Herb & supplement monograph

Stem Cell Therapy Drug Interactions, Uses, Effectiveness, Safety & More

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Interaction report

Drugs that interact with Stem Cell Therapy

0 medications have a known interaction with Stem Cell Therapy, graded by severity. Select any drug for the full evidence-based detail.

We don’t currently list any known drug interactions for Stem Cell Therapy. This doesn’t guarantee none exist — always confirm with your pharmacist before combining supplements with your medications.

Read The List Like a Pharmacist

What Severity, Likelihood & Evidence Mean

Severity — How Serious It Can Be

  • Major. Clinically significant; generally best avoided, or used only under direct professional supervision.
  • Moderate. May need monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separating the times you take each one.
  • Minor. Generally not clinically significant, but still worth noting and mentioning to your pharmacist.
  • No known interaction. Checked against our sources with nothing documented — not the same as proven safety.

Likelihood — How Well It’s Documented

  • Likely. Well-controlled human studies have demonstrated the likely existence of this interaction
  • Probable. Interaction has not been documented in well-controlled studies, however, the interaction has been demonstrated in some small human studies or in controlled animal studies in conjunction with multiple case reports.
  • Possible. Interaction has been documented in animal or in lab research, or the interaction has been documented in humans but is limited to case reports or conflicting clinical research exists
  • Unlikely. Interaction has been demonstrated in animal or in lab research but has been shown not to occur in humans.

Where This Data Comes From

  • Interaction records are evidence-graded and sourced from the Natural Medicines database (TRC Healthcare), the same reference used by pharmacists and hospitals.
  • Each drug listed above links to the full report for that exact Stem Cell Therapy combination — clinical detail, likelihood, evidence level, and citations.
  • Content is reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists — see our data sources and editorial standards.
Monograph

Stem Cell Therapy: Uses, Safety & Side Effects

The bottom line

Stem cell therapy is a medical treatment, not a dietary supplement or herb. While some forms—like bone marrow transplants for blood cancers—are well-established and FDA-approved, most clinics offering stem cell injections for joints, aging, or chronic disease are selling unproven, sometimes risky treatments. Talk to a qualified doctor and be very cautious of clinics making big promises.

Part used
Stem cells (from bone marrow, blood, fat tissue, or umbilical cord)
Common forms
Clinic-administered injections or infusions of cells
People commonly use it for
  • Joint and arthritis pain
  • Sports and orthopedic injuries
  • Anti-aging and wellness
  • Blood and immune disorders (proven medical uses)
  • Neurological conditions (experimental)

Popular and traditional uses — not proof it works. See “Uses & effectiveness” below for the evidence.

Safety at a glance
OverallUse caution

Proven uses exist, but most marketed stem cell treatments are unproven and can carry serious risks.

PregnancyBest avoided

Unproven stem cell treatments should be avoided during pregnancy unless medically necessary and supervised by specialists.

BreastfeedingBest avoided

Avoid elective stem cell procedures while breastfeeding; safety has not been established.

Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

Jump to a section

Overview

Stem cell therapy is not an herb or dietary supplement. It is a type of medical treatment that uses special cells called stem cells, which can develop into other types of cells in the body. Stem cells can come from sources like bone marrow, blood, fat (adipose) tissue, or umbilical cord tissue.

Some stem cell treatments are well-tested and approved by health authorities. For example, bone marrow and cord blood transplants are used to treat certain blood cancers and immune system diseases. These are given in hospitals by specialized teams.

At the same time, many clinics around the world advertise stem cell injections or infusions for problems like arthritis, joint pain, aging, and various chronic illnesses. Most of these uses are not proven, and many are not approved by the FDA.

How it works

Stem cells are unique because they can renew themselves and turn into different specialized cell types. The hope behind stem cell therapy is that these cells can repair or replace damaged tissue, or release signals that reduce inflammation and encourage healing.

In proven uses like bone marrow transplants, donor stem cells rebuild a patient's blood and immune system after disease or strong cancer treatment. This mechanism is well understood.

