Stem cells are manufactured in the bone marrow of our bodies. They have the amazing potential to develop into several diverse cell varieties. Serving as a kind of repair system for the body, they can theoretically split without limit to restock other cells. When a stem cell splits, every new cell has the potential to either remain a stem cell or become another kind of cell with a more specialized function, such as a muscle cell or a red blood cell. Stem cells have the aptitude to regenerate any other cell of the body. Therefore, a stem cell can become a neuron, a liver cell, a brain cell, a fingernail cell, or any other cell that has to be substituted or mended. Since long, researchers have tried to harness the power of stem cell therapy for the advantage of human race and considerably they have been prosperous in some facets. However, the path to finding a complete cure for degenerative sicknesses is awash with challenges. With the potential that stem cells have, they bring along several risks and investigators are very well alert of these risks, so they now aim to cut the risk factors and develop safe processes for stem cell therapy. To justify the promise of stem cells, they are now finding ways of confronting the risks related with them.
The major related complications
Understanding the complications linked to stem cell therapy is essential for success of such therapy. Notwithstanding of some of the complications that scientists perceived during administration of stem cell therapies, majority of the cases shows encouraging outcomes. Countless scientists use adult cells including those reaped from fat tissues, which flow in diverse body parts after being vaccinated in a patient. Out of all the varied cell categories that researchers use, embryonic cells have enticed most of the controversy owing to the ethical problems related to them. However, stem cell therapy advanced further with the unearthing of other sources of stem cells.
What are the side effects of stem cell therapy?
Side-effects from astem cell transplant before the transplant, you will be given chemotherapy, which might or might not be combined with radiation therapy. Consequently, maximum of the side effects of this therapy are like the side-effects that chemo and radiotherapy can leave. These side effects generally result in the risk of infections. Infections are the most common side-effect. Cancer treatments deteriorate the body and the immune system. This makes the body susceptible to infections from viruses, bacteria and other microorganisms. The patient is at uppermost risk during the early weeks after the transplant. Other common side-effects that point up instantaneously include:
- Mouth sores
- Fatigue
- Low levels of red blood cells, which results in anaemia
- Sharp drop in platelet count, which can also reduce the capacity of blood to clot
- Diarrhoea
Long-standing side effects from transplant which can develop from some months to years after the therapy are:
- Infertility
- Hazard of developing another cancer
- Cataracts
- Thyroid complications
- Early menopause for females
- Lung or bone mutilation
Handling the complexities
To dispose of the obstacle of mining embryonic stem cells, scientists came up with induced pluripotent cells, which are just like embryonic cells and can be made in lab condition too. In some of the trials where induced pluripotent cells have been employed, patients have displayed no complications even after sometime of the treatment. It is, however, imperative to caution the patients about the complications before they go through stem cell therapy. Such therapies can lead to possible side-effects like weakness and exhaustion and in some cases it can result in nausea and signs of flu.
Usage of drugs to control the problems
In some circumstances, particularly in the treatment of cancer, patients have to undergo radiation and chemotherapy, as these are a part of transplant process. Doctors now try to control these impediments by recommending medications to manage the obstacles. Drugs for averting viral and fungal infections and for rapid immune system development are given to the patient after undergoing stem cell therapy. One of the most common intricacies is the attack of freshly formed blood cells on your stem cells. This ensues when the cells are derived from a donor. Using cells from the patient only is one of the effectual ways of handling this problem. Mesenchymal cells have been able to blow away this problem and other therapies are also administered accompanied by stem cell therapy to cut down immune reaction after getting cells from a donor.
Stem cell therapy seems to be more intricate than anticipated
Stem cell functions and biology is more intricate than what scientists thought and with every new investigation, a new optimism accompanied by a new hurdle comes to the surface. Experts now are working on reprogramming adult cells to make them work like embryonic cells. The deficiency of standardized approaches for stem cell therapy is another issue with the development of this treatment. Diverse individuals use diverse approaches for extracting reprogrammed cells and then scrutinizing them. This deficiency of uniformity also stands as a hurdle for proliferation of stem cell therapy. This is the reason why efficiency and security of these therapies are still under doubt. Refusal of the cells received from a donor by the patient’s immune system is another obstacle to watch out for and to circumvent this complication; doctors prefer the usage of mesenchymal cells, which have immune suppressive features, making it more desirable for cell transplantation. So, don’t hold your gasp for embryonic stem cell research to develop the antidote for Alzheimer’s or anything else. That just ain’t going to happen. Help your body create all of the stem cells required to maintain and overhaul itself with suitable nutritional support. Remember to move your body, eat well, supplement intelligently, drink lots of clean, drinkable and enhanced water and support your body’s natural aptitude to produce the stem cells essential to maintain and overhaul itself while it continues to move you toward health and well-being.