Stem Cells and Naturopathy

Janis Bell, Ph.D., NMD (not to be quoted or distributed without written permission
from drjanisbell@gmail.com)
“Only one in every million cells in the human body—the stem cells—really matter.
Everything else is just a product of these.” Dr. Stephen Emerson, Francis C. Wood Pro-
fessor of Medicine, Abramson Cancer Center 1
Stem cells are everywhere in the news these days, promising ‘cures’ for everything from
Parkinson’s to diabetes to heart disease. We heard these claims at the outset of genomics;
and for those who remember the media hype of the past, there were similar promises
from pharmaceutical companies when we started “The War on Cancer” and “The War on
Heart Disease.” So we shake our heads and roll our eyes, wishing instead that we could
get through to the mainstream media, government officials, and interested citizens on the
necessity for a healthy diet, a healthy lifestyle, supplementation to counter our de-miner-
alized soils and toxic environment, positive emotions, and the power of body-mind-spirit
practices. A truly holistic approach impacts all aspects of an individual’s well-being, re-
gardless of where one chooses to first intervene. With the cost of removing and culturing
stem cells, directing them to differentiate in vitro, and surgically implanting them in the
body, the promise of stem cells may seem mere media hype, another high cost, high tech
“silver bullet” keeping people from taking responsibility for their own health.
Yet there is room for stem cells in naturopathy with our emphasis on non-invasive inter-
ventions. For recent advances have shown that the stem cells made every day in our
body and released into circulation play a crucial role in the healing ability of the body.
Indeed, there is increasing evidence that stem cells are the primary healing mechanism of
the body. If you imagine being able to harness that ability, you will immediately under-
stand that supporting the natural stem cell physiology of the body supports the natural
healing process. We are just beginning to understand various aspects of this process.
What are stem cells?
A stem cell is an unspecialized cell that has the ability to continuously divide and differ-
entiate into various kinds of cells. Stem cells can be thought of as “babies” who have no
idea what they are going to be when they grow up. During embryonic development, vari-
ous signaling molecules direct the cell to differentiate, narrowing its potential to become
any kind of cell, until a particular ‘adult’ tissue type is formed. Once differentiated, cells
divide a limited number of times and then die. Yet if before death, this tissue cell is dam-
aged by toxins or oxidative activity, unless the cell self-destructs through apoptosis, it
may make defective copies of itself, perpetuating damage to nuclear or mitochondrial
DNA.
In the mature organism, stem cells replace and replenish cells that are injured as well as
those that have grown old and died. These cells respond to specific chemical signals and
facilitate healing by differentiating into the specialized cells required for repair, provided
they exist in sufficient numbers and receive the correct signals. When they do not, the
end result is an inadequate healing response and the onset of disease, scarring, and per-
manent injury.
There are many different kinds of stem cells. Those most controversial are embryonic
stem cells (ES). These are the cells from the inside of a blastocyst, a fertilized egg no
more than 4-6 days old. At this stage, the embryo has not yet attached to the uterus and is
a mere 0.1 millimeters across, smaller than the period at the end of this sentence. The
cells are carefully removed with a pipette from the inner lining of the blastocyst and cul-
tured in vitro on a bed of embryonic mouse fibroblasts known as feeder cells. These
feeder cells provide a substrate for the ES cells to grow on while preventing their spon-
taneous differentiation.2
Embryonic stem cells also derive from germ cells taken from the gonadal ridge of a 5-9
week old fetus that has aborted spontaneously or purposefully. For political and ethical
reasons, there has been less interest in pursuing research in these tissues in humans, but
much has been accomplished with animal embryonic germ cells. When cultured on non-
dividing mouse feeder fibroblasts, these embryonic germ cells (EG) showed that they
were capable of self-renewal and of differentiation into a wide variety of tissues. Unlike
ES cells, they do not differentiate wildly, developing into teratomas, when injected into
live organisms,.3
Until recently, scientists believed that embryonic stem cells were the only cells primitive
enough to differentiate into any type of cell, a characteristic known as pluripotency. Con-
sequently, the argument was put forth that the therapeutic potential of stem cell research
depended upon the development of new embryonic cell lines. Imagined scenarios in-
clude the differentiation of cells in vitro through the identification of growth and differen-
tiation signalers, the implantation of partially differentiated cells into humans as stem cell
transplants, and – still in the realm of science fiction – the laboratory manufacture of hu-
man organs through precise control of growth and differentiation of cells.
However, pluripotent stem cells have also been found in amniotic fluid and in umbilical
cord blood. Fewer ethical concerns are attached to the use of these cells sources that do
not require the destruction of life. Many people now pay to have their child’s cord blood
frozen for later use, should the child need stem cells. Most of our patients have missed
that chance.