For joint, muscle, and anti-aging treatments, the proposed ideas—that injected cells regrow cartilage or reverse aging—come mostly from laboratory and animal studies. How well this actually works in people is not clearly proven, and the cells may not survive or behave as hoped once injected.

Effectiveness

Does Stem Cell Therapy work?

Evidence overview · 16 uses evaluated
16 Insufficient evidence
How to read these evidence grades

Natural Medicines’ 7-point scale. We show each rating’s label word-for-word.

1EffectiveStrong, consistent evidence it works.
2Likely EffectiveGood evidence, though not yet conclusive.
3Possibly EffectiveSome evidence suggests a benefit.
4Possibly IneffectiveSome evidence it may not help.
5Likely IneffectiveFairly strong evidence it doesn’t help.
6IneffectiveStrong evidence it doesn’t work.
7Insufficient Reliable Evidence to RateToo little research to say either way.

For Stem Cell Therapy, current evidence isn’t strong enough to rate any specific use. The conditions it has been studied for are listed below.

Also studied for 16 conditions — evidence insufficient to rate
Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate Angina
Rating & evidence shown verbatim from Natural Medicines

A meta-analysis of preliminary clinical research in patients with angina despite optimal medical therapy shows that stem cell therapy administered as percutaneous trans-endocardial or intracoronary injections might reduce episodes of angina. However, stem cell therapy also might worsen left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and perfusion defects when compared with control in these patients. This analysis was limited by significant heterogeneity and errors/inconsistencies in the reports. Stem cell therapy is not approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for this condition.

Sources Ref 99599
Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate Back pain
Rating & evidence shown verbatim from Natural Medicines

A meta-analysis of five observational studies and one clinical study found that mesenchymal stem cell injections into the lumbar disc are associated with reduced lower back pain. The validity of these results is limited by the fact that data from observational and clinical research were evaluated together. Also, the only clinical trial included in the meta-analysis suggests that allogeneic mesenchymal stem cell injections do not improve back pain when compared with control. Stem cell therapy is not approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for this condition.

Sources Ref 99597
Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate Cerebral palsy
Rating & evidence shown verbatim from Natural Medicines

A meta-analysis of preliminary clinical research shows that central nervous system transplantation or intravenous/arterial infusion of stem cells does not improve gross motor movement in children with cerebral palsy when compared with control.

Sources Ref 99730
Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate Congestive heart failure (CHF)
Rating & evidence shown verbatim from Natural Medicines

A meta-analysis of clinical research in patients with chronic ischemic heart disease and congestive heart failure shows that bone marrow-derived stem cell therapy does not reduce the risk of re-hospitalization for heart failure and does not affect left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) long-term when compared with control. However, stem cell therapy might reduce mortality and non-fatal myocardial infarction in this population. Stem cell therapy is not approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for this condition.

Sources Ref 99729
Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate Crohn disease
Rating & evidence shown verbatim from Natural Medicines

A meta-analysis of observational and clinical research in patients with Crohn disease found that intravenous infusion of hematopoietic stem cells or intravenous or local injections of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells is associated with improved clinical response and increased rate of clinical remission. Although this is promising, higher quality research is needed to confirm. Stem cell therapy is not approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for this condition.

Sources Ref 99725
Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate Diabetes
Rating & evidence shown verbatim from Natural Medicines

Observational research in patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes found that intrapancreatic and intravenous injections of stem cells are associated with temporary reductions in glycated hemoglobin A1C. This is promising, but higher quality research is needed to confirm. Stem cell therapy is not approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for this condition.

Sources Ref 99732
Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate Diabetic foot ulcers
Rating & evidence shown verbatim from Natural Medicines

A meta-analysis of small clinical studies in patients with diabetic foot ulcers shows that receiving autologous stem cells intramuscularly might improve wound healing. This analysis was limited by ambiguous descriptions of outcomes and reporting inaccuracies. Stem cell therapy is not approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for this condition.

