Stem Cell Therapy for Stroke Recovery: Hope For Stroke Patients
Strokes are the leading cause of permanent physical disability worldwide, affecting approximately five million people. World Health Organization estimates that fifteen million people suffer from stroke every year, resulting in mild to severe forms of neurological impairment. Fortunately, the advancements in medical science and the introduction of newer technologies have brought forward promising treatment avenues such as stem cell therapy. It is a relatively recent breakthrough that appears to be promising in promoting recovery after stroke and neurological injury.
Regenerative medicine therapy using mesenchymal stem cells has shown immense potential in improving patients’ conditions. Please keep reading to learn more about stroke, its varying intensity, its effects, and how stem cell therapy works in stroke recovery.
Table of Contents:
- What Is A Stroke And What Are Its Types?
- Effects Of Stroke – What To Expect After Having A Stroke
- Risk Factors For Stroke
- How Does Stem Cell Therapy Help In Stroke Recovery?
- Types of Stem Cells Used in Stroke Recovery Treatment
- Benefits of Stem Cell Therapy For Stroke Survivors
- What To Expect After Receiving Stem Cells
- Cost of Stem Cell Treatment For Stroke Recovery
What Is A Stroke And What Are Its Types?
A stroke is a severe health condition that occurs when the blood flow to the brain is blocked or interrupted for any reason, resulting in a lack of oxygen supply to brain cells and, ultimately, brain cell death. Body movements, perception, and speech ability are impaired, and patients may lose consciousness when a stroke happens. After cancer and cardiac failure, stroke is the third leading cause of death worldwide.
There are three major types of strokes depending on their causes or origin.
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- Ischemic Stroke – It is the most common type of brain stroke, comprising almost 87% of all stroke victims. The arteries carrying oxygenated blood to the brain are blocked by blood clots, causing an ischemic stroke. Consequently, there is a lack of oxygen supply to the brain cells, and patients experience sudden loss of movement, speech, vision, and balance.
- Hemorrhagic Stroke – This type of stroke occurs due to bleeding in the brain when an artery gets damaged and breaks up, leaking blood into the brain. The damaged artery exerts enormous pressure on the brain cells, resulting in cell death. High blood pressure and Aneurysms are two primary reasons for hemorrhagic stroke.
- Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA) – It is a “mini-stroke” that occurs from a temporary blockage of blood flow and oxygen supply to the brain cells. TIA typically lasts five minutes and is caused by blood clots in the arteries.
Related Read: Stem Cell Therapy: Ischemic Stroke Recovery Breakthrough
Effects Of Stroke – What To Expect After Having A Stroke
The effects of stroke depend on the area in the brain where the brain cell death has occurred and the number of cells damaged or dead. Also, the patient’s age, medical history, current condition, and type of medical attention provided at the time of stroke play a big part in determining the long-term effects of the stroke and the patient’s outcome.
The common disabilities seen in patients after having a stroke are –
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- Partial or complete paralysis
- Weakness in one side or complete body
- Limited ability to make movements
- Memory loss
- Speech impairment or changes in facial expression
- Loss of control over bladder and bowel movements
- Inability to eat or swallow
Early medical intervention is necessary for preventing these long-term disabilities, as mentioned above, and may lead to quick recovery, regaining some abilities that were lost.
Risk Factors For Stroke
The two most common and significant reasons for stroke are high blood pressure and smoking. Other risk factors that are responsible for stroke include:
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- Atrial Fibriallation (A-fib)
- Heart failure or heart attack
- History of Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA)
- Birth control pills
- High blood cholesterol
- High levels of lipids or hyperlipidemia
- Excessive alcohol intake
- Obesity
- Pre-existing heart diseases
- Sickle cell disease
How Does Stem Cell Therapy Help In Stroke Recovery?
Stem cells have the distinct property to differentiate into various cell types, including neurons or nerve cells. These powerful cells help repair the damaged brain cells after a stroke and promote functional brain recovery. Stem cell therapy holds immense potential to regenerate damaged neurons and reduce the extent of damage in the affected parts of the brain.
Stem cells help in reversing the damage in the brain cells in the following ways:
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- They release growth factors and cytokines which help in the growth of new blood vessels from existing vessels through a process called angiogenesis.
