Stem Cells
Episodes
Dr. Rhonda Patrick discusses resistant starch, red light therapy risks, stem cells, and the link between benzodiazepines and dementia in her latest Q&A session.
Dr. Rhonda Patrick explores growth hormone secretagogues, spermidine's longevity role, methylene blue, whey protein, and solutions for scar tissue in a Q&A.
In this clip, Drs. Levine and Patrick discuss new advances in cellular aging research that show it's possible to reverse aging and generate new stem cells from already differentiated cells.
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Rhonda Alzheimer's Cancer Sleep Hormones Omega-3 Stem Cells Sauna Blood Sugar Polyphenol Red Light TherapyDr. Rhonda Patrick discusses resistant starch, red light therapy risks, stem cells, and the link between benzodiazepines and dementia in her latest Q&A session.
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Rhonda Aging Vitamin C Omega-3 Stem Cells Skin Sauna Protein Berberine Supplements Red Light TherapyDr. Rhonda Patrick explores growth hormone secretagogues, spermidine's longevity role, methylene blue, whey protein, and solutions for scar tissue in a Q&A.
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In this clip, Drs. Levine and Patrick discuss new advances in cellular aging research that show it's possible to reverse aging and generate new stem cells from already differentiated cells.
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Rhonda Exercise Aging Vitamin C Omega-3 Stem Cells Fasting Magnesium Vitamin E Vaccine Vitamin K Allergies Resveratrol Sauna Time-Restricted Eating Blood Sugar Breast MilkDr. Rhonda Patrick answers audience questions on various health, nutrition, and science topics in this Q&A session.
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As techniques are developed to differentiate and transdifferentiate cells from one cell type, such as a fibroblast, into another, such as a neuron, interesting patterns of effects on epigenetic age are revealed.
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A study using a mouse model of premature aging showed that short-term expression of four special factors which reverse epigenetic age ameliorated cellular and physiological hallmarks of aging and prolonged lifespan.
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In this clip, Dr. David Sinclair elaborates on his Informational Theory of Aging.
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In this clip, Dr. Rhonda Patrick describes a study in which stem cell-derived retinal cells were used to treat macular degeneration in a human.
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Dr. David Sinclair on Informational Theory of Aging, Nicotinamide Mononucleotide, Resveratrol & MoreDr. David Sinclair discusses the mechanisms that drive human aging and the importance of identifying ways to slow or reverse aging's effects.
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Dr. Longo discusses his work that indicates that the fasting-mimicking diet holds promise for the treatment of autoimmune diseases, particularly multiple sclerosis.
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Dr. Valter Longo describes the pivotal role that IGF-1 plays in the proliferation of stem cells and the importance of consuming sufficient protein.
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Dr. Valter Longo discusses how cellular repair mechanisms may have evolved during times of fasting, but are latent in times of food abundance.
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Dr. Rhonda Patrick describes the dual nature of biochemical pathways involved in aging and explains how exercise tips the balance toward its beneficial properties.
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Fasting mimicking diet treatment for multiple sclerosis (remyelinating axons & halting autoimmunity) ClipDr. Valter Longo describes how the fasting-mimicking diet can be beneficial in the treatment of various diseases, including multiple sclerosis.
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Dr. Valter Longo explains the difference between caloric restriction and periodic fasting and highlights the importance of refeeding after a fast.
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Dr. Valter Longo discusses how fasting can play a role in the activation and renewal of stem cells by altering the metabolic profile.
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Telomeres explained: role in genomic stability, stem cells, replicative senescence | Elissa Epel ClipDr. Elissa Epel gives a brief overview of telomeres and the enzyme telomerase and explains how they impact health and lifespan.
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Dr. Valter Longo on Resetting Autoimmunity and Rejuvenating Systems with Prolonged Fasting & the FMDFasting Cancer Obesity Aging Heart Disease Diabetes Insulin Resistance Inflammation Stem Cells Immune System Tissue Repair Autophagy Apoptosis Insulin AutoimmunityDr. Valter Longo discusses fasting as a means to treat or prevent age-related diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, and others.