Sources Ref 99600
Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate Liver disease
Rating & evidence shown verbatim from Natural Medicines

A meta-analysis of observational research and small clinical studies in patients with chronic liver disease found that mesenchymal stem cell therapy seems to improve liver markers such as total bilirubin and serum albumin levels. It is unclear if stem cell therapy improves outcomes based on image testing or tissue analysis. Stem cell therapy is not approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for this condition.

Sources Ref 99733
Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate Multiple sclerosis (MS)
Rating & evidence shown verbatim from Natural Medicines

A meta-analysis of clinical research in patients with severe and treatment-refractory MS suggests that autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation slows 2-year progression in patients with aggressive MS who do not yet have a high level of disability. These results seem promising, but for now stem cell therapy is not approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for this condition.

Sources Ref 99726
Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate Myocardial infarction (MI)
Rating & evidence shown verbatim from Natural Medicines

A meta-analysis of small preliminary clinical trials in patients with acute MI shows that receiving autologous adult bone marrow stem cells does not affect mortality, re-infarction or re-hospitalizations when compared with control.

Sources Ref 99734
Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate Osteoarthritis
Rating & evidence shown verbatim from Natural Medicines

A meta-analysis of small and low-quality clinical trials involving a total of 75 patients with osteoarthritis shows that intraarticular stem cell therapy modestly reduces pain compared to control. The studies in this analysis were limited by publication bias, inconsistency, and imprecision of data. Stem cell therapy is not approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for this condition. Due to concerns related to standardization and safety, as well as the low quality of the available evidence, the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) strongly recommends AGAINST the use of stem cell injections in patients with knee or hip osteoarthritis.

Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate Parkinson disease
Rating & evidence shown verbatim from Natural Medicines

Preliminary clinical research shows that stem cell therapy has no effect on Parkinson disease severity based on the Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS). However, there was a positive effect based on the Schwab and England scale. Although this is promising, additional research is needed to confirm. Stem cell therapy is not approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for this condition.

Sources Ref 99598
Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate Peripheral arterial disease (PAD)
Rating & evidence shown verbatim from Natural Medicines

A meta-analysis of preliminary clinical trials in patients with PAD shows that stem cell therapy might modestly reduce amputation and improve ulcer healing when compared with control. The trials included in the analysis were limited by lack of blinding, allocation concealment, and incomplete outcome reporting. Stem cell therapy is not approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for this condition.

Sources Ref 99728
Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate Spinal cord injury
Rating & evidence shown verbatim from Natural Medicines

A small retrospective review of adults with spinal cord injury who sought out stem cell therapy via stem cell tourism found that there was no improvement in functional outcomes, motor recovery, or bladder or bowel function when compared with baseline. In fact, 55% of participants demonstrated worse performance than expected based on historical cohorts, which might indicate a detrimental effect from the received treatment. These treatments were obtained in various countries and utilized multiple methods of administration, including lumbar puncture and subcutaneous, intramuscular, or subdural injection.

Sources Ref 102551
Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate Spinocerebellar ataxia (SCA)
Rating & evidence shown verbatim from Natural Medicines

A review of three small clinical studies administering intrathecal or intravenous multipotent mesenchymal stem cells extracted from umbilical cord and adipose tissue, either as a single dose or once weekly for 4 weeks, with follow-up for 12-15 months, found no significant improvements in functional recovery, as measured using the International Cooperative Ataxia Rating Scale, the Activities of Daily Living scale, the Berg Balance Scale, or the Scale for the Assessment and Rating of Ataxia. The studies included a total of only 47 patients, had a high risk of bias and low quality of evidence, and were not randomized or blinded. Stem cell therapy is not approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for this condition.

Sources Ref 109540
Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate Stroke
Rating & evidence shown verbatim from Natural Medicines

A meta-analysis of small clinical studies in patients after stroke shows that receiving autologous bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells intravenously or injected into another body part might improve function as measured on the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) and the Barthel index (BI), but not on the modified Rankin score (mRS) when compared with control. This analysis was limited by high heterogeneity and poor methodology of the included studies. Stem cell therapy is not approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for this condition.

