What might be some natural stem cell boosts? Should we be skeptical of such an idea?
Boosting stem cells naturally
Data suggests there could be ways to boost our stem cells naturally but it’s still early days in this line of research.
How do we define a “stem cell boost”? I think of it as how we might increase the number of our endogenous stem cells or their helpful properties. Think of it as preventative medicine via stem cells.
Why is this important and why talk about “boosts”?
If a more natural boost is possible then often that would be a better, simpler, and safer idea than getting a transplant of stem cells for general health. Or even for nagging but minor health issues. These would not replace a stem cell transplant for a serious illness.
Natural stem cell boosts
Below are five possible simple ways that research suggests theoretically might be helpful to give your existing so-called endogenous stem cells a boost. I strongly suggest doing your own homework. Such reading could include potentially going to PubMed and probably talking to your physician.
You can also read more on this in my stem cell book: Stem Cells: An Insider’s Guide and check out my video above on stem cell supplements, which I do not recommend.
1. Exercise to boost stem cells
The human body seems designed to increase stem cell numbers when we are more active. This makes great sense if you consider that the more active that we are physically the more new cells we’ll need. Why? We are likely to lose more of our older cells by exercising. Here are two papers backing up the idea of exercise boosting our stem cell numbers.
- Macaluso, FKH Myburgh (2012) Current evidence that exercise can increase the number of adult stem cells. Journal of muscle research and cell motility. 33:3-4:187-98.
- Blackmore, DG, et al. (2009) Exercise increases neural stem cell number in a growth hormone-dependent manner, augmenting the regenerative response in aged mice. Stem Cells. 27:8:2044-52.
There are many other papers as well that support this idea. Exercise in a sense also mildly damages different tissues in the body such as muscles. That tiny injury may stimulate the production of new stem cells as well.
There is also interest in exercise programs for those patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (like bone marrow transplants) for blood cancers. These programs may enhance recovery. Here’s a paper in this area: Effects of partly supervised and home-based exercise program in patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: a case-control study.
Overall, to me as a stem cell biologist, exercise makes the most sense as a way to have positive impacts on your stem cells, but you should talk to your doctor first before you make any radical changes in exercise.
2. Caloric restriction or fasting for stem cell stimulation
There is also an idea that eating less may lead to more stem cells.
For example, here’s an article that reports that fasting boosts stem cell numbers. The team from USC found that even just a few days of fasting increased the number of stem cells in our blood system. This potential connection between fasting and stem cell numbers also makes sense as our body probably needs to be more efficient at times of low food availability and boost resistance to infection.
Here are a couple more articles on the possible activation of stem cells by fasting:
Some health celebrities like Bryan Johnson tout caloric restriction as an anti-aging approach. There is evidence in animal models that this works but not so much in humans.
Is it really the fasting or the eating that follows that sparks our stem cells?
3. Eating better to help your stem cells
Furthermore, note this new 2024 research that fasting followed by eating, which also stimulates increases in stem cells, may elevate the risk of cancer as well.
This study was done in mice but it suggests caution. Eating too little can also lead to other health problems.
Instead of taking questionable supplements (more on those toward the end of the article), I suggest eating a varied, plant-based diet as your best bet to keep your body healthy, assuming you have talked to your physician first.
While so far I have not found strong published evidence that a plant-based diet boosts stem cells, for many people it may improve health overall. Diet can also influence inflammation so eating better may reduce inflammation, which would be better for your stem cells.
4. Tai chi
Researchers in Taiwan have reported that people who practice the martial art Tai Chi saw a several-fold boost in their stem cell populations (by which they meant a specific type of cell called a “Progenitor CD34+Cells” cell. This seems a little too good to be true in terms of magnitude, but could fit in with the exercise boost discussed above.
Also, now in 2024, I have not found any more reports strongly linking Tai Chi to stem cells so that’s less encouraging.
If there is a link between Tai chi and stem cells it could be related to overall stress reduction and balance in life as well as exercise. So could Tai chi be placed as a subcategory in the Exercise for Stem Cells section above? I think there may be more to it.
5. Sleep and stem cells
Although I wrote earlier about how physical activity could boost stem cell levels, it also kind of makes sense that stem cells may do their thing while we are asleep. Stem cell research also supports this idea as well.
There is also some common sense that sleep may increase stem cell numbers as it is a time for repair.
Interestingly, newer research suggests that a lack of sleep may temporarily increase stem cell numbers but at a cost. Disrupted sleep may lead to less diversity among stem cells and negatively impact stem cell populations in the long run.
6. Protect yourself and your stem cells from radiation
When you read this you probably are thinking of dental or chest x-rays or CT scans, but I think a far more important source of radiation for many of us is UV light from the sun.
