Anti-Aging Regenerative Medicine
Anti-Aging & Regenerative Medicine
Anti-aging medicine is the pinnacle of biotechnology joined with advanced clinical preventive medicine. Anti-aging medicine is a clinical/medical specialty founded on the application of advanced scientific and medical technologies for the early detection, prevention, treatment and reversal of age related dysfunction, disorders and degenerative diseases. Approximately 80% of all adult illness is due to the degenerative processes seen with aging. This includes adult-onset diabetes, Alzheimer’s, autoimmune disease, glaucoma, heart disease, high blood pressure, most cancers, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis and strokes.
Anti-aging medicine joins advanced clinical preventive medicine to promote innovative science and research, embracing cutting edge biomedical technologies to enhance the quality and length of human life. There is increasing scientific research to support this growing field of medicine. Hundreds of scientific research studies clearly prove that modest interventions in diet, exercise, nutrition and single-gene modulation in the laboratory setting beneficially and significantly impact healthy function in old age and modify maximum lifespan. Around the world, people are seeking medical guidance for ways to stay healthy, active and vital well in to their senior years. As a result, the principles of the anti-aging lifestyle are gaining rapid and widespread acceptance as a framework for lifelong habits for healthy living.
Anti-aging medicine is scientific and well documented by peer-reviewed medical and scientific journals and uses evidence-based methodologies to conduct patient assessments. The American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine was established in 1997 as a professional physician certification and review board, which offers physician recognition in the form of a specialty based examination in Anti-Aging Medicine.
Dr. Patel practices Anti-Aging Medicine with a personalized focus on primary prevention of the underlying causes instead of the symptoms of serious chronic disease(s). Anti-Aging Medicine is a science based health care field that is grounded in the following principles:
- Science based medicine that connects the emerging research base to clinical practice.
- Biochemical individuality based on genetic and environmental uniqueness.
- Patient-centered medicine emphasizes “patient care” rather than “disease care”.
- Dynamic balance of internal and external factors that affect total functioning.
- Interconnectivity of physiological factors. An abundance of research now supports the view that the human body functions as an orchestrated network of interconnected systems, rather than individual systems functioning autonomously and without effect on each other.
- Health as a positive vitality, not merely the absence of disease.
- Promotion of organ reserve as the means to enhance health span.
What is Regenerative Medicine?
Regenerative medicine is a medical specialty that applies advanced biomedical technologies for the purposes of renewing body tissues with the goal of maintaining the human body in normal-to-peak function for a prolonged period of time. Key subjects in regenerative medicine include: Stem cell therapeutics, Therapeutic cloning, Genetic engineering and genomics and Nanotechnology.
Regenerative medicine optimizes the body’s endogenous mechanisms of self-repair and adds proven and near future exogenous treatments and technologies. Adult stem cells appear to be our most powerful tool at this time. Previous dogma concerning adult stem cells taught that neurons and myocytes did not have stem cells and the cells present at birth just declined in quantity and quality. It was also believed that hematopoietic stem cells in the bone marrow lacked plasticity and could not transform to other tissues. Current medical literature proves that adult stem cells exist in most tissues including brain, heart, muscles and liver. Hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) and endothelial progenitor cells (EPC) in the bone marrow have plasticity to potentially transform and repair all tissues and organs.
In the hormone optimization component of Anti-Aging medicine, we are already optimizing stem cells. Progesterone via its metabolite allopregnenolone stimulates neural stem cells and testosterone stimulates muscle stem cells and EPC’s, which can improve erectile function. Estradiol improves incorporation and mobilization of EPC’s.
In the lifestyle component of Anti-Aging medicine, we are optimizing our adult stem cells with exercise and control of glucose and insulin. In the neutraceutical component of Anti-Aging medicine, we are optimizing our adult stem cells with Resveratrol as we turn on genes such as SIR1 and with blueberry, green tea and vitamin D3. DHA in omega 3 fish oil promotes neurogenesis from neuronal stem cells.
A new phase of Regenerative Medicine has recently commenced with cryogenic preservation of adult stem cells in healthy patients for future use. These patients are the same pro-active population who follow Anti-Aging programs. After stimulation with granulocyte colony, stimulating factor adult stem cells can be collected by aphaeresis and stored in separate aliquots for treatment of specific pathologies such as acute myocardial infarction or for overall immune system reconstitution. This paradigm shift is referred to as bio-insurance.
Dr. Patel is board certified with a Fellowship in Anti-Aging, Regenerative and Functional Medicine by the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine.
