Of the hundreds of different cell types in the body, adult stem cells possess enormous potential. These undeveloped cells have the ability, when needed, to proliferate and generate a variety of specialized cell types, with the overall function of continuously maintaining and repairing the body’s tissues and organs. Without them, processes such as the normal repair of muscle wear and tear, healing of skin and wounds, repair and regeneration of bone, cartilage and scar tissue
As a result of their broad capacity for tissue renewal, stem cells lie at the foundation of an emerging field known as regenerative medicine, with the ability to replace damaged or diseased organs with healthy cells that are activated and proliferated from a patient’s own cells that already reside in the body.
Good health depends on effective activation and function of adult stem cells to support the body’s endogenous repair mechanisms. Unfortunately, the efficiency of these pathways typically declines with age, leading to a range of degenerative diseases. But age-related deterioration does not have to be inevitable − research now shows that certain natural ingredients can optimize stem cell activity to support good health throughout our lifetime. Stem Cell Worx® Intraoral Spray is a unique and innovative nutritional supplement, a synergistic combination of three proven stem cell-enhancing ingredients delivered in a highly absorbable oral spray.
Let’s see below how we can boost our regenerative capacity, naturally.
Stem cells are unspecialized ‘primary’ cells from which all other cell types in the body descend. They have three important features: (1) as mentioned, they are undifferentiated (i.e., unspecialized); (2) under the right conditions and with certain enablers they are capable of activating and dividing for long periods; and (3) they develop, or differentiate, into specialized cell types such as muscle, blood, or nerve cells.
Two broad classifications of stem cells are embryonic stem cells and adult stem cells. There is often controversy attached to embryonic stem cells as they are derived from an embryo. Whereas adult stem cells (also called somatic stem cells), are located in tissues, muscles and organs throughout the body and present in grown-ups and newborns alike. Note that adult stem cells are distinct from embryonic stem cells and not associated with any of the ethical, moral, or political issues surrounding embryonic stem cells.
Adult stem cells are located in specific areas of tissues and organs called stem cell niches. They multiply by cell division to replenish damaged, deteriorated, or dead cells and regenerate tissues − their primary biological role. Ongoing tissue and organ repair is a critical function and relies on effective activation and differentiation of stem cells within these specialized niches, in particular the bone marrow. Besides the bone marrow, adult stem cells have been studied and identified in a variety of organs and tissues including peripheral blood, cord blood, brain, liver, muscle, heart, gut, and skin. Depending on their source and the particular cells into which they develop, adult stem cells are further classified into types, including mesenchymal, hematopoietic, CD3+, stromal, etc.
Until recently, adult stem cells were generally believed to differentiate only into cell types of the particular tissue or organ in which they reside, without the universality, or pluripotency of embryonic stem cells, which can develop into any cell type in the body. For example, a hematopoietic (blood forming) stem cell found in bone marrow was typically thought to form one of the many types of blood and immune cells, but not to develop into a brain or muscle cell. But research over the past few years has challenged this belief and shown that, although they are not by definition pluripotent, certain adult stem cells found in particular tissues can differentiate into cell types found in other organs or tissues in a process called transdifferentiation. This means that an adult stem cell found in one tissue has the ability to migrate to a completely different tissue, transdifferentiate, proliferate, and repair damage there − an intriguing finding with important implications for treating degenerative diseases and impeding aging.
Given their capability to generate new tissue, adult hematopoietic stem cells have routinely been used in stem cell transplants (sometimes called bone marrow transplants) after high doses of chemotherapy and/or radiation are used to treat blood cancers such as leukemia and lymphoma wipe out a patient’s own bone marrow. The transplanted stem cells (delivered by infusion) reconstruct healthy bone marrow that can manufacture the array of blood cells needed by the body. Some other current applications for adult stem cells, using a patient’s own cells in many cases, include regeneration of heart tissue following heart attack damage and chronic heart failure, treating autoimmune and neurodegenerative diseases, and healing burns and tissue damage. Potential applications for adult stem cells are virtually limitless, and include repairing spinal cord injuries, generating insulin-producing cells for type 1 diabetes, reconstructing bone, and repairing cartilage.
So we can see that the power and scope of adult stem cells in rebuilding diseased and damaged tissues and organs is enormous, which has led to the development of methods to collect and cryogenically store (i.e., freeze) a person’s own adult stem cells for future use, if and when needed. Stem cells are ideally harvested while a person is still relatively healthy, before aging and disease have lowered their availability. Then, when necessary, the frozen stem cells can be thawed and infused into a patient’s bloodstream to regenerate a diseased or damaged organ.