It is smart to protect your skin stem cells. Become an educated user of sunscreens and about sun exposure. In any case, the best protection from skin cancer is shade or if you have to be out in the sun, clothing. Do not let sunscreen increase your sun exposure dramatically or its use will backfire.
Note that altering specific genetic switches can also boost stem cell production or mobilization, but in everyday life, we don’t know how to try to get similar results by changing our lifestyles.
A no-go: Stem cell supplements are questionable at best so far
Finally, as I said above, I don’t believe that supplements are a good way to go. Also see my broader late 2024 stem cell supplement review. They are at best a huge waste of money and at worst a risk to your health.
I also don’t recommend stem cell patches.
Note that this post is not intended as medical advice.
The research papers on practicing Tai Chi to increase stem cell content in humans was conducted by Taiwanese researchers, not Chinese: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24816453/
Thanks, I fixed that reference.
What stem cells are we talking about? By definition, stem cells can self-renew and differentiate into more than one cell type.
There are multiple varieties of stem cells in the mesenchyme around and within different organs; some can regenerate cartilage (although not well), and the most famous are those that generate fat. There are stem cells in the intestine that are responsible for regenerating the variety of cells that secrete enzymes to metabolize food. Skeletal muscle contains a reservoir of spare cells, called satellite cells, which aren’t stem cells because they can only make one cell type: skeletal muscle.
The most robust of all stem cells are hematopoietic stem cells, which constantly divide and generate red and white blood cells. They are used as stem cell transplants for people whose own blood cells have turned cancerous or have died.
There are no functioning stem cells in the heart or in the brain, unfortunately, so while the neurons in the brain can make and break connections among them, they don’t divide. And heart muscle can’t regenerate.
What stem cells are supposed to be enhanced by these supplements?
I’m not sure what the rationale is for supplements. Most of these are bogus. My impression is that there are some populations of stem cells in the adult human brain but it’s unclear what their purpose might be. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem they are there to repair things. Sadly, as you said, it doesn’t appear there are any meaningful populations of stem cells in the adult human heart. What do you think, Jeanne, of in vivo reprogramming of heart fibroblasts into muscle stem cells that might be useful? This idea is bouncing around. Seems risky to me, but interesting.
Many other tissues like muscle, blood vessel walls, etc. do have some stem cells. Peripheral nerve sheaths may have some stem cells and those nerves sometimes have a regenerative capacity. Other than homeostasis of tissues, repair by stem cells is not a common thing in us people though. If only we could make blastema!
I think we need to start defining what we mean.
Stem cells can make more than one cell type.
Progenitors can only make one.
Skeletal muscle has satellite cells that can fuse with the existing fibers. They are progenitors.
Bone marrow has hematopoietic stem cells. They can make T-cells, B-cells, macrophages and all the other types of blood cells: stem cells.
Progenitors are useful for the one thing that they can do. Putting muscle satellite cells into the heart doesn’t work. There are no progenitors in the heart, which is why it can’t regenerate.
Even scientists get these mixed up, which didn’t matter much until so many people started thinking that an adult stem cell or progenitor can do anything. Putting mesenchymal stem cells or hematopoietic stem cells somewhere that they don’t normally live just doesn’t work. HSCs into the bone marrow, yes. HSCs into a knee, no.
I damaged a peripheral nerve years ago, and have been patiently waiting for axons to sprout and extend back into my fingers. I’ve been fascinated to see that it actually happens. Just one finger remains partially numb.
Just a reminder, pluripotent stem cells, which exist only outside the body in culture dishes, can make many different kinds of neurons, liver cells, heart cells, retinal cells, and more. That’s why there’s so much excitement about replacing cells in places that don’t have progenitors or stem cells – the brain, the heart, the eye.
Paul- I know that you know this, but even scientists want to believe in magic. I’m the one in the back who yells out: “I know how that trick works!”
@Jeanne,
You are probably right on the satellite cells, but I have heard of some data suggesting that satellite cells can form adipocytes or turn into fibroblasts.
Sir i would like to know whether STC30 got any approval or registration at FDA
I like this post – it is positive rather than skeptical. Not that there is anything wrong about being skeptical.
I’ve heard the spice tumeric can help stem cells – not sure if that is true though.
Proper sleep, nutrition, and exercise, all help support a healthy body and mind? I dunno, seems a little far fetched to me. If that were true then doctors would be recommending these things to help keep people healthy and manage other conditions as well.
@Sam, I’m guessing you are being ironic with this comment? Or maybe a lot of doctors aren’t recommending these things when they should?
Paul, congratulations!
This is one of your best conclusions!
I support this view and agree 100%.
Primoz