Embryonic and umbilical cord stem cells are being used therapeutically in many clinics
and research centers. In some, fetal hematopoetic stem cells are injected intravenously
into a patient or fetal neuronal stem cells are injected subcutaneously.4 Host rejection of
foreign cells is a risk, although much less so than in organ transplants, despite DNA dif-
ferences between donor and patient.5 I n others, a procedure called somatic cell nuclear
transfer is used to make ES cells with an individual’s own DNA: the nucleus of a pa-
tient’s cell is injected into a denucleated donor egg which is allowed to mature to the
blastocyst stage or later before implantation. With the donor’s own DNA, host versus
graft disease (HVGD) is avoided, but the difficulty and expense of obtaining donor eggs
limits the viability of this approach, especially when the prevailing ethics require that wo-
men undergoing surgery to donate eggs forego monetary compensation.6 Although some
of these therapies are minimally invasive, none fit the naturopathic model of supporting
the body’s ability to heal itself.
Adult stem cells (ASC) are stem cells in any organism after birth, a misnomer sure to
confuse the lay public’s association of “adult” with the maturity of chronological age.
These cells are now known to exist in nearly every tissue of the body. Best known are
those dividing most rapidly and therefore destroyed by chemotherapy. These include
stem cells at the bulge of hair follicles which replace hairs that are plucked out, yet which
also leave their niche in large numbers to repair skin wounds.7 Others in the crypts of in-
testinal villi migrate towards the apices to continually replenish the short-lived cells re-
sponsible for absorbing nutrients; when the die, nauseau and malabsorption result. Bone
marrow cells are released as hematopoietic stem cells which give rise to red and white
blood cells as well as stoma cells which differentiate into cartilage and bone. When these
cells are destroyed people develop anemia and low white blood counts. Less well known
are the stem cells found in the brain which can differentiate into the three different types
of brain cells: astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, and neurons; those found in the endothelium
which can become blood vessel cells and cardiomyocytes; those in skeletal muscle which
mediate muscle growth and repair from exercise and injury; and those in the liver, an or-
gan frequently repairing itself.

Just a few years ago, adult stem cells (ASC) were believed to be limited in their ability to
differentiate. As a result, they were called multipotent, or unipotent, depending upon the
number of different cell types that could be traced as their progeny, However, with ad-
vances in research techniques, particularly fluorescent labeling, researchers now have
evidence that adult stem cells are pluripotent in the human body as well as in the bodies
of numerous mammals. Moreover, in vitro studies have found ways to nudge ASC or
their progenitor cells into a more primitive state which has increased their multipotency
in the Petri dish. It has also led to a widely–held belief in the plasticity of ASC.

When I went to school, textbooks on embryonic development stated that once a stem cell
began to differential along a certain pathway, it had no choice but to continue along that
pathway. Yet recent research has shown that these same cells, given the right conditions
of signaling molecules and nutrients, can actually transdifferentiate. Neural stem cells in
a Petri dish, for example, can produce insulin8 and mouse progenitor cells—the offspring
of stem cells –were coaxed to revert to true stem cells.9

The first issue of Stem Cell Review in 2005 focused on the plasticity of adult stem cells,
with most of the articles coming down in favor of ASC plasticity. Bone marrow stem
cells seemed the most plastic of all, potentially becoming brain cells, skin cells, muscle
cells, bone cells, glandular cells such as pancreas, adrenal, thyroid, thymus, and organ
cells such as heart, liver, lung and digestive tract.10 Murine studies showed that ASC
could become myocardial cells and endothelial cells after surgically-induced infarction.11
In testimony presented to the Maryland legislature in March 2005, Dr. David A Prentice
wrote: “Bone marrow stem cells seem particularly ‘plastic,’ potentially with the ability to
form all adult tissues.” He then went on to explain that cord blood cells and even stem
cells from liposuctioned fat have shown the ability to transform into different types of tis-
sues. In that same paper, Dr. Prentice summarized the therapeutic abilities of ASC im-
plantation in a wide range of ailments -- 22 types of cancers, 3 neural-degenerative dis-
eases and injuries, 1 ocular condition, 2 types of wound injuries, 12 auto-immune dis-
eases, 1 cardiovascular condition, 1 type of immunodeficiency, 10 anemias and other
blood conditions, and 4 metabolic disorders (including several that are hereditary genetic
disorders.) In the last two years, the list of conditions successfully treated with ASC has
grown exponentially.
Yet science proceeds slowly, especially when well-established beliefs are in question, and
the plasticity of ASC defies the conventional dogma of developmental biology that devel-
opment is in one direction and progressively restrictive. Studies need to be replicated; al-
ternative explanations for data shown to be false. After the initial studies of ASC plasti-
city were published, critics alleged that the differentiated stem cells were not shown to
function as normal cells of the new tissue, that the transplanted cell cultures were not
pure, or that the cells had merely fused with tissue cells rather than truly differentiating
into specific tissue types. But as Christopher Scott wrote in 2005 in response to the
doubters: “The fact that hematopoeietic stem cells can help repair damaged organs is an
important result and could lead to using stem cells as therapeutic agents.”12

Consequently, newer studies have controlled more rigorously for artifacts and purity and
have made a point to demonstrate the functionality of these newly differentiated cells.