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Epigenetics Vitamin D Nutrition Exercise Aging Metabolism Sleep Diabetes Telomeres DNA Damage Stem Cells Stress Melatonin Vitamin E Genetics 23andMe Heat Stress Autophagy Autism Folate Sauna AntioxidantOur genes influence the way we absorb and metabolize micronutrients. Nutrigenomics looks at the influence genetic variation has over micronutrient absorption/metabolism and the biological consequences of this dynamic relationship.
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Nutrition Vitamin D Metabolism Diabetes Telomeres Omega-3 Inflammation Depression DNA Damage Stem Cells Micronutrients Mitochondria Autophagy Autism Schizophrenia Resveratrol Sulforaphane Insulin Blue LightDr. Rhonda Patrick makes her fifth appearance on the Joe Rogan Experience.
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Dr. Valter Longo discusses the role of fasting and the fasting-mimicking diet in longevity, cancer & multiple sclerosis.
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Dr. Aubrey de Grey discusses technologies that can repair the various types of damage that occur during the aging process.
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Is cancer just bad luck? To some degree, yes... but there's also a very, very large environmental and lifestyle component.
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Dr. Frans Kuypers discusses his technique to retrieve pluripotent stem cells from placental tissue.
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Brain Nutrition Exercise Alzheimer's Cholesterol Omega-3 Inflammation Depression Probiotics DNA Damage Stem Cells Serotonin Mental Health Cannabinoid CurcuminDr. Rhonda Patrick makes her third appearance on the Joe Rogan Experience.
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Dr. Rhonda Patrick is on The Tim Ferriss Show in episode #12 entitled "Rhonda Patrick on Life Extension, Performance, and More".
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Dr. Rhonda Patrick makes her first appearance on the Joe Rogan Experience.
Topic Pages
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Breast milk and breastfeeding
Breastfeeding transfers viable multipotent mammary stem cells in milk, which survive ingestion, cross infant gut, possibly engrafting systemic tissues.
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Hallmarks of aging
Stem cell exhaustion impairs tissue regeneration and arises from genomic instability, telomere attrition, epigenetic alterations, and mitochondrial dysfunction.
News & Publications
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Donating blood is an act of generosity that saves lives, yet few donors think about how it affects their own health. Each donation triggers a surge in blood cell production, a process that could subtly shape the long-term health of blood-forming stem cells. A recent study found that frequent blood donation promotes the expansion of specific blood stem cell mutations that support healthy red blood cell production.
Researchers analyzed blood samples from 217 older men who had donated more than 100 times and compared them to 212 men who had donated fewer than 10 times. They looked for clonal hematopoiesis, a condition where blood stem cells acquire genetic changes that allow specific cell populations to expand. They also used gene-editing techniques to study how particular mutations behaved when exposed to erythropoietin, a hormone that increases after blood loss.
They found that the overall rate of clonal hematopoiesis was similar between frequent and infrequent donors. However, mutations in the DNMT3A gene showed distinct patterns in frequent donors. Some of these mutations responded to erythropoietin by expanding, while others, known to be associated with leukemia, were more likely to grow in response to interferon-gamma, a protein involved in the immune response. Further analysis revealed that the erythropoietin-responsive mutations tended to push blood stem cells toward making more red blood cells rather than leading to abnormal or harmful changes.
These findings suggest that repeated blood donation encourages the expansion of specific blood stem cell mutations, but the effects support normal blood cell production rather than increase disease risk. Blood donation also lowers levels of iron—a key nutrient that, in excess, harms the brain. Learn more in this episode featuring Dr. Gordon Lithgow.
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A nasal spray delivering stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles reduces inflammation and improves brain function in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease. isevjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
Stem cell-based therapies show promise as treatments for neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s. However, transplanting stem cells into the brain carries considerable risks. A recent study found that a nasal spray that delivered neural stem cell extracellular vesicles—tiny particles that carry proteins and genetic material—reduced inflammation and improved brain function in a mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease, offering a safer, less risky approach.
Researchers used neural stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles created from induced pluripotent stem cells. They administered the vesicles via nasal spray to three-month-old Alzheimer’s model mice. Then, they tracked the vesicles' interaction with brain cells, focusing on microglia and astrocytes, and analyzed gene activity, brain pathology, and behavioral changes.