Sources Ref 99724

Source & disclaimer. Effectiveness ratings and evidence summaries are provided by Natural Medicines (Therapeutic Research Center) and shown as licensed. Where Natural Medicines hasn’t rated a use, HelloPharmacist’s pharmacists may add their own reviewed rating and evidence (each such entry is labeled). This is educational information, not medical advice — talk with your pharmacist or doctor before starting, stopping, or changing a supplement.

Safety & precautions

Safety depends heavily on the type of treatment and where it is done. Established transplants performed in accredited medical centers have known and managed risks. Unregulated stem cell injections sold at private clinics carry serious safety concerns.

Reported problems from unproven treatments include infections, tumors or abnormal tissue growth, blindness (after eye injections), blood clots, and immune reactions. Some products have been contaminated. Treatments given outside the country may not follow safety standards.

People who are pregnant or breastfeeding should avoid elective stem cell procedures, since safety has not been established and risks to the baby are unknown. Anyone with cancer, a weakened immune system, or a serious chronic illness should only consider stem cell therapy through a legitimate, supervised medical program or clinical trial. Always check whether a treatment is FDA-approved or part of a registered clinical trial.

Side effects

Common short-term effects can include pain, swelling, or bruising at the injection or infusion site, and sometimes fever or flu-like symptoms.

More serious risks, especially with unproven treatments, include infections, unwanted tissue or tumor growth, blood clots, organ damage, severe immune reactions, and—when cells are injected into sensitive areas like the eye or spine—permanent injury such as vision loss. Reactions can sometimes be life-threatening.

Because the cells are living and active, side effects may appear days, weeks, or even longer after treatment. Report any unusual symptoms to a doctor right away.

Stem Cell Therapy: Reported Adverse Effects

Documented safety reports on Stem Cell Therapy from the evidence-graded Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) database, shown word-for-word from the licensed record.

Injections of direct-to-consumer or commercial stem cell preparations have been associated with reports of cardiac arrest, myocardial infarction, arrhythmias, pulmonary embolism, venous thromboembolism, skin growths, cancer, sepsis, pneumonia, necrotizing ulcers, meningitis and other infections, allergic reactions, Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), stroke, hemorrhage, paraplegia, pain, blindness, and death.

Intravitreal stem cell injection has caused loss of vision and retinal detachment.

  1. Bauer G, Elsallab M, Abou-El-Enein M. Concise Review: A Comprehensive Analysis of Reported Adverse Events in Patients Receiving Unproven Stem Cell-Based Interventions. Stem Cells Transl Med. 2018;7(9):676-685.
  2. Zahid MF, Murad MH, Litzow MR, et al. Venous thromboembolism following hematopoietic stem cell transplantation-a systematic review and meta-analysis. Ann Hematol. 2016;95(9):1457-64.
  3. Richardson E, Project Director. Harms linked to unapproved stem cell interventions highlight need for greater FDA enforcement. The Pew Charitable Trusts Brief. June 2021. Available at: https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/issue-briefs/2021/0
  4. Ansari ZA, Kuriyan AE, Albini TA. Unproven stem cell therapy for macular degeneration. Oncotarget. 2017;8(53):90636-90637.
  5. Kuriyan AE, Albini TA, Townsend JH, et al. Vision Loss after Intravitreal Injection of Autologous "Stem Cells" for AMD. N Engl J Med. 2017;376(11):1047-1053.
Reports by condition
Arrhythmia Cardiovascular

Injections of commercial stem cell preparations have been associated with cases of cardiac arrest, heart attack, arrhythmias, and pulmonary embolism. In a case report, a 77-year-old male with pulmonary hypertension developed cardiac arrest and died after receiving an intravenous infusion of adipose derived stem cells. In another case report, a 41-year-old male with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy developed ventricular fibrillation after a myocardial injection of autologous "precursor" cells. In another case report, a 41-year-old male with a herniated intervertebral disc developed pulmonary embolism after receiving an intravenous infusion of adipose derived mesenchymal stem cells. Also, a female with a neurological disorder had a heart attack and died after receiving an intravenous infusion of autologous hematopoietic stem cells. Intravenously, hematopoietic stem cell transplantation has a 5% risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE); there doesn't seem to be a difference in incidence rate between allogeneic and autologous stem cell therapy.