Takashi Yazawa directed bone marrow stem cells from rats, mice and humans to become
steroidogenic cells capable of producing testosterone (in mice and rats) and glucocortic-
oids (in humans).13 At the recent Wisconsin Stem Cell Symposium (April 18, 2007),
Piero Anversa used multiple methods “including gene reporter assay, genetic tagging, cell
genotyping, PCR-based detection of donor genes, and direct immunofluorescence with
quantum dots … to document or disprove bone marrow cell transdifferentiation into func-
tionally competent myocardium” and concluded “that locally delivered bone marrow
cells generate de novo myocardium composed of integrated cardiomyocytes and coronary
vessels. Importantly, this process occurs independently of cell fusion and ameliorates
structurally and functionally the outcome of the post-infarcted heart.”14 There are so
many studies at this date on ASC transdifferentiating into nearly every possible type of
mammalian tissue that summarizing each would be impossible in a short review article.
Interested readers can do a simple Medline search of ASC plasticity and the cell tissues of
specific interest to each. Heart and neural tissue have been particularly promising aven-
ues of inquiry with great therapeutic potential. It is of particular interest that ASC have
shown to migrate to damaged retinal tissue and become new retinal cells, expressing ret-
inal epithelium pigment – promising help for blindness arising from macular degenera-
tion.

One of the more interesting new developments in what has been called “postmodern bio-
logy” is the study of factors which account for uncertainty and “stochastic” behavior in
the structure and function of cells. Neil Thiese at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine
explained that “if the microenvironment around a cell (or if the cytoplasm around a nuc-
leus) is altered, then the nature of the cell, namely its pattern of gene expression, is likely
to change as well.”15 Isn’t this what naturopaths have been claiming for decades? Thiese
hypothesized that the biology of uncertainty will complement the old biology as Quantum
physics has complemented Newtonian physics whereby any attempt to observe or manip-
ulate the cell will, by definition, alter it -- the Heisenberg uncertainty principle transferred
to the behavior of genes and cells. Biological science is finally catching up to a truth that
yogis and saints have articulated for millennia, and that modern energy healers and body-
mind medicine have been promulgating: energy follows intention, and intention, whether
originating in body, breath or mind, generates information molecules that change the
course of physical response and ideation.
Supporting endogenous stem cell physiology
In naturopathy, our goal is to support the self-healing mechanisms of the body, and the
one thing that is becoming clear to everyone is that stem cells represents the principle
way in which the body retains and repairs itself. So our purpose as practitioners support-
ing the healing power of the body is to optimize stem cell physiology in each individual.
We can potentially intervene in the following three areas:
1. by increasing the number of circulating ASC
2. by creating a healthy environment for the survival of ASC
3. by supporting the migration of ASC towards those tissues in greatest need of re-
pair
Increasing the number of circulating ASC increases the probability that ASC will find all
the target tissues that could benefit from repair and renewal. While most studies have in-
creased ASC by implantation into the damaged organ, a few have looked at outcomes
based upon increasing circulating ASC through intravenous or subcutaneous injection.16
ASC injected into circulation were found to become heart cells, vascular cells, and even
brain neurons. A research team at the NIH led by Donald Orlic has published a number
of papers on the role of adult circulating stem cells in the repair after heart attack.17 They
found a link between mobilization of more stem cells from the marrow into the blood cir-
culation, and increased speed of repair of the heart muscle after heart attack. Meanwhile,
researchers in Maastricht have proposed that in the near future, stem cells may be used as
predictive markers for the relative risk of atherosclerosis.18
The idea that therapeutic benefits for chronic degenerative disease would result from by
increasing endogenous ASC was proposed by Jensen and Drapeau in 2002.19 Drapeau, a
neuroscientist studying the properties of Aphanizomenon flos-aquae (AFA), a blue-green
algae used as a superfood, wanted to determine what agents in AFA were responsible for
reports of spontaneous healing that his company had been receiving from individuals in-
gesting this superfood. It was eventually discovered that AFA contains an l-selectin lig-
and that supports the release of stem cells (CD 34+) from the bone marrow. Preliminary
studies and a triple blind randomized placebo-controlled study of 15 healthy volunteers
between the ages of 20 and 65 were given 1 gram of an extract of AFA concentrate. At
60 minutes, CD34+ circulating stem cells increased by an average of 24 % (median
27%).20 Drapeau reasoned that, with circulating stem cells ranging between 1.5 and 5
cells per microliter, an increase of 30% amounted to a significant increase in the number
of stem cells, on the order of 3 – 4 million stem cells. To put this in context, stem cell in-
jections are on the order of about 2 million stem cells. Consequently, a sustained increase
in numbers of circulating stem cells would presumably help many more people increase
