About Dr Grossman
I appreciate the opportunity to appear in this issue of Stem Cell Pioneers and wish to thank Barbara Hanson for the opportunity to share my thoughts with you.
Terry Grossman, M.D. has offices in the Denver, Colorado area and in Southern California. For more information about his COPD and orthopedic IRBs, please call (303) 233-4247 or email info@Grossmanwellness.com
Terry Grossman, M.D., is the founder and medical director of the Grossman Wellness Center in Denver, Colorado. His longevity medical practice attracts patients, including many VIPs (such as coauthor Ray Kurzweil) from around the country and the world. He graduated from Brandeis University in 1968 and the University of Florida School of Medicine in 1979. He spent 15 years (from 1980-1995) working as a community family doctor in the Colorado mountains.
Dr. Grossman undertook the study of nutritional and anti-aging medicine in 1994 and in 1995 opened the Grossman Wellness Center in Denver, which quickly grew into one of the largest complementary medical centers in the country.
He is a member and board certified by the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine as well as the American Holistic Medical Association. His special field of interest is nutritional medicine (the treatment of illness with nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, anti-oxidants and natural hormones) and anti-aging medicine. Dr. Grossman is a widely sought lecturer on longevity medicine throughout the United States and has presented keynote addresses at anti-aging seminars in Japan, South Korea, South Africa and elsewhere. He is the author of the Baby Boomers’ Guide to Living Forever (2000), and coauthor with Ray Kurzweil of Fantastic Voyage (2004). and TRANSCEND: Nine Steps to Living Well Forever (2009). Arline Brecher, coauthor of Forty Something Forever, says, “I’ve met good writers and good doctors, but seldom are they one and the same. Dr. Terry Grossman breaks the mold and sets a new standard for physicians.” Dr. Herbert L. Jacobs, Chairman, Complementary and Alternative Medicine Task Force of the Colorado Medical Society describes Dr. Grossman as “one of a handful of modern-day physicians who are laying the foundation for a new paradigm in medicine, combining cutting-edge medical knowledge with the best evidence-based complementary therapies.”
Questions & Answers
Q: I see much in advertising of people getting off of their oxygen at stem cell clinic websites, but not on the Stem Cell Pioneers where I mostly see just "not getting worse" information. Is there any real evidence out there that some patients may no longer need supplemental oxygen post stem cell treatment? $12000 to $15,000 per treatment is a lot to consider.
A: COPD is a chronic condition and most patients will experience progressive worsening in their breathing and an increase in their oxygen requirements over time. As such, “not getting worse” actually represents an improvement as compared to the natural history of the disease. There are patients who do seem to be able to breathe better and have less need for supplemental oxygen after receiving regenerative therapies, although it is more common that patients report stabilization or a slower rate of decline.
Q: Why do some patients seem to respond so much better than others? I have heard of COPD patients who have had multiple treatments and feel no real change (either way which could be argued is good), but then I read about other patients who seem to have gotten a lot of improvements and have become active once again. Is it age or do some people have more stem cells than others or is it how the treatment is done and the stem cells are processed?
A: COPD represents a broad spectrum of disease states and includes patients who have more of an emphysema-like condition while for others chronic bronchitis is more dominant. Patients with more of the emphysema component have already experienced loss of the alveolar walls, which is where oxygen exchange in the lungs occurs. Regenerative therapies, at least at this early stage in their development, do not seem able to re-grow damaged alveoli. As a result, patients with predominantly an emphysema component to their disease would be less likely to experience benefit. Other patients have more of a chronic bronchitis aspect with airway inflammation and mucus production being hallmarks of their condition. Regenerative therapies utilizing adipose tissue possess anti-inflammatory properties, which theoretically could be of value treating these types of conditions. We would therefore expect this group to respond better. COPD patients typically fall somewhere between these extremes and have components of each. Depending on where you are on the spectrum can help determine how much improvement regenerative therapy might have on your condition.
Q: If a person feels really good after getting treatment, is it advisable to reduce medications such as inhalers? Can some drugs hinder the therapy?
A: I do not suggest discontinuing previously prescribed medications such as bronchodilator or steroid inhalers without appropriate discussions with your treating physician. In some cases, it may be possible to taper and discontinue medicines, however we have seen patients abruptly discontinue their previously prescribed medications after undergoing regenerative therapy only to trigger an exacerbation and worsening of their condition. If possible we recommend temporarily stopping steroid or immunosuppressive therapies for a few days around time of regenerative treatments, but otherwise standard medications do not seem to interfere with the therapy.
Q: The study you are doing for COPD is in Denver. I am afraid the altitude would be something I could not handle. Do you have other locations? How long is the study going to last and will you be publishing the results? Are you also accepting pulmonary fibrosis patients?