  1. Bauer G, Elsallab M, Abou-El-Enein M. Concise Review: A Comprehensive Analysis of Reported Adverse Events in Patients Receiving Unproven Stem Cell-Based Interventions. Stem Cells Transl Med. 2018;7(9):676-685.
  2. Zahid MF, Murad MH, Litzow MR, et al. Venous thromboembolism following hematopoietic stem cell transplantation-a systematic review and meta-analysis. Ann Hematol. 2016;95(9):1457-64.
Back pain Oncologic

Injected direct-to-consumer stem cell preparations have been associated with the development of various cancerous lesions. In a case report, a 66-year-old man received intrathecal infusions of mesenchymal, embryonic, and fetal neural stem cells for ischemic stroke recovery at commercial stem-cell clinics, which resulted in glioproliferative lesions in the spinal cord causing lower back pain, paraplegia, and urinary incontinence. In another case report, a 13-year-old male developed glioneural tumors after receiving fetal neural stem cells injected into the cerebellum and the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). A 58-year-old female developed pea-sized tumors after receiving a skin injection of human embryonic stem cells. A 46-year-old female developed multiple angiomyeloproliferative renal tumors after receiving percutaneous injections of hematopoietic stem cells into the renal regions on both sides. Finally, an 18-year-old female with a spinal cord injury developed an intramedullary spinal tumor mass after receiving an intraspinal transplantation of olfactory mucosal stem cells.

  1. Bauer G, Elsallab M, Abou-El-Enein M. Concise Review: A Comprehensive Analysis of Reported Adverse Events in Patients Receiving Unproven Stem Cell-Based Interventions. Stem Cells Transl Med. 2018;7(9):676-685.
  2. Berkowitz AL, Miller MB, Mir SA, et al. Glioproliferative Lesion of the Spinal Cord as a Complication of "Stem-Cell Tourism". N Engl J Med. 2016 Jul 14;375(2):196-8.
Chemotherapy-related complications Neurologic/CNS

Injected direct-to-consumer stem cell preparations have been associated with reports of stroke, brain hemorrhage, and other neurological complications. In one case report, a 69-year-old female with leg numbness and difficulty walking from chemotherapy complications developed a stroke and died after receiving grossly filtered bone marrow aspirate injected into her right carotid artery. In two other case reports, an 18-month infant and a 10-year old child developed internal brain hemorrhage after receiving bone marrow derived stem cells directly injected into the brain. The infant died from this complication. A 71-year-old female with chronic kidney failure developed neurological complications after an intravenous infusion of adipose derived mesenchymal stem cells. A 17-year-old female with multiple sclerosis developed severe demyelinating encephalomyelitis after intrathecal injection and intravenous infusion of allogeneic cord blood mesenchymal stem cells and autologous adipose derived stem cells. And finally, a 74-year-old man presented with progressive lower extremity weakness and urinary incontinence after receiving intrathecal stem cell therapy in Russia. He was found to have a large mass involving arachnoiditis and polyclonal lymphocytic infiltration of the intrathecal soft tissue.