the healing potential of their bodies. Drapeau’s intuition turned out to have merit. In less
than a year after launching the new AFA concentrate in the US supplement market as a
product called StemEnhance™ (November 2005) testimonials started pouring in of
people healing from a myriad of chronic conditions and distressing symptoms.21
A second way to support stem cell physiology is to create a healthy environment in the
bloodstream to maximize the survival and potency of bone-marrow derived ASC. Jo-
hannes Waltenberger from the Academic Hospital in Maastricht explained that the func-
tional contribution of circulating stem cells depends on a number of factors including the
ability to adhere to the endothelium, to migrate and proliferate, and to maintain their vi-
ability for the time needed. Pathological conditions that can impair these abilities include
elevated lipids, elevated leukocytes, and diabetes, a condition that worsens the function
of endothelial progenitor cells and inhibits the migration of the monocytes that contribute
to vascular repair and collateral growth in cases of injury.22 Bickford et al. investigated
natural compounds that affect ASC and showed that blueberry, green tea, catechin,
carnosine, and vitamin D(3) were more effective than human granulocyte-macrophage
colony-stimulating factor (hGM-CSF). 23 The synergistic combination of these com-
pounds is being marketed through Life Extension. The prevalence of foods known to be
high in anti-oxidants among this synergistic combination reminds us of the importance of
adequate anti-oxidants to prevent free radical damage to the delicate lipid membranes of
circulating ASC.
Naturopaths have known that green foods, including the newer single cell algaes, have a
beneficial effect on the blood and the health of body tissues.24 25 Chlorophyll alkalizes
the blood by its high concentration of minerals, particularly magnesium. Chlorella and
AFA have been studied for polysaccharides that chelate heavy metals. Metals such as
mercury, lead, cadmium, aluminum, antimony and arsenic interfere with healthy metabol-
ism by interfering with enzymes and competing with nutrient minerals. In addition,
heavy metals create extensive free radical activity, adding to the toxic load that even the
healthiest person must endure in our polluted world. Chlorella has been best studied for
its ability to grab free mercury and remove it through the gut. AFA, although less stud-
ied, contains polysaccharides that were shown to absorb up to three times their weight in
heavy metals.26 These oral superfoods work much more slowly than DMSA and DMPS
because they do not mobilize metals from storage and therefore rarely show up as in-
creased metal secretion in urine toxicologies. In my own practice, however, I have found
consistent reduction of heavy metals by repeated hair mineral analysis-- without the risks
of removing nutritional minerals and mobilizing heavy metals at a faster rate than an indi-
vidual can dispose of them as occur in commonly used oral synthetic preparations.
Inflammation has become an important topic of research in recent years due to the pivotal
role it plays in numerous chronic conditions. In the field of stem cells, researchers have
been focusing upon the role that inflammation may play in reducing the effectiveness of
stem cell treatments.27 Chronic inflammation diverts stem cells from homing to the target
tissue as they home to multiple inflammatory foci, Phycocyanin,28 the blue pigment in
AFA, is a natural selective COX-2 inhibitor. AFA also contains carotenoids which have
been shown in studies of Dunaliella and spirulina to be hepatoprotective.29 However, get-
ting to the source of chronic inflammation, whether structural, infectious, or from tox-
icity, is always a valuable strategy and will lead to the most effective healing results.
Food allergies and sensitivities are becoming increasingly recognized as an impediment
to wellness. Food sensitivities originate in the gut, where the gut associated lymphoid tis-
sue (GALT) is rich in white blood cells that mount an attack against the food molecules
perceived as dangerous invaders. This attack causes localized inflammation that inter-
feres with the absorption of nutrients, keeping the immune system in a constant state of
alert, and diverting resources away from the more serious problem of rebuilding our tar-
get tissues. The most common food sensitivities and allergens (the difference being that
sensitivities are not IgE mediated) are gluten, casein (bovine dairy), soy, beef, pork, and
peanuts. KD Fine at Enterolab has found in a six year study that 42% of the general US
population has the gene for celiac sprue (HLA-DQ2 or DQ8). 30 A high percentage of
these individuals have autoimmune disease rather than the gastro-intestinal symptoms tra-
ditionally associated with celiac disease, while a significant number have osteoporosis,
headaches, allergies, autism spectrum disorders, and neuropathy. In addition, Fine has
collected information on non-celiac gluten sensitivity relating to HLA-DQ1 and DQ3
(subtypes 7, 8, 9) which are even more prevalent in the US population leading to a whop-
ping 86% of individuals with a genotype predisposed to react to gluten by creating anti-
bodies. It is not easy to inspire patients to give up their favorite foods, and gluten, due to
its mild opiate properties, is among the most addictive. Stool antibody testing and a
simple DNA test from a cheek swap can make all the difference in convincing an indi-
vidual that gluten-free is in his or her best interest for a healthy future.