They found that the vesicles reduced inflammatory activity in brain cells, decreased levels of amyloid-beta plaques and phosphorylated tau (hallmarks of Alzheimer’s), and improved memory and mood in the mice. These effects persisted for at least two months after treatment without impairing the brain’s immune processes and protein clearance.
These findings suggest that a nasal spray containing stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles offers a promising new therapy for Alzheimer’s disease, targeting inflammation and preserving brain function while avoiding the risks of direct stem cell transplantation. Other research demonstrates the effectiveness of stem cell therapies for eye diseases. Learn more in this clip featuring Dr. David Sinclair.
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Stem cell therapy shows promise in reversing premature ovarian insufficiency and restoring fertility, a study in mice reveals. www.technologynetworks.com
Premature ovarian insufficiency – a condition in which the ovaries fail earlier than usual – affects more than 3.5 percent of females worldwide, often due to genetics, autoimmune disorders, or exposure to certain drugs, such as those used in chemotherapy. The condition has limited treatment options, but a new study in mice suggests that induced pluripotent stem cells could help.
Induced pluripotent stem cells are stem cells that have been reprogrammed into an embryonic-like pluripotent state. They can develop into any type of human cell and are commonly used in biomedical research and treatment.
Researchers reprogrammed granulosa cells from the ovaries of mice to become induced pluripotent stem cells and then allowed them to differentiate into oocytes (immature eggs). They transplanted the oocytes into the ovaries of mice with drug-induced premature ovarian insufficiency. Then, they bred the transplanted mice with normal animals to assess their fertility.
They found that the induced pluripotent stem cells transformed into functional oocytes and ovarian cells, expressing specific markers for ovaries and germ cells. After transplantation, the animals' hormonal function and fertility normalized, and they gave birth to healthy mouse pups.
These findings suggest that induced pluripotent stem cell-derived ovarian tissue can reverse the hormonal and reproductive problems characterized by premature ovarian insufficiency. They also highlight yet another potential use for induced pluripotent stem cells in ameliorating various human diseases. Learn how induced pluripotent stem cells may help treat macular degeneration in this clip featuring Dr. David Sinclair.
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Estrogen increases blood-forming stem-cell self-renewal in females and during pregnancy, mouse study suggests. (2014) www.sciencedaily.com
From the article:
[The study authors] discovered that blood-forming stem cells divide more frequently in females than in males due to higher estrogen levels. The research, conducted using mice, demonstrated that the activity of blood-forming stem cells was regulated by systemic hormonal signals in addition to being regulated by local changes within the blood-forming system.
“This discovery explains how red blood cell production is augmented during pregnancy,” said Dr. Morrison. “In female mice, estrogen increases the proliferation of blood-forming stem cells in preparation for pregnancy. Elevated estrogen levels that are sustained during pregnancy induce stem cell mobilization and red cell production in the spleen, which serves as a reserve site for additional red blood cell production.”
The study involved treating male and female mice over a period of several days with amounts of estrogen needed to achieve a level consistent with pregnancy. When an estrogen receptor that is present within blood-forming stem cells was deleted from those cells, they were no longer able to respond to estrogen, nor were they able to increase red blood cell production The results demonstrate that estrogen acts directly on the stem cells to increase their proliferation and the number of red blood cells they generate.
“If estrogen has the same effect on stem cells in humans as in mice, then this effect raises a number of possibilities that could change the way we treat people with diseases of blood cell-formation,” said Dr. Morrison. “Can we promote regeneration in the blood-forming system by administering estrogen? Can we reduce the toxicity of chemotherapy to the blood-forming system by taking into account estrogen levels in female patients? Does estrogen promote the growth of some blood cancers? There are numerous clinical opportunities to pursue.”
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Ketones produced during fasting or a ketogenic diet promote muscle stem cell survival.
Fasting – the voluntary abstention from food and drink – is widely appreciated for its beneficial effects on human metabolism and healthspan. Evidence suggests that fasting flips a metabolic “switch,” liberating fat stores via fatty acid oxidation and ketone production. Findings from a recent study suggest that ketones induce a deep resting state in muscle stem cells, protecting them from future stressors.