A: Most patients are able to tolerate the altitude in Denver by turning up their oxygen flow rate. For the occasional patient already receiving maximum oxygen at sea level, this would not be possible. We also are able to treat patients in the Los Angeles area, which is at sea level. Our COPD IRB is planned for three years and includes an arm for treatment of pulmonary fibrosis patients. We hope to publish the results.
Q: Can you tell me the purpose of glutathione? Is only the inhaled type useful for lung patients? I have seen it sold in capsules, but have never tried it that way. I have inhaled it and sometimes it almost makes me feel worse for an hour or two. I am hoping you can explain the benefits. Should someone use it on a routine basis (once or twice a day) or just after stem cell treatment or only if one is feeling poorly?
A: We have been prescribing inhaled glutathione, which can be prepared by a compounding pharmacy, for our COPD patients for several years with positive benefits in many cases. Glutathione is one of the most powerful and effective free radical scavengers in the body. It also has mucolytic properties and can help loosen thick sputum so that it can be more easily coughed up. Sometimes when patients have considerable accumulations of mucus in their airways and first begin inhaled glutathione therapy, they can have an increase in the amount of sputum they produce. On occasion this can be copious and create symptoms of increased shortness of breath. Therefore it is imperative that this therapy be started very slowly with gradual increases in the amount of inhaled glutathione used. The therapy is best taken routinely either once or twice a day regardless of other therapies. Glutathione is broken down by acid in the stomach when ingested orally. There are a few formulations such as acetyl-glutathione, which are not degraded by stomach acid, however I feel that inhaling glutathione directly into the lungs via a nebulizer is far more effective in most cases for treatment of pulmonary conditions.
Q: Do you offer autologous stem cell treatments for herniated/bulging/ degenerative discs in the cervical region of the spine? I may also have a thoracic degenerative/bulging disc problem. I also have "bone rubbing on bone" from L-1 to S-1.
A: Regenerative therapies involving the spine, either cervical, thoracic or lumbosacral, are best performed by clinics specializing in spine injection therapies. These clinics need to have appropriate fluoroscopic imaging facilities and would include neurosurgeons, spine surgeons and some pain management specialists. The regenerative therapies we offer in our clinic for orthopedic indications include peripheral joints such as knees, hips, ankles, shoulders, etc.
Q: Can bronchiectasis be treated successfully with stem cells? Are there any other useful treatments or medications out there? What causes this disease? I have a friend with it. She never smoked but she did have some childhood health issues such as rheumatic fever.
A: Bronchiectasis is a condition in which the walls of the airways (bronchial tubes) become flabby and dilated. This leads to increased collections of mucus along the bronchial walls. The condition can begin at birth or develop later in life. The pools of mucus become colonized by bacteria leading to repeated bouts of infection and progressive scarring. Regenerative cell therapy would not be useful to treat most cases of bronchiectasis. Inhaled glutathione and oral n-acetylcysteine (NAC) can be of value in this condition although therapy must begin very slowly.
Q: If a patient has pulmonary hypertension or arthritis or other problems besides bad lungs, will a stem cell treatment also help with those or how are the cells directed? I have a hard time understanding the whole process. Are you using the stem cells from fat or bone marrow or both?
A: Most studies using regenerative therapies begin with fat although I have heard of a few clinics offering bone marrow derived treatments. Fat is collected in a mini liposuction procedure and then broken down and enzymatically treated to create stromal vascular fraction (SVF). SVF has been shown to have generalized anti-inflammatory properties. As such it might be expected to help conditions characterized by chronic inflammation such as rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, psoriasis, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, etc. as well as some types of COPD. Pulmonary hypertension is not an inflammatory process, so would probably not be helped much by SVF therapy.
Q: If one treatment is helpful, does it make sense that multiple treatments would help even more? The same with the number of stem cells injected. Are more better?
A: Regenerative therapies are designed as treatments not cures. Patients who undergo these therapies will often notice an improvement in their clinical condition, but also that this improvement is temporary and the therapy needs to be repeated in order to maintain benefits. Some patients undergo treatments annually. Most research studies use 60-200 ccs (2-6 ozs) of fat as they have found this is a sufficient to generate a sufficient quantity of regenerative factors needed in cases of COPD.
Q: What do you feel are the most important thing(s) patients can do after treatment to get the maximum results? What I mean is should we rest, not travel, take supplements, reduce medications, exercise more, eat differently, meditate, etc.
A: A healthy lifestyle can be of great benefit to patients with many chronic diseases including COPD. A combination of exercise that is easily tolerated along with appropriate rest is prudent. Supplements such as n-acetylcysteine (NAC) can be very helpful in many cases. Relaxation techniques such as meditation and getting adequate sleep can be beneficial as well.