Lastly, researchers have identified a polysaccharide in AFA which is currently being stud-
ied for its ability to support the migration of stem cells into stressed tissues. While we
await the publication of this research, there is much investigation of the mechanisms un-
derlying how cells can move from one organ to another, engraft there, and take on the
structure and function of their new home. One such mechanism involves stromal-derived
factor-1 (SDF-1), a cytokine produced by cells of the target tissue (whether from injury
or hypoxia) which is released into the circulation to attract cells with CXCR4-positive re-
ceptors.31 The process by which receptor cells home to the site of greatest concentration
of a locally released peptide or information molecule is known as chemotaxis; its import-
ance is discussed in lay terms in Candace Pert’s Molecules of Emotion.32 To the extent
that more recently stressed tissues release more SDF-1 than chronically-stressed tissues,
we may be close to understanding the mechanism through which self-healing of the body
follows a course of reverse onset from most recent to oldest.

The same polysaccharide fraction was also shown to strongly stimulate the activation of
natural killer (NK) cells. NK cells play a very important role in the body by identifying
aberrant or defective cells and eliminating them. NK cells are especially known for their
ability to detect and destroy virally infected cells and cells undergoing uncontrolled cellu-
lar division. Pugh and Pasco found that AFA polysaccharide enhanced monocyte func-
tion by activating nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kappa B) and enhancing its DNA binding
activity as well as increasing levels of two other cytokines.33 -34 The authors wrote that
this polysaccharide is “between one hundred and one thousand times more active for in
vitro monocyte activation than polysaccharide preparations that are currently used clinic-
ally for cancer immunotherapy.” The effect of AFA consumption on the ability of neutro-
phils to produce free radicals was also tested with the result that consumption of AFA ac-
tually slightly reduced the ability of neutrophils to produce free radicals. Thus, supple-
menting AFA can support whatever other efforts a practitioner may be taking to relieve
the patient of acute and chronic infections.
Stem cells, of course, also help to support a healthy immune system, since it is the hema-
poietic stem cells which become the infection-fighting white blood cells. We know that
the presence of infections in the body often impedes healing of other conditions because
the body uses its energy to fight the infection. Steenblock reported the interesting case of
a 83 year old man who recovered quickly from pneuomonia after a stem cell infusion but
got no benefits in stroke recovery.35 Furthermore, the process of fighting infection gener-
ates a great deal of free radical activity, with the potential to damage stem cells coming to
the rescue.
In sum, a healthy environment for the survival and healing potential of ASC would in-
clude anti-oxidants, support for endogenous anti-inflammatory molecules, and addressing
whatever toxins, infections, foods, and stressful emotions or behaviors are impeding the
healing process. These are the basic principles underlying naturopathic intervention.
But not everyone who complies manages to recuperate and rebuild. By combining these
strategies with an increase in ASC, we have the potential to impact many more individu-
als.
PEA (beta-phenylethylamine) - “the good-mood” molecule
In this last section, I want to address a component of AFA which has neuromodulatory ef-
fects, since we all know how important a good state of mind is to recovery as well as the
continued well-being of an individual. This compound, the mono-amine known as PEA
has been concentrated in AFA extracts in amounts of 5 – 6.8 mg per capsule.36 PEA is the
compound found in chocolate that is believed to produce its positive effect on mood, and
our consequent desire for it whenever we have stressful thoughts. Chocolate has been
found to be rich in antioxidants, relieving guilt from those who daily partake of its sen-
sorial delights. Yet its PEA concentration is a mere 3 mg per kg, necessitating that one
imbibe over 5 pounds of chocolate to get the same amount of PEA as one capsule of AFA
concentrate.37 Moreover, the sugar in chocolate has deleterious effects on the immune
system, the gut flora, and the nervous system, making AFA a preferable source for PEA.
Studies have demonstrated the efficacy of PEA in depression and attention deficit dis-
orders as well as in alcoholism and drug addiction.38 PEA is lipid soluble and readily
crosses the blood-brain-barrier. Because it is found in low concentrations in mammalian
brain and peripheral nervous tissues, it is known as a trace amine. Receptors specific to
several trace amines have been recently identified.39-40 They are closely associated meta-
bolically with the dopamine, noradrenaline and serotonin neurotransmitter systems in
mammalian brain and have been shown to affect the release of acetylcholine.41 At phar-
macological concentrations, trace amines have an “amphetamine-like” effect, while at
lower concentrations, they possess postsynaptic modulatory effects that potentiate the
activity of other neurotransmitters, particularly dopamine and serotonin.42 Consequently,
individuals may experience increased energy, elevated mood, increased mental focus and
alertness as well as a greater sense of calm, increased self-esteem, and improved sleep.
