The good news is medical researchers are always trying to find new ways to fix damage we’ve done to our bodies.  Bad news is, it takes a lot of money, and even more time, to make new treatments a reality for the general public.  That being said, the recent announcement of a breakthrough stem cell treatment that has helped repair lung tissue damage in mice is a great step forward.  But it’s only one step in the long journey to fixing damaged lungs.

As reported in the prestigious American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, a newly found type of placental human stem cell (that is, basal human cells that are not yet fixed into a particular role) have been shown to help reduce injury and scarring in the lung, and even generate new lung cells in mice. Associate Professor Yuben Moodley, of the Lung Institute of Western Australia, and the lead researcher on the project, has been quoted as saying that:

“cellular therapies, although in the early stages of development, may form a vital part of future lifesaving treatment. The big advantage is that we can get these cells from placentas that have been delivered and would otherwise be discarded, so there are no ethical issues involved. What we’re trying to do is replace any damaged cells in the lungs so the progression of the disease is arrested and there is also some suggestion that some cells acquire lung-like properties which we’d like to investigate more.”

Good news, but don’t hold your breath (pardon the pun) for this treatment for repairing lungs, as it’s at least five years off, if not more.

So far, they’ve only successfully treated mice.  The humble rodent is a good test subject to ‘get the treatment right’ before testing it on people, but still there are differences between us and mice that may affect how well the treatment works.  Going on what information I’ve been able to gather on the research, it’s very early days yet, and they are still learning about the effects of the stem cell treatment, so it could be a good few years before human trials might begin.  Once that happens, the powers that be will decide if the effects of the treatment make it worthwhile, and then there is the cost of the treatment.  Will it be covered by your countries health service, if you are lucky enough to have one?  Could you afford to pay up-front for it?

So don’t think you’ll be lining up for this sometime next week.  It will be a long time, if at all (some of these research streams don’t pan out, after all).  That said, there are some things you can do to increase your chances of being around for this future lung repair treatment. Quitting smoking if you haven’t, staying smoke-free and then detoxifying your lungs are important steps to your future longevity.

Consider our product, The Complete Lung Detoxification Guide Series, as not only a course of treatment to improve your lung health, but to extend your life, weather you’ve been a smoker for a few years, or a few decades.  At less than the price of a carton of cigarettes, can you afford not to give it a try?

Until next time,

stay well, stay quit, and lung-toxin free.

William Renolds