  1. Bauer G, Elsallab M, Abou-El-Enein M. Concise Review: A Comprehensive Analysis of Reported Adverse Events in Patients Receiving Unproven Stem Cell-Based Interventions. Stem Cells Transl Med. 2018;7(9):676-685.
  2. Madhavan AA, Summerfield D, Hunt CH, et al. Polyclonal lymphocytic infiltrate with arachnoiditis resulting from intrathecal stem cell transplantation. Neuroradiol J. 2020 Apr;33(2):174-178.
Cirrhosis Other

Injected direct-to-consumer stem cell preparations have been associated with reports of sepsis, pneumonia, necrotizing ulcers, meningitis, and other infections. Intra-articular injections of contaminated stem cells have resulted in mutiple cases of infections, most of which were bloodstream infections. Infecting micro-organisms included Escherichia coli, Proteus mirabilis, Enterococcus faecalis, Citrobacter freundii, Citrobacter koseri, and Enterobacter cloacae. In a case report, a 63-year-old female developed necrotizing metachronous facial ulcerations after receiving fatty aspirate from the abdominal wall injected into the face after a "stem cell face lift" procedure. In two case reports, two males over 70 years of age developed pneumonia after receiving animal-based stem cells. In a review of 360 patients with adverse effects after stem cell therapy, there were 2 cases of septicemia.

There have been numerous case reports of death after stem cell therapy. In a review of 360 reports of adverse effects, at least one-third required hospitalization, and there were 20 deaths. In a case report, a 27-year-old male with disabilities from a minor stroke died after receiving spinal and intramuscular injections of non-specified allogeneic stem cells. In a case report, a 63-year-old female with liver cirrhosis from hepatitis B infection developed coma and then died after receiving a non-specified stem cell intervention. In two case reports, two elderly males died after receiving adipose derived stem cells. One of them had developed a pulmonary embolism and the other had died of unstated causes. A 59-year-old female with idiopathic bronchiectasis died after receiving a non-specified stem cell Intervention. Finally, a 75-year-old female with dementia received autologous adipose stem cells during a liposuction procedure causing blood loss, hypovolemic shock, and death.

  1. Perkins KM, Spoto S, Rankin DA, et al. Notes from the Field: Infections After Receipt of Bacterially Contaminated Umbilical Cord Blood-Derived Stem Cell Products for Other Than Hematopoietic or Immunologic Reconstitution - United States, 2018. MMWR Morb M
  2. Bauer G, Elsallab M, Abou-El-Enein M. Concise Review: A Comprehensive Analysis of Reported Adverse Events in Patients Receiving Unproven Stem Cell-Based Interventions. Stem Cells Transl Med. 2018;7(9):676-685.
  3. Richardson E, Project Director. Harms linked to unapproved stem cell interventions highlight need for greater FDA enforcement. The Pew Charitable Trusts Brief. June 2021. Available at: https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/issue-briefs/2021/0
Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) Immunologic

In a case report, a patient developed an allergic autoimmune reaction after receiving unspecified stem cells. A case of Stevens-Johnson syndrome has also been reported. In another case report, a 27-year-old female had an autoimmune reaction of acute disseminated encephalomyelitis after an intrathecal injection of mesenchymal stem cells. Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is another complication of hematopoietic stem cell therapy.

  1. Bauer G, Elsallab M, Abou-El-Enein M. Concise Review: A Comprehensive Analysis of Reported Adverse Events in Patients Receiving Unproven Stem Cell-Based Interventions. Stem Cells Transl Med. 2018;7(9):676-685.
  2. Zahid MF, Murad MH, Litzow MR, et al. Venous thromboembolism following hematopoietic stem cell transplantation-a systematic review and meta-analysis. Ann Hematol. 2016;95(9):1457-64.
Hypertension Ocular/Otic

Intravitreal stem cell injection has been associated with reports of vision loss. In three cases, females aged 72 to 88-years-old received intravitreal injections of autologous adipose derived stem cells. Vision loss occurred due to ocular hypertension, hemorrhagic retinopathy, vitreous hemorrhage, growths on the retina, retinal detachment, or lens dislocation. An analysis of reports of treatment of various retinal degenerative diseases using human embryonic stem cells, induced pluripotent stem cells, or human umbilical tissue-derived cells found multiple cases of severe complications, including retinal detachment and permanent vision loss.

