Stem cells are specialized cells capable of renewing themselves through cell division, even after long periods of inactivity. They are formed at conception and have the ability to become different kinds of tissues in the body including muscle, nerve, organs, bone, blood and more. Their exceptional ability to become other types of cells makes them essential in repairing and renewing every kind of tissue and body organ. Unlike other types of cells in the body, stem cells can divide and replicate repeatedly and make them an undeniable and highly sought after treatment for many degenerative health conditions, pain management, and injuries.

Since we have hundreds of patients with successful results, we have been able to identify patterns of where stem cells make NEW cells. This is one of our advantages in helping you! We use the optimal stem cells for each patient. We generally strive for pluripotent cells because these stem cells can differentiate into whatever your body specifically needs. Our goal is to create the most powerful stem solution. Most powerful means we determine not only the number of stem cells but also the percent that are alive and the percentage purity for each type.

While the available procedures are groundbreaking, stem cell research has only reached the tip of the iceberg. There are a number of innovative and potentially game changing ways in which stem cells can be used in medicine; however, the FDA disallowed stem cell research clinics to continue in December 2017. Getting FDA approval for further study is an arduous and costly process that could prevent some of these potential innovations to be allowed in the US for years.

In regard to Stem Cell procedures, the FDA makes one exception, with two requirements. The tissue must be minimally manipulated and promoted only for homologous use, meaning the tissue can’t be substantially modified, concentrated or processed and should only be meant to repair, reconstruct, replace or supplement existing cells. The FDA also prevents the manufacturer from claiming or promoting any kind of systemic effect, such as having a positive effect on many different parts of the body – even if it potentially does.

There are many interesting studies happening with umbilical cord tissue in the use of stem cell therapy and some exciting things are underway; however, it will still be years until the FDA will put it’s stamp of approval on its universal use.

If you’d like to learn more about the FDA’s policies on Stem Cells, you can read the FDA Regulatory Considerations on Stem Cells and the FDA’s Policy on Regenerative Medicine. If you’re interested in Stem Cell Therapy and Regenerative medicine procedures offered at HyperFit MD, please contact us, we’d love to consult with you!

Umbilical Cord Stem Cells also know as Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSC) are pluripotent Stem Cells of Mesenchymal origin extracted from cord blood. Umbilical cord tissue is a very rich source of stem cells. In addition to the cord blood, which is filled with HSCs, the Wharton’s Jelly that protects the umbilical cord is rich in MSCs. Wharton’s Jelly is found to have a higher concentration of MSCs than both adipose tissue or bone marrow. MSCs from umbilical tissue are also brand new, so they multiply faster, are healthier and live longer than older stem cells. The other benefit to umbilical MSCs are that they are compatible with any blood type, so no donor matching is required.

They are able to differentiate into various tissue types, such as skin, cartilage, cardiac tissue, nerves, muscle, and bone, and have potential medical applications, especially in organ regeneration.

Additionally, umbilical cord tissue is harvested after a live birth, with no harm to the fetus or embryo. It is a non-invasive, simple process, which is another large benefit when comparing the procedure to bone marrow harvesting.

During pregnancy, a fetus is nourished by placental blood. This blood has been used in medical treatments as far back as the 1930s. Doctors discovered that cord blood was beneficial in treatments such as the healing of wounds. Over time, this treatment has been developed thanks to advancements in the ability to screen donors and tissue for safety, as well as the ability to safely preserve these tissues at very low temperatures until they are ready for use.

Cord blood has several properties that make it well suited to medical applications such as healing damaged or degenerated tissues. Many of the molecules reduce inflammation and immune response. Unlike most other tissues found in the body, cord blood is immune privileged, meaning it can be injected into another person without producing an immune system reaction. Further, these tissues contain groups of connected proteins called collagen matrices. These collagen matrices serve as scaffolding in the healing process. New tissues grow around the framework provided by these collagen matrices. Thus, these stem cells can differentiate into many different types of body cells (e.g., skin, muscle, cartilage).

Many of the cell types that can be isolated from placental tissues retain phenotypic plasticity that makes them an interesting source of cells for regenerative medicine. Tissues are obtained with local Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval in the U.S., or under appropriate Ethical Committee approval. Under the regulations of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the stems cells are purified, packaged, frozen and shipped to our office for administration via IV or injection.

This is one of the most common and important questions a patient can ask. Keep in mind that every patient who receives any type of medical procedure will react differently to their treatment. Patient who have received stem cell therapy generally see the full culmination or their results from almost immediately to a few months later. Some patients have taken up to 6 months before seeing the full effect of the treatment.

Patients will only need to visit once for their treatment. Once their treatment has completed, patients will return home where the staff will follow-up with them on a regular basis. We usually contact people at 2 days, 2 weeks and then again at the 2, 4 and 6 month intervals. Very rarely patients need to come back for additional treatment steps.

We follow a strict protocol to determine whether each and every patient is a good candidate for stem cell therapy. Every patient will undergo a full medical history evaluation to determine their candidacy before being approved for treatment.

The cost of each treatment depends on each individual case and are not covered by Insurance. Stem cell injections can run from $3000 - $6000. Stem cell infusions can run from $6000-$10,000. During your consultation, you would be given an exact cost for your treatment protocol.

Yes, a stem cell therapy may be repeated. Current studies indicate the strong possibility of a cumulative effect from multiple stem cell therapies a patient received for their condition. Long-term studies will attempt to better understand this in detail.

Yes it can. We often use objective measures to determine the efficacy of stem cell therapy. We will evaluate your current medication and therapies to make sure you receive the optimal results.