Ketones are molecules produced by the liver during the breakdown of fatty acids. Ketone production occurs during periods of low food intake (fasting), ketogenic diets, starvation, or prolonged intense exercise. There are three types of ketones produced in the body: acetoacetate, beta-hydroxybutyrate, and acetone. Ketones are readily used as energy by a diverse array of cell types, including neurons.
Next, they examined muscle stem cells from both groups and found that the fasted animals' cells were smaller; had less mitochondrial content, RNA content, and basal oxygen consumption; and exhibited delayed cell division, compared to cells of non-fasting animals. Interestingly, the fasted animals' cells exhibited greater resilience to environmental stressors, such as oxidative stress and low nutrient availability.
Then the investigators treated muscle stem cells from the non-fasting mice with beta-hydroxybutyrate, a type of ketone. The cells exhibited similar resistance, likely due to beta-hydroxybutyrate’s actions as a histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor. HDAC inhibition is associated with improved cellular resilience and longevity.
These findings suggest that ketones, particularly beta-hydroxybutyrate, induce a deep resting state in muscle stem cells, protecting them from future stressors. Learn more about beta-hydroxybutyrate in our overview article.
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Leg exercise may be critical to brain: leg suspension reduces neural stem cells in subventricular zone by 70% compared to controls (animal study) www.sciencedaily.com
From the article:
The study involved restricting mice from using their hind legs, but not their front legs, over a period of 28 days. The mice continued to eat and groom normally and did not exhibit stress. At the end of the trial, the researchers examined an area of the brain called the sub-ventricular zone, which in many mammals has the role of maintaining nerve cell health. It is also the area where neural stem cells produce new neurons.
Limiting physical activity decreased the number of neural stem cells by 70 percent compared to a control group of mice, which were allowed to roam. Furthermore, both neurons and oligodendrocytes – specialized cells that support and insulate nerve cells – didn’t fully mature when exercise was severely reduced.
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Skin cells from a patient with Parkison's disease were transformed into stem cells that formed dopaminergic cells. www.nejm.org
Exciting news on the induced pluripotent stem cell front! Skin cells from a patient with Parkison’s disease were transformed into stem cells that formed dopaminergic progenitor cells. These dopamine-producing cells were transplanted into the patient’s brain which resulted in stabilized or improved symptoms 18-24 months later. Parkinson’s disease is the second most common neurodegenerative disease and results in a loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra brain region causing loss of motor control, balance, and other problems. There is currently no pharmaceutical treatment that can delay the progression of Parkinson’s disease. Current treatments can help symptoms but do not delay the progression. High-intensity exercise is the only treatment that I know of that has been shown to delay the progression of this degenerative disease (more to come on this very soon). The potential to delay the progression with induced pluripotent stem cells has been emerging for several years. A pluripotent stem cell is a stem cell that can form any cell type in the body including neurons. An induced pluripotent stem cell is a stem cell that is formed from another already adult cell type usually a skin cell. This new preliminary study found that a patient’s skin cells could be used to form induced pluripotent stem cells which then were transformed into dopaminergic progenitor cells. Those dopaminergic progenitor cells were transplanted into two brain regions. Brain imaging revealed an increase in dopamine in those brain regions 18-24 months later. Clinical symptoms also stabilized or improved. This is an exciting pilot study that needs to be confirmed in larger trials!
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Chimerism is a condition in which a person’s body contains two different sets of DNA. It can occur in fraternal twins and as a consequence of bone marrow transplantation. A recent news article describes a unique case of chimerism that could have implications for forensic scientists.
Three months after a man received a bone marrow transplant to treat his acute myeloid leukemia, some tissue samples from his body contained two sets of DNA: his own, and that of the donor. Other tissues had only the recipient’s DNA. Remarkably, the changes in the man’s DNA persisted for several years, and now, some four years after the bone marrow transplant, the DNA in his semen is exclusively that of the donor.
This case could have serious implications for the field of forensic science, especially when investigating sex crimes. For example, if an individual developed chimerism following a bone marrow transplant and then went on to commit a crime, it could mislead forensic investigators.