  1. Bauer G, Elsallab M, Abou-El-Enein M. Concise Review: A Comprehensive Analysis of Reported Adverse Events in Patients Receiving Unproven Stem Cell-Based Interventions. Stem Cells Transl Med. 2018;7(9):676-685.
  2. Ansari ZA, Kuriyan AE, Albini TA. Unproven stem cell therapy for macular degeneration. Oncotarget. 2017;8(53):90636-90637.
  3. Kuriyan AE, Albini TA, Townsend JH, et al. Vision Loss after Intravitreal Injection of Autologous "Stem Cells" for AMD. N Engl J Med. 2017;376(11):1047-1053.
  4. Hinkle JW, Mahmoudzadeh R, Kuriyan AE. Cell-based therapies for retinal diseases: a review of clinical trials and direct to consumer "cell therapy" clinics. Stem Cell Res Ther. 2021 Oct 11;12(1):538.
DISCLAIMER: This tool is intended for informational purposes only, and should not be interpreted as specific medical advice. Patients should consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making decisions about therapies and/or health conditions.

Adverse-effects data: Natural Medicines, Therapeutic Research Center

Dosing

There is no standard over-the-counter dose for stem cell therapy, because it is a medical procedure, not a supplement you buy and take at home. The type of cells, how they are prepared, and how they are given vary widely by treatment and clinic.

For approved uses like transplants, dosing is carefully calculated by specialists based on the patient and condition. For unproven clinic treatments, there is no agreed-upon dose, and that lack of standardization is one reason these treatments are hard to judge for safety.

Never accept a stem cell treatment based only on marketing. Ask your doctor or pharmacist, confirm whether it is FDA-approved or part of a registered clinical trial, and get a second opinion before paying for any procedure.

References & further reading

The 26 references that drive our Stem Cell Therapy monograph and interaction data, from the evidence-graded Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) database. Citations with a link open the study on PubMed or the publisher’s site.

  1. Ansari ZA, Kuriyan AE, Albini TA. Unproven stem cell therapy for macular degeneration. Oncotarget. 2017;8(53):90636-90637. PubMed
  2. Bauer G, Elsallab M, Abou-El-Enein M. Concise Review: A Comprehensive Analysis of Reported Adverse Events in Patients Receiving Unproven Stem Cell-Based Interventions. Stem Cells Transl Med. 2018;7(9):676-685. PubMed
  3. Berkowitz AL, Miller MB, Mir SA, et al. Glioproliferative Lesion of the Spinal Cord as a Complication of "Stem-Cell Tourism". N Engl J Med. 2016 Jul 14;375(2):196-8. PubMed
  4. Kuriyan AE, Albini TA, Townsend JH, et al. Vision Loss after Intravitreal Injection of Autologous "Stem Cells" for AMD. N Engl J Med. 2017;376(11):1047-1053. PubMed
  5. Perkins KM, Spoto S, Rankin DA, et al. Notes from the Field: Infections After Receipt of Bacterially Contaminated Umbilical Cord Blood-Derived Stem Cell Products for Other Than Hematopoietic or Immunologic Reconstitution - United States, 2018. MMWR Morb M
  6. Iijima H, Isho T, Kuroki, Takahashi, Aoyama. Effectiveness of mesenchymal stem cells for treating patients with knee osteoarthritis: a meta-analysis toward the establishment of effective regenerative rehabilitation. NPJ Regen Med. 2018;3:15. PubMed
  7. Sanapati J, Manchikanti L, Atluri S, et al. Do Regenerative Medicine Therapies Provide Long-Term Relief in Chronic Low Back Pain: A Systematic Review and Metaanalysis. Pain Physician. 2018;21(6):515-540. DOI
  8. Rocco M, Juri C. Is treatment with stem cells effective in Parkinson's disease? Medwave. 2018;18(5):e7242. PubMed
  9. Shah R, Latham SB, Khan SA, Shahreyar M, Hwang I, Jovin IS. A comprehensive meta-analysis of stem cell therapy for chronic angina. Clin Cardiol. 2018;41(4):525-531. PubMed
  10. Guo J, Dardik A, Fang K, Huang R, Gu Y. Meta-analysis on the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers with autologous stem cells. Stem Cell Res Ther. 2017;8(1):228. PubMed
  11. Nagpal A, Choy FC, Howell S, et al. Safety and effectiveness of stem cell therapies in early-phase clinical trials in stroke: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Stem Cell Res Ther. 2017;8(1):191. PubMed
  12. Qiu Y, Li MY, Feng T, et al. Systematic review with meta-analysis: the efficacy and safety of stem cell therapy for Crohn's disease. Stem Cell Res Ther. 2017;8(1):136. PubMed
  13. Sormani MP, Muraro PA, Schiavetti I, et al. Autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in multiple sclerosis: A meta-analysis. Neurology. 2017;88(22):2115-2122. PubMed
  14. Gao W, Chen D, Liu G, Ran X. Autologous stem cell therapy for peripheral arterial disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Stem Cell Res Ther. 2019;10(1):140. PubMed
  15. Fisher SA, Doree C, Mathur A, Taggart DP, Martin-Rendon E. Stem cell therapy for chronic ischaemic heart disease and congestive heart failure. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2016;12:CD007888. PubMed
Keep reading

