One of the first things I learned in my med school rehab residency is that you have a 90% chance of experiencing lower back pain in your lifetime.
Back pain is also the third most common reason people have surgery.1 Patients turn to this drastic procedure because they’re desperate for relief.
Spinal fusion involves welding together two or more of your vertebrae into one structure to prevent movement. It’s a major operation, and it often fails to provide a long-term solution to pain. In fact, the surgery is often so unsuccessful that the world’s leading pain research organization coined the term “Failed Back Surgery Syndrome.”
Yet, the number of surgeries performed each year continues to increase. About 500,000 Americans undergo this operation each year.
And it’s easy to see why… It’s a booming $40 billion business for both surgeons and hospitals.
I am always opposed to unnecessary surgery, except as an absolute last resort – because there are safe, effective alternatives.
Including stem cell therapy.
You know stem cells are the reserve of “replacement cells” you’re born with.
Your body uses them to replace any kind of damaged, old or dying cell. They allow your body to regenerate damaged tissue in any organ.
They can even regenerate and repair discs in your back damaged by years of degeneration – reducing pain and inflammation without the need for invasive and dangerous spinal surgery.
Clinical trials prove that stem cell therapy works.
In a recent groundbreaking study, researchers at the Canadian Centres for Regenerative Therapy extracted bone marrow stem cells from 18 patients. The concentrated cells, called bone marrow aspirate concentrate, or BMAC, were then reintroduced into each patient’s spine.2
The results, published in the journal Frontiers in Medicine, were life-changing. Patient follow-up found that:
- 90% of the patients gained 2 to 3 mm of lost height due to disc compression
- 92% of them reported a “significant improvement” in pain measurement scores
- 80% were able to quit using addictive opioids
Earlier research found similar results.
In one study published in the journal Transplantation, researchers treated ten patients who failed to respond to traditional back pain treatment with therapy using bone marrow stem cells.
After six months, patients reported lumbar pain was reduced by a whopping 62% – while their mobility increased by 48%.3
I believe that stem cells are the future of modern medicine. They use what your own body provides to initiate your natural healing and repair system.
Help boost stem cell production with nutrients
As you age, your stem cells slow down. But you can dramatically increase the number and activity of stem cells that are already in your body. By making simple adjustments to your diet, you can give your body what it needs to maintain youthful stem cell production.
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- Supplement with golden spice. A 2021 study published in the journal Cell Transplantation found that curcumin can substantially increase stem cell production and proliferation in your body.4 The study combined curcumin with stem cell therapy in 47 spinal cord patients. And the results were shocking… Curcumin not only worked three times better than stem cells alone but also generated 180% more new stem cells, which resulted in a better, speedier, safer recovery for all spinal cord patients in the study. But that’s not all. Additional research shows turmeric’s ability to: Promote the growth and spread of stem cells. Reprogram normal cells into pluripotent stem cells, particularly neural ones (in the brain). Safeguard stem cells from oxidative damage. Look for a supplement that has at least 90% curcuminoids. Also, choose one with piperine, a black pepper extract that boosts absorption. Take between 500-1,000 each day.
- Mobilize cells with seaweed. Seaweed contains an important molecule called fucoidan. This compound increases the release of stem cells into the bloodstream.7 It also helps mobilize these stem cells so they can travel to the parts of the body that need repair and renewal. Fucoidan is found primarily in brown seaweed and makes a delicious salad. You can also supplement. I suggest 400 mg a day.
- Supercharge your stem cells with a “missing” food group. I call organ meat our missing food group. It’s packed with vitamin K2, which is proven to reactivate “sleeping” stem cells. It gets them back to work to keep your spine youthful and strong. Your best food source of vitamin K2 is goose liver. Three-and-a-half ounces of goose liver provides 370 mcg of K2. Grass-fed beef, organ meats, pork, kale, and natto are good sources. It’s hard to get all you need from food. I suggest supplementing with 90 mcg of K2 a day. Look for vitamin K2 in the form of menaquinone-7. It’s much more bioactive than menaquinone-4. Since vitamin K2 is fat-soluble, take it with your meal to improve absorption.
To Your Good Health,
Al Sears, MD, CNS
References:
1. Dixit R. “Chapter 47 – Low back pain.” Editor(s): Garsy S Firestone, et al. Kelley and Firestein’s Textbook of Rheumatology. 2017;1(10):696-717.
2. El-Kadiry AE, et al. “Autologous BMAC therapy improves spinal degenerative joint disease in lower back pain patients.” Front Med. 2021 Mar 18;8:622573.doi: 10.3389/fmed.2021.622573. eCollection 2021.
3. Orozco L, et al. “Intervertebral disc repair by autologous mesenchymal bone marrow cells: a pilot study.” Transplantation. 2011;92(7):822–828.
4. Zhang R, et al. “Curcumin Supplementation Enhances Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells to Promote the Anabolism of Articular Chondrocytes and Cartilage Repair.” Cell Transplant. 2021 Jan-Dec; 30: 0963689721993776.
5. Ormond R, et al. “Stem cell therapy and curcumin synergistically enhance recovery from spinal cord injury.” PLoS One. 2014; 9(2): e88916.
6. Li J, et al. “Curcumin promotes proliferation of adult neural stem cells and…signaling pathway.” Cell Reprogram. 2019 Jun;21(3):152-161.
7. Stephenson K and Grout M. “Fucoidan and stem cells — seaweed promotes stem cell function.” Arizona Center for Advanced Medicine. 2 Sep 2015.