Over the last few years, various types of preparations and drugs have begun to appear in our country, which, according to some people and entities dealing with their distribution, are related to stem cells and taking them is a kind of exclusive stem cell therapy giving - as the sellers themselves claim - spectacular results. rejuvenating and regenerating the body, as well as having the potential to deal with various types of diseases, even those very serious and difficult to treat with conventional medicine.

In this article, we will try to shed some light on the topic and answer the question: are there any pills with stem cells? What properties do supplements of this type available on the Polish market have and what may be their effectiveness? So let's start from the beginning:

  1. WHAT ARE STEM CELLS AND WHAT IS THEIR THERAPEUTIC POTENTIAL?
  2. TABLETS WITH STEM CELLS, OR TO CERTAINLY…..
  3. WHAT PROPERTIES DO PLACENTA EXTRACT HAVE?
  4. WHAT PLACENTA PREPARATIONS ARE AVAILABLE IN POLAND
  5. SUMMARY

 

1. WHAT ARE STEM CELLS AND WHAT IS THEIR THERAPEUTIC POTENTIAL?

Stem cells are a group of primary cells in the body. They have the ability to multiply and transform into specific, specialized types of progenitor cells that can become the building blocks of a tissue or organ. Due to these extraordinary properties, they are used in medicine to repair damaged cells. They occur, for example, in umbilical cord blood and the umbilical cord.

Stem cells – characteristics

What distinguishes stem cells from all other cells in the body is their ability to self-renew, which allows them to replace dead or damaged cells. Thanks to this, tissue function remains intact and the body's homeostasis is maintained. Stem cells are also known as root cells because they are the source of all cells, just as branches and leaves grow from the trunk of a tree.

Stem cells – acquisition

Stem cells can be found in

  • bone marrow,
  • peripheral blood
  • umbilical cord
  • umbilical cord blood.

The importance and necessity of stem cells have been known for several decades, but their full potential has not yet been discovered. However, one very important fact should be emphasized. Stem cells, which often save lives, can come from many sources. However, the number of stem cells varies depending on the method of collection, i.e. from umbilical cord blood, bone marrow or peripheral blood. Most stem cells can be found in umbilical cord blood and, unlike other methods, its collection is non-invasive.

Stem cells – application

As mentioned above, stem cells are responsible for replacing dead cells with new ones. As they develop, they become specialized. As a result, four types of cells can be distinguished

totipotent cells - only these cells can give rise to any structure of a new organism; an example of such a cell is a fertilized egg cell, which, as a result of further development, creates a complete organism;

pluripotent cells - can transform into all cells except one - totipotent cell; they can transform into any cell of a given germ layer: mesoderm, ectoderm and endoderm;

multipotent cells – this is a tissue-oriented cell type; this means that only the cells of a given germ layer will give rise to these stem cells;

unipotent cells or somatic stem cells - they differentiate into cells of a specific tissue or organ; these cells are present in increased numbers in all organs during fetal life, but limited numbers can also be observed in mature organisms; an example of such cells are epithelial cells.

Hematopoietic stem cells, derived from human umbilical cord blood, belong to the group of multipotent cells. They can transform freely and give rise only to bone marrow, blood or muscle cells.

Cord blood contains special stem cells called mesenchymal cells. They have slightly different properties than stem cells from umbilical cord blood - they differentiate much more easily into other types of cells, such as nerve, bone and cartilage cells. Therefore, mesenchymal cells are used in medical experiments to treat certain diseases:

  • cerebral palsy in children
  • amyotrophic lateral sclerosis,
  • damage to articular cartilage.

They can also be transplanted together with umbilical cord blood cells in situations where the latter are insufficient. It is also important that they can be used to treat the entire family, because stem cells from umbilical cord blood do not require such strict tissue compatibility as blood.

Stem cells have enormous potential and still hide many secrets. Currently, they are used to treat many diseases, which you can read about on the Stem Cell Bank website. As medicine develops at a very rapid pace, the list of diseases that we can treat using stem cells will likely grow.

Sources:

  • information brochures of the Polish Stem Cell Bank,
  • information brochures of the EuroCord Association.