I appreciate the opportunity to appear in this issue of Stem Cell Pioneers and wish to thank Barbara Hanson for the opportunity to share my thoughts with you.
Terry Grossman, M.D. has offices in the Denver, Colorado area and in Southern California. For more information about his COPD and orthopedic IRBs, please call (303) 233-4247 or email info@Grossmanwellness.com
Terry Grossman, M.D., is the founder and medical director of the Grossman Wellness Center in Denver, Colorado. His longevity medical practice attracts patients, including many VIPs (such as coauthor Ray Kurzweil) from around the country and the world. He graduated from Brandeis University in 1968 and the University of Florida School of Medicine in 1979. He spent 15 years (from 1980-1995) working as a community family doctor in the Colorado mountains.
Dr. Grossman undertook the study of nutritional and anti-aging medicine in 1994 and in 1995 opened the Grossman Wellness Center in Denver, which quickly grew into one of the largest complementary medical centers in the country.
He is a member and board certified by the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine as well as the American Holistic Medical Association. His special field of interest is nutritional medicine (the treatment of illness with nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, anti-oxidants and natural hormones) and anti-aging medicine. Dr. Grossman is a widely sought lecturer on longevity medicine throughout the United States and has presented keynote addresses at anti-aging seminars in Japan, South Korea, South Africa and elsewhere. He is the author of the Baby Boomers’ Guide to Living Forever (2000), and coauthor with Ray Kurzweil of Fantastic Voyage (2004). and TRANSCEND: Nine Steps to Living Well Forever (2009). Arline Brecher, coauthor of Forty Something Forever, says, “I’ve met good writers and good doctors, but seldom are they one and the same. Dr. Terry Grossman breaks the mold and sets a new standard for physicians.” Dr. Herbert L. Jacobs, Chairman, Complementary and Alternative Medicine Task Force of the Colorado Medical Society describes Dr. Grossman as “one of a handful of modern-day physicians who are laying the foundation for a new paradigm in medicine, combining cutting-edge medical knowledge with the best evidence-based complementary therapies.”
Questions & Answers
Q: I see much in advertising of people getting off of their oxygen at stem cell clinic websites, but not on the Stem Cell Pioneers where I mostly see just "not getting worse" information. Is there any real evidence out there that some patients may no longer need supplemental oxygen post stem cell treatment? $12000 to $15,000 per treatment is a lot to consider.
A: COPD is a chronic condition and most patients will experience progressive worsening in their breathing and an increase in their oxygen requirements over time. As such, “not getting worse” actually represents an improvement as compared to the natural history of the disease. There are patients who do seem to be able to breathe better and have less need for supplemental oxygen after receiving regenerative therapies, although it is more common that patients report stabilization or a slower rate of decline.
Q: Why do some patients seem to respond so much better than others? I have heard of COPD patients who have had multiple treatments and feel no real change (either way which could be argued is good), but then I read about other patients who seem to have gotten a lot of improvements and have become active once again. Is it age or do some people have more stem cells than others or is it how the treatment is done and the stem cells are processed?
A: COPD represents a broad spectrum of disease states and includes patients who have more of an emphysema-like condition while for others chronic bronchitis is more dominant. Patients with more of the emphysema component have already experienced loss of the alveolar walls, which is where oxygen exchange in the lungs occurs. Regenerative therapies, at least at this early stage in their development, do not seem able to re-grow damaged alveoli. As a result, patients with predominantly an emphysema component to their disease would be less likely to experience benefit. Other patients have more of a chronic bronchitis aspect with airway inflammation and mucus production being hallmarks of their condition. Regenerative therapies utilizing adipose tissue possess anti-inflammatory properties, which theoretically could be of value treating these types of conditions. We would therefore expect this group to respond better. COPD patients typically fall somewhere between these extremes and have components of each. Depending on where you are on the spectrum can help determine how much improvement regenerative therapy might have on your condition.
Q: If a person feels really good after getting treatment, is it advisable to reduce medications such as inhalers? Can some drugs hinder the therapy?
A: I do not suggest discontinuing previously prescribed medications such as bronchodilator or steroid inhalers without appropriate discussions with your treating physician. In some cases, it may be possible to taper and discontinue medicines, however we have seen patients abruptly discontinue their previously prescribed medications after undergoing regenerative therapy only to trigger an exacerbation and worsening of their condition. If possible we recommend temporarily stopping steroid or immunosuppressive therapies for a few days around time of regenerative treatments, but otherwise standard medications do not seem to interfere with the therapy.
Q: The study you are doing for COPD is in Denver. I am afraid the altitude would be something I could not handle. Do you have other locations? How long is the study going to last and will you be publishing the results? Are you also accepting pulmonary fibrosis patients?
