Stem cell therapy side effects include walking difficulties, overactive bladder, tumors, stroke, blindness, pneumonia, brain hemorrhage, pulmonary embolism, heart attack, cardiac arrest, blood loss, cancer, coma, and even death. These can be experienced during the surgery and in follow-up treatments. There are also instances when these appear years after the intervention.
This article will also discuss the estimated cost for a stem cell transplant, countries that offer the treatment, and how to spot fraudulent clinics. Additionally, it will go over FDA-approved methods for individuals interested in this therapy. Safety tips and alternative treatments will be mentioned as well.
While stem cell therapy has great potential, more research needs to be done to ensure safety. There is a recommended treatment that has no dangerous side effects - stem cell supplements. Cerule, a trusted biotech company, has invested almost two decades of clinical research into their products. Their StemEnhance ULTRA safely promotes repair by increasing the production of adult stem cells, which are naturally occurring in the body,
17 Documented Cases of Stem Cell Therapy Side Effects
The following side effects of stem cell therapy discussed on this list mostly come from a 2018 journal article. Other sources are indicated individually.
#1 Bone-like growth in eyelid
Wanting a facelift, a US native went to a local facility for stem cell infusion. She received injections surrounding her eye, which resulted in bone-like growth in her eyelid.
#2 Pneumonia
A 72-year-old Filipino with liver cancer went to Germany for animal-based stem cell treatment. After receiving it, he had an infection which led to pneumonia.
#3 Pea-sized tumors
A 58-year-old Russian went to a local clinic to combat age-related problems. He got skin injections for a human embryonic stem cell treatment. He eventually developed pea-sized tumors.
#4 Benign tumor
A benign tumor was discovered in a 38-year-old man’s spinal cord. It was later found out that this was linked to a stem cell treatment he received 12 years prior.
#5 Tumor, bladder issues
In 2020, a US native who went to Russia for treatment of chronic fatigue. The stem cell therapy side effects he experienced were spinal cord tumors, bladder issues, and weakness on the lower part of his body.
#6 Spinal bloody mass growth
A 66-year-old male who traveled abroad seeking cure for stroke complications. However, after stem cell transplantation, he began experiencing walking difficulties. Upon seeking medical help, it was found out that, growing in his spinal cord, was a bloody mass of tissue.
#7 Internal brain hemorrhage
A 10-year-old child from Azerbaijan had cerebral palsy and received intervention in Germany. He underwent bone marrow stem cell therapy, which led to internal brain hemorrhage.
#8 Blindness
Three women, who were senior citizens, were blinded after a treatment administered in Florida. They received eye injections of stem cells derived from fat tissue.
#9 Cancer
In 2018, there were 35 cases where stem cell therapies had side effects that include cancer, loss of vision, heart problems, and infections.
#10 Internal brain hemorrhage, death
An 18-month-old baby, originally from Italy, underwent a bone marrow transplant in Germany. He was administered with a stem cell injection directly into the brain, which resulted in hemorrhage and eventually death.
#11 Stroke, death
A United States citizen, aged 69, was experiencing complications following chemotherapy, such as difficulty walking and numbness. She then got surgery in the Dominican Republic for a bone marrow stem cell treatment, which was administered with an injection in the right carotid artery. She had a stroke and died afterwards.
#12 Pulmonary embolism, death
A South Korean native, aged 73, had cardiovascular complications after receiving adipose derived stromal cells in Japan. He then experienced pulmonary embolism and passed away.
#13 Coma, death
A 63-year-old woman, who had liver cirrhosis from hepatitis B, went to a local Chinese facility to receive stem cell treatment. She was later comatose and died afterwards.
#14 Heart attack, death
A woman traveled to Russia, from Australia, to get treatment for stiff person syndrome. She received intravenous infusion for autologous hematopoietic stem cells. She had a heart attack and later died.
#15 Cardiac arrest, death
A 77-year-old man from the US had pulmonary hypertension and visited a stem cell center in the Dominican republic. The intervention received was adipose derived stromal cells through intravenous infusion. He later experienced cardiac arrest and then died.
#16 Blood loss, death
An Australian citizen, aged 75, had dementia and went to a local clinic for intervention. She later experienced cardiovascular complications, blood loss, and then died.
#17 Death
Born in the US, a woman aged 59 passed away after her stem cell surgery. She was seeking treatment for her idiopathic bronchiectasis and went to a local facility.
