Adult Stem Cells Work Better, MSM Only Likes Embry

Adult Stem Cells Work Better, MSM Only Likes Embryonic Kind. Hmm.
We all know what this is about.

Mainstream media routinely dumps undeserved disrespect on two topics: pets and stem cells.

The two topics happen to be linked: Sophisticated stem cell medicine — in which a patient’s own fatty tissue is harvested and processed for the patient’s own adult (autologous) stem cells, then reinjected for regenerative healing — is available in the United States and Canada, but only for animals. Elsewhere in the world — the Regenerative Medicine Institute at Tijuana’s impressive Hospital Angeles, for example, just 20 minutes outside San Diego — adult stem cells have been shown to have remarkable efficacy in treating a variety of diseases.

As a pet advocate with a medical condition that would most efficiently be helped by a simple stem cell procedure, I happen to be personally invested in both subjects. After my dog Sam underwent a procedure pioneered by Vet-Stem in San Diego, I saw first-hand how stem cells can get an arthritic, dejected old K9 walking and genuinely enjoying life again. But even if you don’t give a damn about animals and their welfare, here’s why you should care about stem cells: Because what works for dogs also works for humans, as a long history of scientific testing has shown at great cost to canine life. Because at any time, you or someone you love could develop a condition that diminishes quality of life or actually threatens it, and stem cells could dramatically improve it.

If you’re an American with a nagging medical problem that’s negatively impacting your life, you will have to travel abroad to receive treatment. It’s a costly proposition, as your health insurance provider won’t cover any part of it. Still, many Americans frustrated by declining health and understandably eager to improve their quality of life are booking flights to state-of-the-art facilities where they can expect to receive high-tech treatments (for orthopedic injury, arthritis, multiple sclerosis, spinal injury, COPD, cardiovascular disease, and many other conditions) that American hospitals simply cannot offer.

Many are returning home significantly improved — like Bartolo Colon. Sidelined by a series of arm and shoudler injuries, the pitcher underwent adult stem cell therapy in May in the Dominican Republic. Samples of his fat and bone marrow were processed for his own stem cells, then injected into the afflicted areas of his arm to repair ligament damage and a torn rotator cuff. The procedure had previously been shown to work for sidelined race horses; that was good enough for Colon, who is now at work for the Yankees, in the pink of health, delighting his fans.

[Lurk]

Maybe someone should make a tie-in to the earlier threads that asked essentially, 'Why can't I abort my smart-mouthed 16 year old?' 16 is adult in this area of science.

[puggymom]

Based on NIH, neither one is better than the other. They both have advantages and disadvantages.

What are the similarities and differences between embryonic and adult stem cells? [Stem Cell Information]

Here's another from a UK site:
Adult vs. Embryonic Stem Cells - Explore Stem Cells

The Verdict
Despite the ethical issues, embryonic stem cells show an overwhelmingly higher potential to treat disease. However, research should still continue with adult stem cells. It is possible that researchers will discover ways to develop adult stem cells with more success as well as find ways to improve how they function once transplanted into the human body. Recent evidence indicating that adult stem cells may have more potential than was previously thought means that adult stem cells should continue to be researched alongside embryonic stem cells. Ultimately, it's a case where both stem cell sources can be valuable to prolonging and saving human life.