New England Stem Cell Institute

01/28/2026

"Bringing together some of the most influential voices in the field for a candid discussion about the most controversial topics in orthobiologics."

Dr. Tortland was invited to be a featured panelist, helping to lead an international conversation among the top voices in regenerative medicine. When you visit us, you can trust that you're getting the best of the best.

For more information about our cutting edge regenerative medicine treatments, and our unique approach to diagnostics, visit www.NewEnglandStemCells.com

01/20/2026

People taking GLP-1 medications, such as Ozempic and Wegovy, REGAIN THE WEIGHT FASTER after stopping the meds!

A study by University of Oxford researchers analyzed 37 studies published up to February 2025, involving more than 9,000 participants who had undergone an average of 39 weeks of weight-loss treatment.

The analysis revealed that the weight came back on nearly FOUR TIMES FASTER than after changing or quitting a diet or exercise regimen, no matter how many pounds had been shed.

While these drugs CAN help lose weight and improve health profiles, there are some NON-NEGOTIABLE factors that MUST be included.

First, any patient on a GLP-1 medication MUST do weight training. Period, full stop. If you won't do weight training, then don't bother taking the meds. End of story.

Second, you MUST get adequate daily protein. That means getting 1 gram of high quality protein per pound of target body weight. SO if your target goal is 180 lbs, then you MUST get AT LEAST 180 grams of protein EVERY DAY.

The best protein sources are animal proteins-- chicken, fish, meat, dairy, etc. You CAN get adequate high protein from plant sources, but it takes tremendous effort and a LOT more food. (For example, you need to eat 3.5 cups of quinoa to get the same protein in 6 oz of chicken breast!)

Finally, MICRO DOSING the GLP-1's is the most effective strategy. That is, using very small amounts of the drug, combined with weight training, protein intake, and diet modification. Simply increasing the Rx dose only increases the side effects.

01/15/2026

90% of AI-generated health claim denials are erroneous and are overturned on appeal! 90%!!
If your claims are denied, make sure that your doctor's office fights on your behalf!

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1DYWTBKANo/

11/17/2025

Do you suffer from thyroid disease? Are you concerned that perhaps you aren't being treated properly or optimally? Then read on ! . . .

I'm not an endocrinologist, but for decades I've argued that the standard screening tests for thyroid disease-- TSH and T4-- are almost meaningless. It started with personal experience.

I was feeling sluggish and wrung out. Thinking thyroid, I checked my TSH. It was "normal." Not satisfied, I had a thyroid US done. It showed "heterogenous changes suggestive of thyroiditis." So I checked my thyroid antibodies (thyroglobulin and thyroid peroxidase). One was 770 and the other was 1100 (both should be < 20, essentially non-detectable). I had florid Hashimoto's . . . with a normal TSH.

Since then I've advocated for testing not just TSH, but more importantly free T3 and free T4, and even thyroid antibodies. And along the way I've incurred the ire, disdain, and ridicule of our local endocrinologists.

So you can imagine my joy at being vindicated by the attached video, which is a new podcast of Peter Attia MD interviewing international thyroid expert and researcher, Antonio Bianco MD. Dr. Bianco argues that the free T3 is THE important test, and he goes into a great discussion of thyroid physiology & testing.

This video is a must-watch for anyone suffering fromthyroid disease and for anyone treating thyroid patients.

And of course, for those of us treating MSK conditions, we know how intimately connected thyroid function can be with MSK concerns, in some cases even mimicking chronic MSK conditions or at the least interfering with healing.

Antonio Bianco is a world-renowned physician-scientist & expert in thyroid physiology & metabolism. In this episode, Antonio explores the complex biology of ...

10/24/2025

Aging, anabolic resistance, and protein needs . . .

For decades the USRDA (U.S. Recommended Daily Allowance) for dietary protein has been 0.8g/kg body weight. However, the data is now overwhelmingly clear that this recommendation was based on flawed methodology and is woefully inadequate. Modern isotope-labeled amino acid studies have shown that the MINIMUM daily protein requirement is actually 1.2g/kg ideal body weight. The average American adult currently consumes 0.9 g/kg (and women get even less on average, 0.8 g/kg). (Vegans and vegetarians get even less!)

Another problem with the RDA is that many people get the impression that these recommendations represent the OPTIMUM amounts, when in actuality they represent the MINIMUM amounts to prevent disease!

A major problem as we age is sarcopenia-- loss of lean muscle mass. This has profound implications for metabolic health, frailty, and longevity. The major causes of sarcopenia are now recognized not so much as aging per se, but rather a combination of inactivity / sedentary lifestyle and inadequate protein intake.

Inactivity leads to anabolic resistance, the concept that muscles become increasingly less sensitive to amino acid signals to stimulate muscle protein synthesis. Internationally known protein expert Luc Van Loon PhD did an elegant study with young healthy volunteers. He casted one leg for several weeks (inactivity), while the other leg remained active (including single leg resistance training). There was a dramatic increase in anabolic resistance in the casted leg after only a few weeks!