This information is for education only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always check with your pharmacist or doctor before starting, stopping, or combining supplements and medications.

Parts of this content are provided by the Therapeutic Research Center, LLC.

DISCLAIMER: Currently this does not check for drug-drug interactions. This is not an all-inclusive comprehensive list of potential interactions and is for informational purposes only. Not all interactions are known or well-reported in the scientific literature, and new interactions are continually being reported. Input is needed from a qualified healthcare provider including a pharmacist before starting any therapy. Application of clinical judgment is necessary.

© 2021 Therapeutic Research Center, LLC

Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Stem Cell Therapy: Common Questions

What is Stem Cell Therapy used for, and does it work?
People use Stem Cell Therapy for a range of reasons, but according to the Natural Medicines database the current clinical evidence is insufficient to confirm it works for the specific conditions it has been studied for. See the graded list on this page, and talk to your pharmacist or doctor before relying on it for any condition.
Does Stem Cell Therapy interact with prescription medications?
We do not currently list any known drug interactions for Stem Cell Therapy. This does not guarantee that none exist, so always confirm with your pharmacist before combining it with your medications.
How are Stem Cell Therapy interactions rated?
Each interaction is graded major, moderate, or minor based on how clinically significant it is and the strength of the evidence behind it. Major interactions are the most serious and are best avoided, or used only under close professional supervision.
Is it safe to take Stem Cell Therapy with my medications?
It depends on the specific medication. Some combinations are fine, while others call for monitoring, timing changes, or should be avoided. Check your exact drug above and confirm with your pharmacist or doctor before starting, stopping, or changing anything.
Where does this Stem Cell Therapy interaction information come from?
Our interaction data is built on the Natural Medicines database — an evidence-graded reference for vitamins, herbs, and supplements — and is reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists, who may add clinical context.
Is Stem Cell Therapy a supplement I can buy?
No. It is a medical treatment given by injection or infusion at a clinic or hospital, not a pill or herb you take on your own. Be cautious of any product sold online claiming to contain working stem cells.
Does Stem Cell Therapy work for arthritis and joint pain?
The evidence is still limited and mixed. Many clinics advertise it for joints, but it is not a proven, standard treatment, and results vary. Talk to an orthopedic specialist about proven options first.
Is Stem Cell Therapy approved by the FDA?
Only certain uses, such as blood-forming stem cell transplants for some cancers and blood disorders, are FDA-approved. Most stem cell treatments offered for joints, aging, or chronic disease are not approved.
Is it safe to get Stem Cell Therapy while pregnant or breastfeeding?
Elective stem cell procedures should be avoided during pregnancy and breastfeeding because their safety has not been established and risks to the baby are unknown. Only consider them if medically necessary and supervised by specialists.

Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy

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