People talk about stems cells, adult stem cells, embryonic stem cells, and stem cell therapy ... but few people slow down to actually define "What are stem cells?" As a nutritional counselor and a doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine, I get this question all the time. So let's define the what and wherefores of stem cells.
What are Stems Cells -- The Two Types
There are two basic types of stem cells: embryonic and adult. While controversy surrounds the use of embryonic stem cells, no such debate exists with the use of adult stem cells, which our own bodies naturally produce all the time (though this occurs less and less as we age). All stem cells are capable of dividing and renewing themselves for long periods of time, and they can give rise to specialized cells.
According to the National Institutes of Health, stem cells have the remarkable potential to develop into many different cell types in the body. This is why stem cells are such a hot topic. Since a stem cell can become literally almost any other type of cell, the stem cell has huge potential when it comes to repairing and rejuvenating damaged or aging parts of our bodies.
When a stem cell divides, each new cell has the potential to either remain a stem cell or become another type of cell with a more specialized function, such as a muscle cell, a red blood cell, a skin cell, etc. When released, new stem cells migrate to the areas of the body where they are needed most as we grow older. Serving as a repair system for the body, stem cells can theoretically divide without limit to replenish other cells as long as a person or animal is alive.
The Stem Cells Our Bodies Naturally Produce
The stem cells that our bodies naturally produce are called adult stem cells. These stem cells produce over 30 types of growth factors and tissue chemicals. Our naturally-occurring stem cells also help recruit other local and systemic stem cells to focus on repairing damaged tissue. They are also active in immune modulation to promote or suppress T-cell function. In short, stems cells are pretty nifty tools to have and the more stem cells you have the healthier you are. Best of all, when you focus on boosting your own stem cells instead of using someone else's, you don't run into all those stem cell research issues.
The problem with stem cells occurs as we age. As we get older, our bodies decrease the number of stem cells produced right when we need them most. The solution to this problem is to eat foods and take supplements that support stem cell production and longevity in our bodies. For instance, many substances found in nature can support stem-cell production. These include green tea extract, wild blueberry, carnosine, blueberry extract, vitamin D, and blue-green algae. These ingredients give your stem cells the proper nutrition so that not only do they multiply but they can better protect and repair your body. But don't worry, you don't have to go around squeezing wild blueberries into your green tea to get these beneficial effects. Nutritional products now available on the market package all of these ingredients into a simple daily supplement so that stem cell nutrition is simple. Specifically, this supplement:
- Increases the growth of adult stem cells, as shown in in vitro laboratory studies
- Supports the body's natural renewal system through a unique combination of ingredients
- Provides nutrition that enables stem cells to flourish
- Protects existing stem cells from the harmful effects of free radicals
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Photo Credit: http://pinterest.com/andrewredwards/
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