2. STEM CELL TABLETS, ARE YOU SURE…..

There was quite a controversy behind the question: are there any pills with stem cells from placenta or deer antlers? All thanks to one of the direct sales companies that popularized its product on Asian markets a few years ago, whose so-called "brand ambassadors" spread disturbing information that the product they were promoting contained stem cells, making it a panacea for all ailments. The topic of the miracle capsules became so loud in the scientific community that in August 2019, Cambridge University Press published the results of research conducted by an international team of researchers checking the above-mentioned dietary supplement for the content of live deer stem cells. The results of these studies leave no doubt. Several research methods were used and it was established beyond any doubt that the tested product did not contain stem cells. Therefore, any claims that currently sold oral placenta supplements contain live stem cells are false and have no scientific basis. For stem cells to retain their activity, they must be stored at very low temperatures, even down to -196 ºC. Moreover, stem cells consumed orally will be destroyed by enzymes found in the digestive tract. The above studies, however, confirmed that placenta supplements, although they do not contain stem cells themselves, contain much smaller biologically active particles, which should be slightly developed. Previous, repeated studies of placental extracts, the composition of which does not differ significantly between different species, indicated that these extracts contained: collagen, elastin, laminin, vitamins, trace elements, nucleic acids (DNA, RNA, PDRN), amino acids, peptides, cytokines and growth factors.

To sum up: it is not the stem cells in the composition but the rich and biologically active set of smaller particles in placenta preparations that may be responsible for their positive effect on the human body. They can also modulate the production and proliferation of our own cells, increasing the body's regenerative and repair potential. This fact is increasingly confirmed by countless testimonies of people taking such supplements.

Therefore, the effectiveness of the products available on the market should not be questioned and denied, but rather the sometimes misleading marketing tricks in which terminology plays such an important role.

Sources:

3. WHAT PROPERTIES DO PLACENTA EXTRACT HAVE?

The placenta, or placenta, is a vascular organ that forms and develops during pregnancy. It takes part in the protection and development of the fetus, therefore it is rich in amino acids, peptides, vitamins, trace elements and growth factors, nutrients and biologically active ingredients. Considering the biochemical composition of the placental tissue content, there is no fundamental difference between species. Supplements containing placenta nutrients have been produced for over 30 years.

History of bearing use

Placenta has been recognized as a traditional folk medicine in China and other parts of the world. Documented consumption of placenta in this country dates back to the 16th century. Back then, the placenta was consumed to increase energy and vitality and to treat infertility, liver and kidney problems. It was only in the 1930s in the Soviet Union that Soviet ophthalmologist Vladimir Filatov conducted research on the effectiveness of administering placenta to the diseased body. In his observations, he reported accelerated tissue regeneration and suppression of diseases after the administration of placental extracts rich in biogenic stimulants.

4. WHAT PLACENTA PREPARATIONS ARE AVAILABLE IN POLAND

Although preparations containing deer placenta extract have been available, for example, in New Zealand for several decades (New Zealand is their largest producer), relatively few supplements of this type can be purchased in Poland and Europe. We managed to find three such preparations in our country, one of which is sold in a direct sales system and in the case of this preparation you will have to pay the most for it. The cost of six-month therapy with this drug is around PLN 13,000. zlotys. Purchasing the product for half a year from the other two Polish importers may be up to three times lower. The main active ingredients in all three supplements are placenta or deer antler, which have similar properties. However, the compositions of all of them differ significantly. Additional ingredients include: lycopene, squalene, collagen, evening primrose oil and avocado oil. All of them are multi-component preparations and, according to the producers, the ingredients of all of them complement each other very well and work synergistically, providing the body with biologically active substances that support cell regeneration and renewal.

5. SUMMARY

Although research confirms that the placenta is like a reservoir of stem cells, for technical reasons no dietary supplement administered orally can contain them in a living state. However, there are indications that the administration of placental preparations is related to their production. The ingredients contained in placenta extracts can stimulate the human body to rebuild, while providing valuable building blocks for tissue regeneration at the cellular level. Due to their properties known as renewal, regeneration and rejuvenation, preparations of this type are widely used, primarily in the beauty industry. However, the testimonies of many people confirming the results in the form of improved health suggest and indicate how perfect and powerful the human body is, which, after providing appropriate ingredients and creating optimal conditions, is able to cope even with severe diseases.