So far, we have examined the regenerative capacity of adult stem cells, their crucial role in maintaining tissue and organ structure and function, and their extensive applications in medicine. Even if you haven’t taken steps to bank your stem cells for future use, the good news is you can optimize the production of your own stem cells now with targeted nutritional supplementation. Stem Cell Worx® Intraoral Spray is a patent protected formula containing three natural ingredients that have each been shown in published studies to activate adult stem cells: bovine colostrum, resveratrol, and fucoidan. What’s unique about this product is its combination of high quality stem cell-enhancing and general health-promoting nutrients that act synergistically in a readily absorbable sublingual (under the tongue) spray delivery system. Now, let’s look at each of these ingredients individually.
Colostrum
This is a nutrient-dense fluid with wide-ranging health benefits. Produced by the mammary glands of mammals before the birth of their newborn, it contains immune supporting substances including antibodies and immunoglobulins, as well as preformed growth factors and cytokines (cell signaling messengers) that directly activate the bone marrow stem cell niche following absorption into the bloodstream. (1) Specifically, colostrum induces the production of cytokines GCSF (granulocyte colony stimulating factor) and IL-6 (interleukin-6), which are involved in stem cell release and migration, and growth factor VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor), an “engraftment” factor for stem cells at sites of tissue damage. (1) (Engraftment is the process by which stem cells are incorporated into damaged tissue, and then go on to proliferate and differentiate.) In vitro, bovine colostrum has been shown to promote the migration, proliferation, and differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells, (2) a type of adult stem cell that can develop into a variety of specialized cell types, including osteoblasts (bone cells), chondrocytes (cartilage cells), myocytes (muscle cells), adipocytes (fat cells), or neurons. Bovine colostrum in Stem Cell Worx® is very high grade, with abundant growth and immune factors, twenty one times greater than those present in human colostrum.
Fucoidan
This is a seaweed extract rich in polysaccharides; it is another ingredient with multiple health benefits, including supporting immune function, cellular communication and sustainability, tissue repair, and even longevity, as evidenced by the high percentage of centenarians in Okinawa, Japan who consume edible fucoidan-containing seaweed. Fucoidan has stem cell-enhancing properties. Like colostrum, it induces GCSF and IL-6, (1) and stimulates human bone marrow-derived and adipose-derived stem cells to differentiate into osteoblasts, (3,4) indicating its ability to promote bone regeneration.
A few studies were performed on the combined effects of fucoidan and bovine colostrum. (1) An in vitro experiment showed that the combination had greater effect in inducing cytokines IL-6 and GCSF than either component individually. This synergistic effect of fucoidan and colostrum was reproduced in a mouse feeding study, where enhanced stimulation of the bone marrow stem cell niche resulted in increased stem cell proliferation. And in a pilot human study on nine subjects, an oral formulation of colostrum and fucoidan influenced the number of circulating stromal and hematopoietic stem cells. According to the researchers: “These data indicate that it is possible to influence the endogenous stem cell niche by oral supplementation with a combination of colostrum and highly potent sources of immune stimulatory carbohydrates.” (i.e. fucoidan). (1)
We’ve just seen the synergistic effect of fucoidan and colostrum in boosting stem cell activity. The addition of yet another proven compound, resveratrol, makes Stem Cell Worx® even more powerful.
Resveratrol
This antioxidant phytochemical has widespread beneficial effects on health and longevity. It has been shown to protect various organs against aging by activating SIRT1, one of the sirtuins (SIRT’s), a family of enzymes with key roles in metabolic homeostasis and life span regulation. Resveratrol has been the subject of thousands of studies demonstrating its therapeutic benefits, including improving mitochondrial function, reducing oxidative stress, protecting against metabolic disease, and stimulating stem cell activity. Resveratrol was found to enhance hematopoiesis (the formation of blood cells) and stem cell function in mice with bone marrow failure anemia, most likely due to the action of Sirt1, which is important for the function of hematopoietic stem cells. (5) In an animal model of heart damage, rats pre-treated with resveratrol before receiving cardiac stem cell transplants exhibited enhanced cardiac regeneration and improvement in cardiac function due to improved stem cell survival and proliferation. (6) In other experiments, resveratrol induced proliferation and differentiation of human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells into osteoblasts (7) and neurons. (8) Stem Cell Worx® contains high purity trans-resveratrol (the preferred form) from Japanese knotweed (polygonum cuspidatum).