- Stem cells possess anti-inflammatory agents that help reduce neuroinflammation and repair damaged neural cells and tissues.
- Stem cells regenerate damaged cells and help regain motor function in patients.
- When they reach the injury site, stem cells activate their healing mechanisms and create a conducive microenvironment, facilitating functional recovery.
- Besides promoting the growth of new and healthy cells, stem cells prevent further death of brain cells.
Types of Stem Cells Used in Stroke Recovery Treatment
Stem cell therapy for post-stroke recovery is a revolutionary treatment that reduces the adverse impacts of stroke and helps patients recover faster, thus leading a healthy life. Although several types of stem cells have shown the potential to promote the brain’s functional recovery after a stroke, mesenchymal stem cells have gained the most attention regarding their therapeutic benefits.
Mesenchymal stem cells are immature adult cells found in various tissues and organs of the human body. They are classified as pluripotent cells depending on their differentiation and regenerative characteristics. The three types of mesenchymal stem cells that make ideal candidates for stem cell therapy to regenerate damaged neurons are:
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- Bone marrow tissue
- Adipose or fat tissue
- Human Umbilical cord tissue
Benefits of Stem Cell Therapy For Stroke Survivors
Stem cell therapy offers numerous advantages that other alternative treatments or medications fail to provide. Emergency medical intervention is necessary to restore the flow of oxygenated blood to the brain, such as endovascular procedures or intravenous medications. However, these treatments save lives at the moment of the stroke, and the chances of recurrence remain, which necessitates the need for post-stroke recovery treatment like stem cell therapy.
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- Stem cell therapy is a minimally invasive and quick procedure requiring only one or two hours to complete.
- There is no lengthy rehabilitation period; patients can return to routine within one to two days.
- Stem cells promote functional recovery of the damaged region in the brain by activating the body’s healing response and stimulating cell repair.
- Mesenchymal stem cells derived from umbilical cord tissue are easy to procure.
- Umbilical cord tissue-derived stem cells are hypoimmunogenic and have zero risks of cell rejection because they can evade the host’s immune system.
- Stem cell therapy is safe and effective with no adverse or long-term side effects.
Read Also: Healing Power Of Stem Cell Therapy: A Comprehensive Guide
What To Expect After Receiving Stem Cells
Patients are expected to notice the following significant and sustained improvements in their neurological function and overall health after a few weeks of receiving stem cells.
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- Increase in physical mobility or body movements
- Better body balance and coordination
- Increase in strength and energy levels
- Better control over bladder and bowel movements
- Improved speech
- Increased ability to eat and swallow independently
- Improved memory and concentration
It is essential to understand that every human body is different, so results may vary. Moreover, the location of the brain damage, the severity of the injury or brain lesion, and the timing of the stroke onset determine the effectiveness or impact of stem cell therapy.
Cost of Stem Cell Treatment For Post-stroke Recovery
The cost of stem cell treatment for post-stroke recovery might be higher than traditional treatment alternatives, such as physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, and medications. However, there is no denying that the outcomes of mesenchymal stem cell therapy are sustainable or long-lasting, unlike the other treatments. It helps enhance patients’ overall quality of life.
The factors that influence the cost of stem cell therapy are:
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- The source or types of stem cells used.
- The method of stem cell extraction.
- The clinic’s location.
- The number of stem cell doses.
Stem cell therapy in Mexico is comparatively cheaper than in other countries, and it is currently the top preferred place for stroke patients worldwide. Life Altering Stem Cell Therapy Institute is a top-rated clinic offering advanced, high-quality stem cell treatment for stroke recovery.
Wrapping Up
Unlike conventional treatment approaches that focus on addressing stroke symptoms, regenerative medicine using stem cells aims to fix the root cause of the condition. Stem cell therapy is a breakthrough treatment strategy that enhances the recovery speed of stroke victims and improves physical mobility and body functions. Stem cells regrow new cells to replace the dead brain cells and restore the proper functioning of the brain.
Stem Cell Therapy: A Game-changer For Diabetes Patients
Diabetes is a life-long chronic degenerative disease characterized by uncontrolled or high blood sugar levels in the body. When the body is unable to produce enough insulin or use it properly, the blood sugar remains in the bloodstream, leading to serious health issues in the long term.