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Stem cells derived from placenta were able to regenerate healthy heart cells after heart attacks in animals. www.eurekalert.org
Stem cells derived from placenta were able to regenerate healthy heart cells after heart attacks in animals. The placental stem cells traveled to the site of the injury in the heart and formed beating heart cells that helped repair damage.
To learn more about stem cells derived from placenta, check out the podcast I did a few years ago with Dr. Frans Kuyper who discovered how the human placenta is a rich source of pluripotent stem cells and yet the placenta is thrown away after delivery. We discuss how his lab has shown that the stem cells from the placenta can be transformed into neuron-like cells, fat cells, bone cells, endothelial cells (relevant for lung and blood vessels), and liver cells. His lab also developed a technique for harvesting 5 to 7 times more hematopoietic stem cells from placenta than is currently retrieved from cord blood, a more standard, established source that is used worldwide for a bone-marrow transplant.
There are a couple of companies that bank placenta and cord blood after your baby is born. I chose to bank both placenta and cord blood after the birth of my son. I decided to go with Life Bank USA (no affiliation) to bank my cord blood and placenta because I really liked the research they are doing with placental stem cells. I hope to see more well-established cord blood companies start banking placental tissue…it is so worth it.
Foundmyfitness placental stem cell episode: https://www.foundmyfitness.com/episodes/frans-kuypers
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Why is Stem Cells Therapy Good for Anti Aging? - Stemfinitycord Malaysia stemfinitycord.co
Stem cell therapy is a type of cell therapy where stem cells are introduced into the damaged tissue to treat the disorder or the injury. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are used in most stem cell therapy. They’re non-hematopoietic cell precursors initially found in the bone marrow, but actually present in many other tissues. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in culture are adherent, proliferating, and capable of multilineage differentiation into several tissues of mesenchymal origin, such as bone marrow stroma, adipose tissue (body fat), bone, cartilage, tendon, skeletal muscle and etc.
So Why is Stem Cells Therapy Good for Anti Aging?
In short, stem cells therapy was heavily emphasised to have the capacity to repair, renew and replace damaged tissue is a good anti aging treatment.
As shown below are the functions of Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) therapy: - Help facilitate growth of new blood vessels, a process known as angiogenesis which leads to improved blood flow in tissue - An anti-inflammatory effect which fastens wound healing - After aiding wound healing, it helps in reducing size of scarred tissue such as infected cardiomyocytes (heart cells) or wound to joint injury - Repair of damaged tissue which then leads to renewal of healthy tissue - Relief if symptoms related to any chronic diseases - Vast improvement in the immune system against disease - Better digestion and elimination of constipation - More flexible joints and discs - Improvement in skin elasticity and thickness - Reducing facial pigmentation, and adding a glow to your skin - Diminishing fine lines and wrinkles - Improving skin complexion - Tightening and shrinking open pores - Removing dark circles
No more joints problems, no more constipation, better appearance, overall human health improves!
The list is non-exhaustive when it comes to stem cells therapy. All these benefits brought by stem cells therapy are exactly the definition of anti aging if not reviving old age.
Visit more information on: http://stemfinitycord.co/
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High-dose intravenous vitamin C selectively kills cancer cells by increasing H2O2 & potently kills cancer stem cells. www.sciencedaily.com
High-dose intravenous vitamin C has previously been shown to selectively kill cancer cells by increasing hydrogen peroxide and now it has been found to potently kill cancer stem cells. The new study screened a variety of compounds in order to find those that were most potent at killing cancer stem cells, which are the most resistant to any type of cancer treatment. Interestingly, vitamin C was found to be 10 times more potent at killing cancer stem cells (cultured in a dish) than 2-deoxyglucose, a drug that prevents cancer cells from using glucose via glycolysis. While this study was done in a culture dish, other studies have been done in animals and humans. It is important to realize that intravenous vitamin C increases blood levels that are 100-500 times higher than levels that can be achieved with oral ingestion. It is this VERY-high concentration of vitamin C in the blood that results in the generation of hydrogen peroxide that selectively kills cancer cells because normal cells effectively remove it but cancer cells cannot. Also, early phase 1 clinical trials showed that the combination of high-dose, intravenous vitamin C with standard chemotherapy or radiation was well tolerated and improved patient outcome. Larger clinical trials are now underway.