Did you know alcohol kills stem cells in your brain?


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It’s common knowledge that drinking too much alcohol can cause health problems besides addiction, such as liver disease, diabetes, pancreatitis, and osteoporosis. Yet, alcohol is still one of the biggest issues worldwide and the third-leading avoidable cause of death in the United States?

According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), approximately 88,000 Americans die each year due to alcohol consumption. Now, there is new research that shows alcohol can affect stem cells, too.

That is why, if you are considering stem cell therapy in Miami, it is necessary to avoid drinking alcohol before a procedure. We have always advised our patients that frequent alcohol consumption can cause bone stem cells to become damaged, which may lead to osteonecrosis. However, this new study indicates alcohol may be more damaging to stem cells than was previously known.

What is the extent of stem cell damage due to alcohol consumption?

A new study by researchers from The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston has shown that chronic consumption of alcohol can kill stem cells in the brain that are crucial for cognitive functioning. These stem cells are responsible for naturally replacing damaged and aging nerve cells. The research, carried out in adult mice, indicated that frequent drinking may reduce the production and development of new nerve cells, causing undesirable changes in the brain. This study challenged the earlier scientific belief that there is a set number of nerve cells in the adult brain, which cannot be replaced after necrosis. Dr. Ping Wu, a professor in the department of neuroscience and cell biology at UT, said: ”The discovery that the adult brain produces stem cells that create new nerve cells provides a new way of approaching the problem of alcohol-related changes in the brain.” Source: https://www.utmb.edu/newsroom/

In mice, the effects of repeated alcohol consumption were different across brain regions and genders, and the region most prone to damage was the one where new brain cells are created in adults. Dr. Wu believes that the next phase of research needs to explore how stem cells in the brain are impacted by alcohol at various stages in their growth, in the different regions of the brain, and in the brains of both females and males.  

The results are critical if it bears out that chronic alcohol abuse in humans also causes brain damage and neurodegeneration, via the death of most brain stem cells and reduced production and development of new nerve cells.

More information about Stem cell therapy Miami

Stem cell treatment in Miami has the potential to alleviate suffering and treat previously incurable diseases by stimulating the repair of injured tissues, thus contributing to joint and/or spine regeneration.

Regenerative medicine, including stem cell treatments, are seen as a new and innovative treatment option offering tremendous hope for systemic diseases like diabetes, asthma, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s, and many others. Stem cell therapy is considered a new frontier of medicine and it’s important to familiarize yourself before making a selection of provider. If you would like more information about stem cell treatment Miami, or schedule an appointment, contact us.