Stem cells have the topic of much debate in recent years…. Can they really be the answer to curing disease? Is it ethical to extract them from newborn cord blood and freeze it for the future? Are they even viable when cultivated in labs for the purpose of transplantation into another human?
Regardless of your stance on the the topic of stem cell research, one thing is sure- regardless of where they come from or how they are generated, stems cells are important to the body. In this article, we’ll explore whether a natural product, like Nopalea, may aid in production of them naturally within the body.
What are Stem Cells?
When the development of a human embryo begins, there is a special point where cells start to differentiate, change their structure and adopt specific roles within the body. Some of these cells become brain cells, while others start forming the heart, lungs, liver and other internal organs, until the embryo is fully developed. These cells are called embryonic stem cells.
Though a common misconception, the body does not stop producing stems cells after the embryonic stage. It simply produces more type-specific varieties as an old cell dies and a new one is needed to take its place. What does happen over time, however, is a “slow down” in stem cell production. This contributes to the process of aging, which is, by definition in cellular biology, “the process of cell death and replacement”.
How the Body Makes Stem Cells
The production of stem cells in the body is an everyday chemical process. As cells die, they release an enzyme into the bloodstream which messages the brain. The brain then interrupts the level of enzyme in the bloodstream and sends the corresponding amount of Human growth hormone (HgH). When the HgH reaches the area of the body where the cell death enzyme is signalling, it then calls in the appropriate number of stem cells to replace the dead cells. These stem cells find an opening in the area where the dead cell is, bind themselves to the surrounding tissue and begin the process of differentiating into the type of cell they are replacing.
Stem cell research shows that the more energy the cells receive the better they can function and the faster they can grow back. Since cells receive their energy from the food and liquids we use as sustenance, many researchers, attempting to slow down the aging process, have started studying on developing improved nutrients in order to enhance the efficiency of stem cell growth.
There are a number of recently developed food supplements that are believed to assist stem cells growth. Studies have proven that some of them produce mixed results – doing wonders for certain people, while not improving in any way the condition of others- one of them being the ever familiar Resveratol.
Revving Up Stem Cell Production With Nopalea
Since the foundation of healthy stem cell production relies heavily on nutrients, that means we can essentially control our signs of aging by ensuring proper nutrition and a healthy inner environment for our cells to proliferate.
Scientists agree that there are 6 known nutrients that stimulate stem cell growth in the body and the unique bioflavanoid found in the nopal cactus fruit, betalain, is said to be among them. That implies, that Nopalea, as an nopal cactus fruit derivative also containing betalains, must aid in stem cell production.
Additionally, Nopalea contains a secondary bioflavanoid called Quercetin, which has not only been shown to reduce the effects of aging, but in a 2010 study on cancer stem cell production showed promise in inhibiting cancer stem cell production in the prostate.
The paper on that study can be found here.
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