Some people may think that when alcoholism is referred to as a disease, people are being figurative. That's not the case, alcoholism was recognized as a disease by the American Medical Association as far back as 1956 and it's easy to see why. Frequent use of alcohol and other addictive substances changes your brain chemistry, causing brain inflammation that builds dependence and alters your behaviour. Kicking the bottle isn't just a matter of willpower, it comes with a host of withdrawal systems and complications. In addition, your brain can remain inflamed long after you've stopped drinking. However, a medical cure for alcoholism could be available in our lifetime thanks to stem cell therapy. According to a study from the University of Chile, researchers were able to reduce alcohol intake in rats by 80-90 per cent using [...]

Vision loss is one of the greatest fears people have about growing older. However, stem cell eye repair could eliminate at least one form of blindness in the coming years. A Phase 1 clinical trial at the UK's Moorfields Eye Hospital successfully restored sight to two patients suffering from age-related macular degeneration using a revolutionary retinal stem cell treatment for blindness. WHAT IS AMD? AMD is one of the most common forms of age-related vision loss, affecting more than a million Canadians. The most common symptoms of AMD are blurred vision, dark shadows over the eyes and even visual hallucinations in extreme cases. The disease comes in two varieties: dry, and the less common wet form, which is what the patients at Moorfields suffered from. The wet version occurs when abnormal blood vessels appear [...]

Stem cell Injection therapy continues to show positive results in treating arthritis-related symptoms, though regenerative medicine isn't a main stream treatment yet. In this week's blog, we explain why stem cell and PRP injections are the present and the future when it comes to treating arthritis symptoms. MAKING THE CASE FOR STEM CELL INJECTION THERAPY The articular cartilage that lines the heads of moving joints lacks blood vessels or nerves, slowing down the body's repair process after acute injuries or chronic inflammation. Cartilage tissue has low cell content, with chondrocytes (cells that secrete the matrix of a cartilage and become embedded in it) making up 5% of the tissue. Stem cells create chondrocyteswhich in turn create cartilage. So, it's no surprise scientists are researching methods to differentiate stem cells into patient-derived chondrocytes for transplanting. [...]

The potential of regenerative medicines never ceases to amaze us. PRP and stem cell injection therapies are now commonly utilized to facilitate the natural healing of injuries, helping people avoid surgery and pharmaceuticals. More and more study results point to regenerative medicine potentially treating serious conditions such as heart disease and Alzheimer's in the distant future. Now, stem cell and PRP injection therapies are being used to reverse menopause, repair failing ovaries, and battle infertility in women who still want children! REJUVENATING THE OVARIES During PRP injection therapy, the patient's own blood is processed in a centrifuge, where blood platelets - carriers of powerful growth factors - are extracted, and injected back into the patient. Some practitioners at PRP injection sites have been administering regenerative medicine into the soft tissue of the ovaries of [...]

A team of UBC researchers have co-created a drug that may overcome a hurdle stopping stem cell therapies from successfully treating muscle dystrophy. The degenerative disease drastically decreases life expectancy by weakening the muscles and tissues in one of every 5,000 men. PROLIFERATION OF DIFFERENTIATION Stem cells may hold the key to treating muscle dystrophy because of their ability to differentiateor transform into new cells that form into specialized tissues in the body. But scientists struggled to suss out a treatment, due to stem cells differentiating too quickly once isolated in a lab dish, morphing into muscle fibres. Since they're no longer muscle stem cells, they stop dividing and fail to transplant correctly. "All our stem cells were turning into 'bread' and we really needed them to stay as 'flour' so they could continue to [...]

The United States' opioid crisis has exploded into an epidemic. In 2016, 2.6 million US citizens were suffering from opioid addictions, while opioid-related deaths increased by 28%. Consequently, life expectancy declined for the second straight year for the first time since the early 60s. Could the rise of stem cell injection therapies coincide with an end to these alarming trends? A REAL PAIN IN THE BACK Degenerative disc disorder accounts for 22 per cent of chronic back pain cases. The discs between our vertebrae absorb every bit of wear-and-tear we place on our lower back, shrinking and drying out as you age, reducing cushioning capabilities. The degenerative process can lead to trapped nerves, severe bouts of inflammation, and in many cases, a reliance on opioid-based pain pills. THE POWER OF THE PRECURSOR An Australian [...]