Some People Banking Stem Cells For Future Use To Stay Healthy

GOLDEN, Colo. (CBS4) In an effort to live a long and healthy life, some adults are now taking out a different kind of insurance policy. They are banking their stem cells for future use.

CBS4 Health Specialist Kathy Walsh watched one man go through the process. Its relatively simple but it can set a person back several thousand dollars. Still, one retired engineer believes it is worth the investment.

I am just a 54-year-old whos trying to figure out how to get the most out of life, Matt Rockwell said. Were told that we can live, at least machinery wise, we can live to 120. Id like my 120.

In fact, Rockwell is banking on that. In his doctors office in Golden, he is saving cells. Five vials of blood were collected. Then, Dr. Terry Grossman took a small sample of Rockwells skin cells.

Grossman practices nutritional and anti-aging medicine and has written three books about longevity.

Right now, stem cell therapies are in their infancy, Grossman said.

But Grossman believes the possibilities are endless.

Whats going to be available in 10 to 20 years, it boggles the imagination, he said.

So Grossman collects stem cells for patients and sends them away to be grown and cryopreserved. The belief is they may later be used to treat various diseases or conditions.

Animals are having wonderful results and we are able to create, for instance, rat hearts and mouse hearts; and we are able to grow new cartilage for race horses, Grossman said.

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Some People Banking Stem Cells For Future Use To Stay Healthy