Have you heard yet about Stem Cell Banking?
Imagine if you could have the super-power of living forever. At first glance, you would probably recoil, thinking that you would never be free from wrinkles, sore joints, and memory loss.
Or if you’re a member of the under-40 crowd, you might just choose another more trendy power like “Super Influencer” or “24-Hour Never Need Sleep.”
But back to reality. Is it even possible to think that one day we could find a way to extend our lives, thriving in a healthy state for decades past our 90th birthday? The answer might surprise you.
Stem Cells are Not Plants
“Stem cells are the building blocks of our bodies,” explains Steven Clausnitzer, CEO and Co-founder of Forever Labs. “We use 2 different kinds of stem cells in our work: Hematopoietics and Mesenchymals.”
*Hematopoietics build blood and support the immune system.
*Mesenchymals build bone and connective tissue, plus veins, blood vessels, and nerves.
“50 years ago, most people had no idea what a stem cell even was,” says Steven.
*Stem cells decline in number and function with age.
*Having access to our own younger stem cells can be beneficial in the future when health issues arise.
*One of our favorite longevity supplements is Glutathione, one of the most highly studied supplement products on NIH. Learn more about it here.
Living Longer Has its Downsides
“Because we are living longer, there are some relatively new age-related diseases that now become the focus of modern medicine. These include cardiovascular disease, certain cancers, Alzheimers, and dementia, which all begin at the cellular level.”
Listen to the podcast here:
When banked earlier in life, Multipotent stem cells (including the Mesenchymals and Hematopoietics) can be used to treat disease, and sometimes prevent it from occurring. (7:30)
Stem cell banking is a recent development. Building a meaningful company requires much more than a focus on making money. Solving the problems surrounding age-related disease requires effort of an enormous magnitude.
While someone else’s stem cells can be beneficial in decreasing inflammation, more often than not foreign stem cells will be seen as invaders and expelled from the body. (12:30)
Autologous stem cells (your own) can be banked at age 40-50 or younger (the younger the better), and be cultured and reintroduced to the body where they know exactly what to do and feel “right at home.” They are also being tested to be used as preventative when reintroduced on a schedule.
Steve uses the example of his Grandfather Clausnitzer, who died several years after falling on ice and breaking his tailbone. “He became bedridden and inactive because of the pain, and I believe the injury reduced his lifespan. What if my grandfather had been reintroducing his Autologous cells on a schedule and had stronger bones. Maybe he would have ended up with a bruise on his tailbone and was able to recover.” (15:00)
Prevention is the Best Medicine
Can stem cells be used preventively to boost the immune system?
Can they make bones and connective tissues stronger?
Can they make the vascular system more flexible and resilient?
Yes they can.
Animal testing has shown significant results in preventative use of stem cells. Currently, there are thousands of clinical trials in “Phase 3” status, which is the last step before they can be used in doctor’s offices everywhere.
*Mice have been made to live 28% longer using their own stem cells.
*Human trials are in full-swing, but will take several years for conclusive results. Stroke victims are being treated currently with some encouraging results, regaining use of limbs that were previously paralyzed due to brain injury.
“Theoretically, we can use these cells preventively and slow down the onset of age-related diseases and decline. That, we know, works in animal models.” (15:45)
What We Know
Since this is a fairly new field, the track record of success is always in question.
“What we know right now for sure is that stem cells decline in number and function with age,” …which is why we ultimately age. “We also know that stem cells can be stored in liquid nitrogen for decades with little to no degradation as long as they’re frozen and thawed properly.” (17:05)
Is this program designed to favor the rich?
“Our first radio interview was with NPR out of Michigan. They asked us, “Are you creating something for an elite class of citizens?”
Steven admits that he was raised in a middle-class family. He’s not interested in growing a business that preselects the rich for longevity. His goal is that everyone has access to stem cell treatments.
Originally, the ground-floor treatments started at $5,000. Currently, the treatments begin at $2,500 as the process goes through refinement. In addition, there is an annual fee of $250 for banking your own stem cells.
The “Lifetime Plan” includes a one-time fee of $9,000 for banking stem cells.
As time goes on, the idea of banking one’s own stem cells is becoming more acceptable. The more people who bank, the more the cost will decrease. (24:08)
“Are we saying that we can make people live forever? No. But if we can just get people to live healthier and longer, that would be a huge win,” says Steven.
Steven Clausnitzer is the CEO and Co-founder of Forever Labs, where they store STEM cells so you can live longer and healthier. They have also filed 3 patents which help facilitate autologous, biologic interventions. Steven believes that Forever Labs is tackling the greatest problem to ever face mankind, aging and age related disease. They have raised over $8M in funding and are operational in 20 states. In 2017, Steven took Forever Labs Through the esteemed tech acceleratir, Y Combinator. Fellow alumnus include Airbnb, Dropbox, DoorDash, Reddit, Stripe and Coinbase.