A: Most patients are able to tolerate the altitude in Denver by turning up their oxygen flow rate. For the occasional patient already receiving maximum oxygen at sea level, this would not be possible. We also are able to treat patients in the Los Angeles area, which is at sea level. Our COPD IRB is planned for three years and includes an arm for treatment of pulmonary fibrosis patients. We hope to publish the results.
Q: Can you tell me the purpose of glutathione? Is only the inhaled type useful for lung patients? I have seen it sold in capsules, but have never tried it that way. I have inhaled it and sometimes it almost makes me feel worse for an hour or two. I am hoping you can explain the benefits. Should someone use it on a routine basis (once or twice a day) or just after stem cell treatment or only if one is feeling poorly?
A: We have been prescribing inhaled glutathione, which can be prepared by a compounding pharmacy, for our COPD patients for several years with positive benefits in many cases. Glutathione is one of the most powerful and effective free radical scavengers in the body. It also has mucolytic properties and can help loosen thick sputum so that it can be more easily coughed up. Sometimes when patients have considerable accumulations of mucus in their airways and first begin inhaled glutathione therapy, they can have an increase in the amount of sputum they produce. On occasion this can be copious and create symptoms of increased shortness of breath. Therefore it is imperative that this therapy be started very slowly with gradual increases in the amount of inhaled glutathione used. The therapy is best taken routinely either once or twice a day regardless of other therapies. Glutathione is broken down by acid in the stomach when ingested orally. There are a few formulations such as acetyl-glutathione, which are not degraded by stomach acid, however I feel that inhaling glutathione directly into the lungs via a nebulizer is far more effective in most cases for treatment of pulmonary conditions.
Q: Do you offer autologous stem cell treatments for herniated/bulging/ degenerative discs in the cervical region of the spine? I may also have a thoracic degenerative/bulging disc problem. I also have "bone rubbing on bone" from L-1 to S-1.
A: Regenerative therapies involving the spine, either cervical, thoracic or lumbosacral, are best performed by clinics specializing in spine injection therapies. These clinics need to have appropriate fluoroscopic imaging facilities and would include neurosurgeons, spine surgeons and some pain management specialists. The regenerative therapies we offer in our clinic for orthopedic indications include peripheral joints such as knees, hips, ankles, shoulders, etc.
Q: Can bronchiectasis be treated successfully with stem cells? Are there any other useful treatments or medications out there? What causes this disease? I have a friend with it. She never smoked but she did have some childhood health issues such as rheumatic fever.
A: Bronchiectasis is a condition in which the walls of the airways (bronchial tubes) become flabby and dilated. This leads to increased collections of mucus along the bronchial walls. The condition can begin at birth or develop later in life. The pools of mucus become colonized by bacteria leading to repeated bouts of infection and progressive scarring. Regenerative cell therapy would not be useful to treat most cases of bronchiectasis. Inhaled glutathione and oral n-acetylcysteine (NAC) can be of value in this condition although therapy must begin very slowly.
Q: If a patient has pulmonary hypertension or arthritis or other problems besides bad lungs, will a stem cell treatment also help with those or how are the cells directed? I have a hard time understanding the whole process. Are you using the stem cells from fat or bone marrow or both?
A: Most studies using regenerative therapies begin with fat although I have heard of a few clinics offering bone marrow derived treatments. Fat is collected in a mini liposuction procedure and then broken down and enzymatically treated to create stromal vascular fraction (SVF). SVF has been shown to have generalized anti-inflammatory properties. As such it might be expected to help conditions characterized by chronic inflammation such as rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, psoriasis, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, etc. as well as some types of COPD. Pulmonary hypertension is not an inflammatory process, so would probably not be helped much by SVF therapy.
Q: If one treatment is helpful, does it make sense that multiple treatments would help even more? The same with the number of stem cells injected. Are more better?
A: Regenerative therapies are designed as treatments not cures. Patients who undergo these therapies will often notice an improvement in their clinical condition, but also that this improvement is temporary and the therapy needs to be repeated in order to maintain benefits. Some patients undergo treatments annually. Most research studies use 60-200 ccs (2-6 ozs) of fat as they have found this is a sufficient to generate a sufficient quantity of regenerative factors needed in cases of COPD.
Q: What do you feel are the most important thing(s) patients can do after treatment to get the maximum results? What I mean is should we rest, not travel, take supplements, reduce medications, exercise more, eat differently, meditate, etc.
A: A healthy lifestyle can be of great benefit to patients with many chronic diseases including COPD. A combination of exercise that is easily tolerated along with appropriate rest is prudent. Supplements such as n-acetylcysteine (NAC) can be very helpful in many cases. Relaxation techniques such as meditation and getting adequate sleep can be beneficial as well.