What Are 3 Disadvantages of Stem Cell Therapy?
The disadvantages of stem cell therapy include risk and safety concerns regarding the treatment and the facilities. The overblown cost of each surgery, excluding travel and follow-up care expenses, is also estimated to be between 10,000-60,000 USD. Additionally, clinics make unproven claims in social media and blogs to persuade vulnerable clients.
In fact, this phenomenon has been dubbed as “stem cell tourism,” where people seeking treatment travel to another state or country. This is rampant in the US, China, India, Mexico, and Thailand. The leading reasons people undergo stem cell therapy include Alzheimer's disease, arthritis, stroke, spinal cord injury, autism, cerebral palsy, Parkinson's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, multiple sclerosis, and anti-aging.
Stem cell therapy’s popularity isn’t unfounded. Stem cells have remarkable self-renewal and repair capabilities. It is a marvel in the field of regenerative medicine because it can create different cell types, which makes it ideal for repairing various organs and damaged tissue. Moreover, as humans age, stem cell production lowers, leading to reduced healing ability.
This is why, despite potential stem cell therapy side effects, many seek this treatment and take the risks. However, the field is relatively young. More stem cell research, clinical trials, and regulation are direly needed to guarantee stem cell therapy benefits.
What Is the Success Rate of Stem Cell Treatment?
Stem cell therapy success rate, as well as death rate, is difficult to measure due to the absence of credible data. This is because most facilities in the United States operate without the approval of the FDA. Additionally, stem cell therapy is illegal in most countries. Therefore, they are not properly documented.
It is worth noting, however, that the only stem cell-based product that’s FDA-approved comes from cord blood and is made from blood-forming stem cells. They can only be used for disorders affecting the production of blood. Moreover, the clinics that offer them are listed on FDA’s website.
What Are Safety Tips & Alternatives for Stem Cell Therapy?
Besides ensuring that the treatment and facility are FDA-approved, interested parties can also ask their physician if the information provided by a local clinic is accurate, or even take part in a clinical trial that requires an Investigational New Drug Application (IND) and a consent form. For international interventions, recognize the risks and that the FDA does not have authority for regulation in other countries.
Regarding treatment for serious illnesses, it is advisable to seek proven and tested methods before considering stem cell therapy. For those who are focused on biohacking and/or experiencing less severe ailments, a stem cell-boosting lifestyle is recommended. One notable example is intermittent fasting. Moreover, it involves reduction of:
- Smoking
- Alcohol intake
- Sugar consumption
Supplements are also a safe alternative for stem cell therapy since there are no known side effects. However, it’s important to observe how one’s unique body chemistry reacts to them. In case adverse effects are experienced, an individual can wean it off and then ultimately stop taking them. Moreover, a physician can be consulted before or after intake.
It should be noted that it is necessary to pair this with a lifestyle that supports stem cell production. Besides the intake of oral stem cell supplements, ensuring adequate sleep and regular exercise promote healing.
Stem Cell Supplements: Most Cost-Effective & Reliable Solution
Stem cell therapy side effects are concerning. Amidst the hype, discernment and extensive research must be conducted by interested participants. Moreover, there are ethical concerns regarding the harvest of stem cells, particularly for embryonic stem cells, since it involves the destruction of the embryo. While the NIH guidelines require only using ones from donations and in vitro fertilization processes that are no longer needed and will be disposed of anyway, there is no guarantee that this is followed in treatment centers, domestic and abroad.
Additionally, induced pluripotent stem cells, which are laboratory-modified and therefore do not need embryos, still pose dangers like rejection (even if the stem cells are the patient’s own), formation of inappropriate cell types, and even failure for the intervention to work as expected. The sole type that doesn’t involve harmful risks are adult stem cells, which humans naturally possess. However, its production dwindles with age. With that being said, there are many ways to activate its proliferation, which include nutrition, fasting, and exercise.
The safest and most advisable form of stem cell-boosting method is the use of supplements. Cerule StemEnhance ULTRA, in particular, is a top-tier, trustworthy product with no reported side effects. It is from the revolutionary company Cerule, with products backed by over 18 years of clinical research and global patents. Its stem cell nutrition works best when accompanied by the recommended diet and lifestyle. Not only can it be consumed without worry, but it is also incredibly cost-effective. There’s no need to travel or visit an expensive and potentially unscrupulous stem cell clinic.
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