PEA is produced in the body from the conversion of the essential amino acid phenylalan-
ine. This conversion is enhanced by moderate exercise, explaining the euphoria often
called “runner’s high.”43 Consequently, many individuals with mild depression get relief
from physical exercise. But according to Sabelli, giving PEA to people with depression
results in almost immediate improvement in 60% of cases.44 This pathway can also in-
crease dopamine, for PEA is converted to tyrosine, which is then converted to dopamine.
In those individuals with tendencies towards excessive excitatory neurotransmitters, the
additional PEA can be balanced with support of serotonergic and GABAnergic pathways
through targeted amino acid therapy and diet. Yet individuals with hyperexcitability, such
as youngsters with ADD, seem to respond well to the addition of a naturally-occurring
PEA in AFA. Recent studies show that PEA is a neuron-modulator rather than a stimu-
lant.45
Although PEA isolates are considered safe, the naturally-occurring PEA in AFA and AFA
concentrates is more in harmony with naturopathic principles both for the diversity of nu-
trients complexed with it and for the potential support repair of neural tissues that would
optimally produce and respond to PEA more efficiently. With a growing number of an-
imal studies reporting remarkable recovery of CNS and peripheral nervous system dam-
age from stem cell therapies, we have nothing to lose and much to gain from exploring
ways to support stem cell physiology in the widest population of patients.
Clinical challenges
Some patients present more challenges than others because of their sensitivities. I tried
whole AFA (dried and liquid) in the past but could never tolerate the jumpy wired feeling
that it created. As a result, I started cautiously with the new AFA extract and was pleased
to find no adverse reaction, except for a few weeks of slightly loose stool as my gut flora
adjusted.46 I have used the product with several hyper-sensitive individuals, starting them
on less than ½ capsule a day and building up gradually. The partial contents of a capsule
can be sprinkled on food. For those who cannot take capsules, mixing the contents of a
capsule with organic virgin coconut oil and a small amount of organic raw honey
provides a delicious nourishing treat. Allergic reactions are exceedingly rare. More of-
ten, sensitivities are the result of decompensation. As something in the body starts work-
ing again, everything begins to shift and the patient has symptoms of a healing crisis.
When patients understand this, they are more willing to put up with the “funny feelings”
as their body adjusts.
In other cases, it may be beneficial to lower the dose in order to slow the process of de-
toxification. AFA is known to trigger detoxification. When this process proceeds too rap-
idly for the level of function of an individual’s organs of detoxification, discomfort en-
sues. Support bowel, kidney, liver, skin and lymph drainage until discomfort abates or
detoxification is completed. Be particularly cautious in individuals with damaged or im-
balanced detoxification pathways (CFS, FMS, hepatitis.) Ascertain that diet and supple-
ments provide sufficient amino acids and nutritive minerals in an absorbable form. Urine
and fecal testing for toxic metals, essential elements, and amino acids can help determine
what is being excreted and what nutrients need to be supplemented to minimize discom-
fort and ensure efficacy of detoxification.
Because an increase in stem cells lasts 4 – 6 hours, but peaks in one hour, those patients
with challenging health conditions may benefit from taking repeated doses every 2-6
hours.
In certain types of long-standing conditions, it may be advantageous to stress a tissue or
organ to stimulate its endogenous production of the messengers that attract stem cells to
repair a given tissue. Alternatively, specific RNA’s (Longevity Plus, Regeneresen) or
glandulars may guide the focus of repair. While studies have shown that these RNA’s mi-
grate to the body organs that are similar to themselves, we do not yet know how these
molecules support repair and rebuilding. Mobilizing stem cells is a possible and likely
mechanism.
Similarly, in patients with high oxidative stress, antioxidants should be taken until meas-
ures (such as malondiaddehyde) are in a good range, and patients with clotting disorders
and fibrin build-up should accompany stem cell therapy with fibrinolytic enzymes, such
as lumbrokinase or nattokinase, separate from stem cell enhancers, in order to clear nar-
row capillaries for optimal delivery to target tissues.
In conclusion, integrating stem cell nutrition in a clinical practice will add to the success
of protocols that support natural healing. For our well patients seeking health mainten-
ance and healthy aging, supporting stem cell physiology brings a new dimension to anti-
aging by directly supporting the repair of the daily wear and tear on the body. The extent
of this support coupled with the individuals intracellular and extracellular environment
can do much to offset the anabolic deficit that normally increases with chronological age.
For athletes, stem cell support can help them retain a competitive edge, allowing their
bodies to rebuild more quickly and effectively after work-outs and competitions. For
those with acute injuries, wounds, or recent surgeries, stem cell support can shorten re-
covery time and offer the possibility of a more complete recovery as studies of recovery
from ischemic heart damage have shown. For patients with chronic illness who have
reached a plateau in their recovery, stem cell support may be what they need to increase
their healing power and move further along their healing path. Some individuals have re-
ported taking high enough doses to provoke “spontaneous remission” of conditions that
were previously scheduled for surgery! As naturopaths, we interpret these “remissions”
as healings as expected responses of a self-healing organism rather than surprising “spon-
taneous” miracles.