As per the World Health Organization report, the number of individuals who have diabetes is anticipated to rise to 700 million by 2045. Presently, the organization ranks diabetes as an epidemic impacting global health.
The pursuit of a miraculous remedy, a permanent cure for diabetes, has led the medical industry to discover the potential of stem cells for this prolonged autoimmune condition. Continue reading this article further to gain insights into the benefits of stem cell therapy for diabetes, how the treatment works, the results of clinical trials, and the success rate.
What Are Stem Cells?
Stem cells are special undifferentiated cells capable of renewing and multiplying themselves. These cells repair and regenerate damaged tissues and promote healing. Their unique capacity to form different types of cells makes them a revolutionary subject in research for regenerative medicine.
Stem cells are collected from different sources, such as bone marrow, adipose tissue(fat), or umbilical cord tissue (Wharton’s Jelly). These adult stem cells, or mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), exhibit high multilineage differentiation.
Numerous preclinical studies and research reveal that MSC-based therapies have promising potential for various medical conditions, including autoimmune diseases, neurological disorders, orthopedic conditions like arthritis and knee pain, and many more.
Treatment of diabetes using mesenchymal stem cells offers a miraculous hope for people with diabetes to lead a healthy and normal life by managing blood sugar.
Types of Diabetes Treated with Stem Cells
Stem cells offer hope to patients of Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes by tackling their root causes. Let us understand what these two primary diabetes types are.
Type 1 Diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease where the body cannot produce sufficient insulin. The immune system attacks and destroys the pancreatic or beta cells responsible for producing insulin, a hormone regulating blood sugar levels. Insufficient insulin production causes the sugar level to rise. In most cases, insulin injections are administered to patients constantly to check their sugar levels.
Stem cell therapy for Type 1 diabetes aims to modulate the immune system, preventing self-immunological attacks on the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. It has incredible therapeutic potential to reduce inflammation and control glucose levels in the blood, eliminating dependence on insulin injections and medicines.
Type 2 Diabetes
High sugar levels in the bloodstream characterize type 2 diabetes due to insufficient insulin production or cells’ incapability to respond to insulin. Traditional treatment approaches include medications to boost the efficient use of insulin by the cells.
Stem cell therapy offers promising results for Type 2 diabetes treatment by regenerating healthy beta cells that function properly and manage blood sugar levels through adequate insulin production.
Importance of Stem Cell Therapy for Diabetes Patients
Stem cells are administered to diabetes patients to replace broken or damaged insulin-producing cells and maintain blood sugar levels. With their unique ability to differentiate and multiply into any cell type, stem cells transform into insulin-producing cells. These cells then trigger insulin production in the bloodstream, regulating the blood glucose level.
Stem cell treatment helps regenerate beta cells damaged by the immune system in Type 1 diabetes and directly replenishes them for healthy insulation production. In Type 2 diabetes, the administration of stem cells differentiates and multiplies into additional beta cells to supplement the body’s supply, overcoming insulin resistance. The newly injected stem cells combat insulin resistance in patients and promote the efficient use of this hormone to control the sugar level in the blood.
Contact the leading stem cell clinic in Mexico to learn in-depth about the role of stem cells in alleviating diabetes symptoms and managing blood sugar levels.
Read Also: Fighting Autoimmune Diseases With Stem Cell Therapy
Potential Benefits of Stem Cell Therapy for Diabetes Management
The innovative approach to diabetes treatment utilizing umbilical cord tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells aims to reduce dependency on insulin injections. Stem cell treatment offers patients long-term benefits by potentially transforming their health with effective diabetes management. It does so in the following manner.
- Immune modulation – Stem cells have incredible immunomodulatory properties, which aid in regulating the immune system’s response and prevent attacks on the insulin-producing beta cells. This immune system modulation reduces inflammation in the pancreas by regenerating damaged beta cells and renewing healthy beta cells, leading to effective management of blood glucose levels.
- Vascular repair – Vascular complications are very common in diabetes patients. Stem cell therapy effectively repairs and regenerates blood vessels to improve blood circulation. This regenerative medicine treatment promotes tissue healing with the innate therapeutic properties of stem cells.
