, exercise and lift weights.
Studies have shown that older animals that are more active have better quality stem cells that create more bone. This research also shows that stem cells in muscles increase with exercise and heavy weight lifting.
The key is consistent activity. If you’re training sporadically now, try expanding your routine. Visit the gym or work with a qualified personal trainer. Already lifting weights? Try adding pounds. If you bike or run, strive to run faster and for a longer period of time. In general, aim for 150 minutes per week of aerobic activity. Perhaps a more time-efficient approach to aerobic fitness is high-intensity interval training, although you should talk to a qualified professional before implementing it.
If you have injuries or health problems that limit your ability to train, simply focus on what you can do. Try light activities in the pool or take daily walks. The goal is simply to increase your activity level so that the stem cells we collect are of the highest quality from the start.
Cautionary Note: For those with a medical or orthopedic condition that limits their ability to be active, their activity may need to be initially enhanced under the guidance of a trained physical therapist.
Try to take healthy supplements
Common nutritional supplements can be beneficial for both stem cells and cartilage. These include vitamin D3 and C, curcumin, glucosamine, chondroitin, resveratrol and fish oil.
Our advanced program that we list contains vitamins D and C, curcumin, glucosamine, chondroitin, resveratrol, L-carnosine and bitter melon as main ingredients. These were chosen because there is research showing their benefits and their effects on stem cells.
Vitamins C and D
Vitamin C helps our bone marrow stem cells by promoting their proliferation (increase in number). Vitamin D3 can reduce the aging of our stem cells, make them healthier and help them differentiate or develop into other cell types.
Curcumin
Curcumin may sound familiar, as it is the active ingredient in the spice turmeric. Curcumin has strong anti-inflammatory properties and is effective in helping mesenchymal stem cells function better. This supplement has also been shown to positively regulate bone formation and suppress oxidative stress, which alleviates bone loss. It also appears to have a protective effect against osteoarthritis damage.
Glucosamine and chondroitin
Glucosamine and chondroitin protect cartilage and reduce cartilage loss.
Resveratrol
Studies have shown that resveratrol also protects cartilage and helps stem cells to differentiate and multiply. Resveratrol also helps control blood sugar. You can get resveratrol through healthy foods such as red and purple grapes and blueberries, although it is nearly impossible to get the amount you would need to optimize its benefits for cartilage and joint health from food alone.
Avoid taking steroids when possible
From asthma to knee pain to herniated discs, high-dose steroids (sometimes called cortisone) are used for many reasons. While they can be potent anti-inflammatories, the problem is that they wreak havoc on stem cells. Steroids have the potential to cause serious adverse effects. One study concluded that steroids actually “flipped a switch” in mesenchymal stem cells and made them unwilling to turn into bone.
If you are scheduled for stem cell treatment and are taking steroids (oral, topical, inhaled or injections), discuss this with the medical team at Stem Cell Therapy Argentina. Your doctor can help you recommend safer alternatives or acceptable substitutes to protect your stem cells and then talk to your prescribing physician.
Consider traveling to a higher altitude.
Many elite athletes sleep in lower oxygen environments to take advantage of the benefits of low oxygen. Stem cells grow and remain more viable with low oxygen levels. What does this mean? Sometimes, low oxygen is better. When the oxygen level is normal, stem cells differentiate better. In short, when growing stem cells, low oxygen is best; when differentiating or developing into other tissues, normal oxygen is preferred.
Before your stem cell procedure, consider taking a short vacation to a higher altitude so that your stem cells can thrive.
It is important to keep in mind that your stem cell procedure will only be as effective as your stem cells are healthy. Focus on these ways to improve your stem cells to get the best possible results from your next procedure together with our team.