Many individuals experience a rapid increase in their sense of well-being, inspiring them
to stick with all the other dietary and lifestyle changes that naturopaths recommend to the
average American. Others need to be inspired to cultivate patience, since the natural
healing of the body usually proceeds by targeting recent damage for first repair, much of
which has not yet manifested as disease symptoms and is therefore not motivating the in-
dividual to seek treatment. In my experience over the course of a year, individuals are re-
porting increased energy, more stamina, fewer aches and pains, looking and feeling
younger, feeling happier, sleeping better, faster recovery from exercise, brain working
better, more focused, calmer, nicer skin, sharper vision, better hearing, able to reduce
need for medications, recovery from long-standing health challenges, and not getting
colds. We are (hopefully) used to similar reports in our clinical practice. Supporting
stem cell physiology is another tool in our toolbox, one that promises to increase the po-
tential for wellness among the growing numbers of Americans seeking guidance from al-
ternative practitioners.
Janis Bell NMD, Ph.D. is the founder of Holistic Health Network, a non profit corpora-
tion dedicated to the sharing of information about and resources for optimal health in
body, mind and spirit. Holistic Health Network organizes community educational events
and helps individuals in need obtain access to holistic treatment and products. She can
be contacted at drjanisbell@gmail.com or 740-427-2650.
1 “Promise and Politics,” The Pennsylvania Gazette, Sept-Oct 2006, p. 51
2 Christopher T. Scott, Stem Cell Now, NY:Pi Press, 2006, 39-58.
3 Michael Bellomo, The Stem Cell Divide, NY:AMACOM, 2005, 48.
4 Institute of Cellular Medicine, Costa Rica and Mexico.
5 David Steenblock D.O. and Anthony Payne, Ph.D., Umbilical Cord Stem Cell Therapy, Laguna Beach: Basic Health Pub-
lications, 2006.
6 Hans Kugler’s International Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine,, http://www.antiagingforme.com
7 C Scott, Stem Cell Now, p. 87-8
8 Stuart Kim, et al., “Differentiation of insulin-producing cells from human neural progenitor cells,” Public Library of Sci-
ence Medicine 2(4) (2005):e103.
9 Nicholas Forsyth, et al., “Telomerase and differentiation in multicellular organisms: turn it off, turn it on, and turn it off
again.” Differentiation, 69 (2002):188-197.
10 DS Krause et al., “Multi-Organ, Multi-Lineage Engraftment by a Single Bone Marrow-Derived Stem Cell,” Cell 105,
369-377 (4 May 2001)
11 Jackson, K.A., Majka, S.M., Wang, H., Pocius, J., Hartley, C.J., Majesky, M.W., Entman, M.L., Michael, L.H., Hirschi,
K.K., and Goodell, M.A. (2001). Regeneration of ischemic cardiac muscle and vascular endothelium by adult stem cells. J.
Clin. Invest. 107, 1–8; Kocher, A.A., Schuster, M.D., Szabolcs, M.J., Takuma, S., Burkhoff, D., Wang, J., Homma, S., Ed-
wards, N.M., and Itescu, S. (2001). Neovascularization of ischemic myocardium by human bone-marrow-derived angio-
blasts prevents cardiomyocyte apoptosis, reduces remodeling and improves cardiac function. Nat. Med. 7, 430–436; Orlic,
D., Kajstura, J., Chimenti, S., Jakoniuk, I., Anderson, S.M., Li, B., Pickel, J., McKay, R., Nadal-Ginard, B., Bodine, D.M.,
Leri, A., and Anversa, P. (2001). Bone marrow cells regenerate infarcted myocardium. Nature. 410, 701–705.
12 C Scott, Stem Cell Now, 93.
13 T Yasawa et al, “Differentiation of Adult Stem Cells Derived from Bone Marrow Stroma into Leydig or Adrenocortical
Cells” Endocrinology Sep 2006; 147: 4104 - 4111.
14 On line abstract at http://www.zoolgi.com/conferences/wisconsin-stem-cell-symposium-april-18-2007-a-3837.html
15 Implications of 'postmodern biology' for pathology: the Cell Doctrine, Laboratory Investigation (2006) 86, 335–344.
doi:10.1038/labinvest.3700401; published online 13 February 2006.
16 Steenblock and Payne, Umbilical Cord Stem Cell Therapy, p. 18, used all 3 approaches in successful treatment of MS.
Cerebral palsy, ALS, stroke, and traumatic brain injury.
1717 See www.stemcells.nih.gov and Hematopoietic Stem Cells V, vol 1044, 2005, ed. Lothar Kanz et al., June 2005.
18 See the news release in Stem Cell Research News, Oct 2005 at
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=31430
19 G. Jensen, C. Drapeau, The use of in situ bone marrow stem cells for the treatment of various degenerative diseases,
Medical Hypotheses 59(4):422-28.