Further support of the efficacy of these natural substances was obtained in an independently conducted trial (yet unpublished) on the Stem Cell Worx® formulation itself. Twenty healthy humans using the product for two to four weeks demonstrated an increase in bone marrow stem cell proliferation proportional to dose.
We’ve just examined the stem cell-boosting and regenerative effects of the synergistic nutrients in Stem Cell Worx®. Now, let’s focus on the product’s intraoral (under the tongue) delivery system. Stem Cell Worx® is administered by spraying the formulation directly under the tongue (intraorally). The mucous membrane below the tongue contains a rich network of capillaries through which certain molecules and drugs or nutrients can readily diffuse and directly enter the bloodstream. Intraoral delivery (referred to as sublingual in certain context) has several advantages over the typical oral route (i.e., swallowing pills, tablets, liquids, etc.): it bypasses the harsh conditions of the GI tract, allowing for rapid entry into the bloodstream and faster onset of action, with increased absorption and bioavailability. Substances entering the digestive system, on the other hand, are degraded by stomach acid, bile, and enzymes, and then undergo “first pass metabolism” in the liver, where they can be extensively chemically altered, resulting in a minute amount of unmodified drug or nutrient actually entering the circulation, and therefore, negligible therapeutic benefit. Resveratrol, in particular, has extremely low oral bioavailability when taken as a pill or capsule, due to GI degradation and first-pass metabolism. In addition, other substances such as peptides and proteins (present in bovine colostrum) are not stable in the GI tract. Intraoral delivery avoids all of these problems because substances are absorbed directly into the circulation.
The recommended dosage of Stem Cell Worx® is 12 sprays per day (generally administered as six sprays in the morning and six sprays in the early evening), which provides 30 mg bovine colostrum, 30 mg resveratrol, and 12 22 mg fucoidan. The instructions are to spray under the tongue, hold for 5 to 10 seconds then swallow, at least 30 minutes away from food. If you are over age 70, start with half this dose and build up to 12 sprays per day over 10 days. Naturally, using this product whilst maintaining a healthy lifestyle that includes adequate exercise and good nutrition will optimize its positive effects. Before using, consult your health care provider if you have a medical condition or take prescription drugs. Avoid if pregnant or undergoing cancer treatment.
We have seen the central role of adult stem cells in supporting the body’s endogenous repair pathways and their diverse applications in medicine. Aging and disease have negative consequences on the body’s regenerative mechanisms, but thankfully, research has shown that certain natural ingredients can stimulate adult stem cell activity to counter age-related decline and improve overall health. Stem Cell Worx® delivers three of these proven ingredients in a highly absorbable formulation – it’s a valuable addition to any effective antiaging regimen.
1. Webster GA, Lehrke P. Development of a Combined Bovine Colostrum and Immune-Stimulatory Carbohydrate Nutraceutical for Enhancement of Endogenous Stem Cell Activity. Open Nutraceuticals Journal. 2013; 6: 35-44.
2. Mussano F, Bartorelli Cusani A, Brossa A, Carossa S, Bussolati G, Bussolati B. Presence of osteoinductive factors in bovine colostrum. Biosci Biotechnol Biochem. 2014;78(4):662-71.
3. Kim BS, Kang HJ, Park JY, Lee J. Fucoidan promotes osteoblast differentiation via JNK- and ERK-dependent BMP2-Smad 1/5/8 signaling in human mesenchymal stem cells. Exp Mol Med. 2015 Jan 9;47:e128.
4. Park SJ, Lee KW, Lim DS, Lee S. The sulfated polysaccharide fucoidan stimulates osteogenic differentiation of human adipose-derived stem cells. Stem Cells Dev. 2012 Aug 10;21(12):2204-11.
5. Zhang QS, Deater M, Schubert K, et al. The Sirt1 activator SRT3025 expands hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells and improves hematopoiesis in Fanconi anemia mice. Stem Cell Res. 2015 May 22;15(1):130-140.
6. Gurusamy N, Ray D, Lekli I, Das DK. Red wine antioxidant resveratrol-modified cardiac stem cells regenerate infarcted myocardium. J Cell Mol Med. 2010 Sep;14(9):2235-9.
7. Dai Z, Li Y, Quarles LD, et al. Resveratrol enhances proliferation and osteoblastic differentiation in human mesenchymal stem cells via ER-dependent ERK1/2 activation. Phytomedicine. 2007 Dec;14(12):806-14.
Joe IS, Jeong SG, Cho GW. Resveratrol-induced SIRT1 activation promotes neuronal differentiation of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells. Neurosci Lett. 2015 Jan 1;584:97-102.