- Anti-inflammatory effects – Stem cells possess anti-inflammatory properties, which are important in lowering the production of pro-inflammatory proteins and promoting regulatory T-cell growth. It aids in reducing inflammation and its detrimental impacts on the functioning of the pancreas.
- Beta cell regeneration – Stem cell treatment has the vast potential to differentiate into any cell type, including beta cells. They regenerate beta cells for efficient insulin production and optimize the use of insulin in the bloodstream to maintain glucose levels. It enhances the overall blood chemistry and overall well-being of diabetes patients.
While more research is ongoing to understand the full potential and efficacy of stem cell therapy in treating diabetes of both types, initial studies demonstrated a high success rate in both preclinical and clinical settings. The next segment of this article discusses the results and success rates.
Clinical Trials and Their Results
The results of numerous clinical trials to understand the potential of stem cells in diabetes treatment have been overwhelmingly positive. These trials have shown promising results in treating Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes.
In a clinical trial study in 2022, using Mesenchymal stem cells led to an increase in HbA1c levels and several regulatory T-cells. Stem cell administration has shifted the balance of cytokines from pro-inflammatory proteins to anti-inflammatory agents. Patients under the Phase I/II trials have reported rapid and significant improvements in their overall health and quality of life after stem cell treatment. MSC infusions further enhance immunologic indices and impact C-peptide levels, a useful marker for measuring insulin secretion in the bloodstream.
Success Rate of Stem Cell Therapy for Diabetes
Although clinical trials and medical studies have shown the high efficacy of stem cells for diabetes management, the success rate mostly depends on the patient’s current condition, age, and medical history.
However, the success rate is generally high, roughly around 70-80%, as noted in a study in 2020. This rate is determined through decreased inflammatory markers, enhanced organ function, or improved metrics assessing the patients’ quality of life.
Cellular therapy is increasingly recognized for its efficacy in managing diabetes, with notable success observed worldwide. The two primary facets influencing its treatment success are:
- Therapy process – Stem cells are introduced to the disease tissues to trigger their ability to heal by themselves. When the cells start self-healing, it prevents insulin resistance and insulin-producing beta-cell dysfunction.
- Dosage and Timing – The time of stem cell interventions and several cell doses also determines the therapy’s success. Early interventions combined with high doses are expected to yield better outcomes than lower doses and delayed therapy intervention.
- Insulin-producing cells – The delivery of new stem cells, collected from the human umbilical cord, start differentiating and multiplying into insulin-producing cells, which is the key therapeutic strategy for managing diabetes.
Limitations In Stem Cell Therapy
Despite its promise of therapeutic benefits for diabetes treatment, stem cell-based therapy is still an emerging field in medical research. More clinical trials and studies are needed to recognize the potential and its limitations in diabetes management fully.
Medical scientists and clinicians conducting current research on stem cells face certain drawbacks that must be addressed.
- Sample Size – Most trials have very small sample sizes due to novelty issues of cell-based therapies, making it difficult for researchers to conclude definitively about their long-term effectiveness.
- Need for larger studies – Diabetes is a complex condition, and it is difficult to guarantee stem cell behavior in its treatment unless more Phase III studies are conducted with more patients. To better understand the therapeutic effects of mesenchymal stem cells, administration of multiple doses and longer follow-ups is necessary. More studies would help researchers analyze the molecular mechanisms of the stem cells in the treatment process.
Concluding Note
Stem cell therapy is one of the latest regenerative medicine advancements, offering hope to millions of diabetes patients in managing their blood sugar levels and restoring normal living. The key insight gained from this informative piece is that stem cells effectively regenerate insulin-producing beta cells and reduce insulin dependency. With their therapeutic potential, MSCs control blood glucose levels by addressing the root cause of diabetes.
If you are looking for personalized advice for diabetes management with stem cells, Dr. Josemaria Torres Farber can help you. Consider consulting with the most experienced stem cell specialist at Life Altering Stem Cell Therapy Institute to discuss various stem cell therapy options. As a premier institute for stem cell treatment in Mexico, we believe in giving our patients good health and holistic care. Our advanced and practical approaches to diabetes treatment and other medical conditions will potentially enhance your overall quality of life.