20 Study results available online at http://www.learnmore.stemtechbiz.com under “learn more.”
21 Independent testimonials have been collected through Health News (downloadmyebook.com) and on several websites.
Stem Tech Health, Inc. does not endorse any testimonials that imply that a food supplement can cure, treat, prevent, or mit-
igate disease in compliance with FDA regulations.
22 See the news release in Stem Cell Research News, Oct 2005 at
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=31430
23 Nutraceuticals synergistically promote proliferation of human stem cells, Stem Cells Dev 2006 15 (1):1118-23.
24 RA Kay, Microalgae as food and supplement, Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr, 1991;30(6):555-73.
25S. Singh and BN Kate, Bioactive compounds from cyanobacteria and microalgae: an overview, Crit Rev Biotechnol,
2005 Jul-Sep;25(3):73-95.
26 C.Drapeau, Primorial Food, Aphanizomenon flos-aquae, a Wild Blue Green Algae with Unique Health Properties, 2003.
27 F. Mourkioti N. Rosenthal, “IGF-1, inflammation and stem cells: interactions during muscle regeneration,” Trends in Im-
munology 26(10): 535-542, October 2005.
28S. Benedetti et al, Purification and characterization of phycocyanin from the blue-green alga Aphanizomenon flos-aquae,
J Chromatogr B Analyt Technol Biomed Life Sci. 2006 Mar 20;833(1):12-8. Epub 2005 Nov 2.
29 KN Murthy et al., Comparative evaluation of hepatoprotective activity of carotenoids of microalgae J Med Food. 2005
Winter; 8(4):523-8.
30www.enterolab.com/ lecture/Lecturenew/frame.htm and also www.enterolab.com/StaticPages/EarlyDiagnosis.htm
31 Hatch HM, Zheng D, Jorgensen ML, et al. SDF-1alpha/CXCR4: a mechanism for hepatic oval cell activation and bone
marrow stem cell recruitment to the injured liver of rats. Cloning Stem Cells 2002;4:339–351.
32 C Pert, Molecules of Emotion, NY: Simon & Schuster, 1997, 163 ff.
33 N Pugh and DS Pasco, Characterization of human monocyte activation by a water soluble preparation of Aphanizomen-
on flos-aquae, Phytomedicine 2001 Nov;8(6):445-53.
34 N Pugh et al., Isolation of three high molecular weight polysaccharide preparations with potent immunostimulatory
activity from Spirulina platensis, aphanizomenon flos-aquae and Chlorella pyrenoidosa, Planta Med 2001 Nov;67(8):737-
42.
35 Steenblock and Payne, Umbilical Cord Stem Cell Therapy, p. 29.
36 Stem Enhance™ has 5 mg per capsule; PEAEnhance™ has 6.8 per capsule.
37 P. Pastore, Determination of biogenic amines in chocolate by ion chromatographic separation and pulsed integrated am-
perometric detection with implemented wave-form at Au disposable electrode, J Chromatogr A. 2005 Dec 9;1098(1-2):111-
5. Epub 2005 Sep 8
38H. Sabelli, et al, “Sustained antidepressant effect of PEA replacement, J. Neuropsychiatry Clin Neurosci, 1996, Spring,
8:2, 168-71.
39 R Zucchi et al, Trace amino associated receptors and their ligands, Br J Pharmacol. 2006 Dec;149(8):967-78. Epub 2006
Nov 6
40 HA Navarro et al, A rapid functional assay for the human trace amine-associated receptor 1 based on the mobilization of
internal calcium, J Biomol Screen, 2006 Sep;11(6):688-93. Epub 2006 Jul 10
41 K Ishida, Beta-phenylethylamine stimulates striatal acetylcholine release through activation of the AMPA glutamatergic
pathway Biol Pharm Bull, 2005 Sep;28(9):1626-9
42 SA Burkett and TP Hicks, The mysterious trace amines: protean neuromodulators of synaptic transmission in mammalian
brain Prog Neurobiol. 2006 Aug;79(5-6):223-46. Epub 2006 Sep 7
43 A. Szabo, E. Billett, J. Turner, Phenylethylamine, a possible link to the antidepressant effects of exercise?” Br J Sports Med. 2001
Oct;35(5):342-3.
44 http://www.webmd.com/content/article/34/1728_90004.htm
45 N Berretta et al,, Trace amines reduce GABA(B) receptor-mediated presynaptic inhibition at GABAergic synapses of the
rat substantia nigra pars compacta, Brain Res. 2005 Nov 16;1062(1-2):175-8. Epub 2005 Nov 2
46 Several species of fecal bacteria, including bacteriodetes, have been found to express beta-phenylethylamine indicating
that ingestion of this cyanobacter may have a beneficial impact on gut bacteria.