Recent research has shown that, even in sedentary older adults, simply increasing daily protein intake to 1.2 g/kg ideal body weight virtually eliminates anabolic resistance and helps preserve lean muscle!

Of course, the best prevention for anabolic resistance is activity, esp. resistance training, ideally combined with daily protein intake of 1.6-2.0g/kg ideal body weight. (Note: there is NO human randomized controlled trial that shows that protein intake in this range or even higher is harmful!)

For a deep dive into this topic, watch the attached podcast with Peter Attia MD and Rhonda Patrick PhD.

Rhonda Patrick is a scientist & host of the FoundMyFitness podcast whose work explores the intersection of nutrition, aging, & disease prevention. In this ep...

09/25/2025

TEXT NECK: This is a growing muscular skill little problem as more and more people adopt a sedentary lifestyle, and spend increasingly more time on their small screens.

The typical adult head weighs approximately 8-11 pounds. With good posture, that weight is very easily supported without difficulty by the cervical spine.

However, due to basic physics and geometry, as the head position increasingly drops forward, the effective weight on the cervical spine can reach as high as 60 pounds! This can result in chronic neck and upper back pain, muscle tension headaches, nerve entrapment syndromes, and other long-term problems.

Also, over time, this slouched posture can cause bone remodeling (changes in the actual physical shape of the bones), resulting in permanent posture changes. Growing children are the most susceptible.

09/22/2025

FDA Alert: “Pain Flex”

The FDA recently issued a consumer alert: “PAIN FLEX may be harmful due to hidden drug ingredients.” (U.S. Food and Drug Administration)

Turns out, this product—marketed for joint pain relief—was found to contain dexamethasone (a corticosteroid) and methocarbamol (a muscle relaxant), NEITHER OF WHICH WAS LISTED ON THE LABEL!

As a physician I do believe in the value of supplements. I take them myself.

I also believe in doing as much due diligence as possible—for every supplement I recommend. That means reviewing safety data, sourcing, potential interactions, and regulatory warnings.

SUPPLEMENTS ARE NOT INHERENTLY SAFE JUST BECAUSE THEY’RE “NATURAL.” Hidden ingredients, contamination, or mislabelling can cause serious harm.

Always check for third‐party verification (USP, NSF, etc.).

Be skeptical of “miracle” or “too good to be true” claims.

If a product is marketed for pain or joint relief but labeled as a dietary supplement, ask: Has it been tested? Is there lab confirmation?

If you’re taking something and notice unexpected side effects—or using with other medications—consult with a trusted clinician.

The Food and Drug Administration is advising consumers not to purchase or use PAIN FLEX, a product promoted and sold for joint pain on various websites, including Amazon.com and possibly in some retail stores.

09/11/2025

Why are physicians increasingly dropping insurance?

Aetna and Cigna just announced that they will now be automatically downcoding for charges submitted for complex (level 4 & 5) office visits-- without reviewing individual patients' medical records.

The result is that claims for complex visits will be paid at a lower level. Physicians who disagree with this automatic downcoding will have to appeal if they want to get paid fairly for the work done. This means that doctors' offices will have to invest in a significantly greater amount of staff time & effort just to get paid -- something many practices will not have the ability to do.

These new policies from Aetna and Cigna do not put patients first. They're not about catching bad actors. They're about boosting insurer profits at the expense of patient access and timely care, while squeezing physicians. It will also mean that doctors will have even LESS time to spend with patients, further eroding the quality of care.

PLEASE don't blame the doctors! They're being squeezed like a wrung out rag, while insurers continue to realize stellar profits and CEOs make bank.

09/09/2025

Recently I had the pleasure of being interviewed by the great Alberto Panero DO for his podcast. Join us as I discuss ways to “prime” the body for optimum response to Orthobiologics treatments such as PRP and stem cells!

Can you optimize the body to improve outcomes from orthobiologic injections like PRP or BMC?In this episode, Dr. Alberto Panero sits down with Dr. Paul D. To...

09/01/2025

Almonds are a good source of protein, right?

Nope! To get the same amount of protein that’s in 3.5 ounces (99.22 g) of chicken breast, you need to eat 420 almonds (250 g)!!! On top of that, that number of almonds contains 50 g of fiber and would be rather disruptive to your GI system. Furthermore, that 250g of almonds contains 1445 calories and 125.6g saturated fat. 😳

Eat up, me ‘earties, yo ho! 🏴‍☠️

08/29/2025

Vitamin D can help slow aging.

For the last two decades I have been advocating the use of vitamin D, long before the vitamin started to gain popularity. Over the ensuing years, an increasing number of studies have shown significant benefits from taking D.

We now know that vitamin D is responsible for the expression of approximately 5% of our genes. Once metabolized, it acts more like a hormone than a vitamin. (BTW, vitamin D is synthesized from cholesterol. So if you drive your cholesterol level too low, such as with the use of statins, you will compromise D production.)

Telomeres are the “tails” of our chromosomes. More specifically, telomeres are repetitive DNA sequences located at the ends of chromosomes that protect them from degradation, and prevent the loss of important genetic information during cell division. They shorten with each cell division (i.e., aging), and when they become too short, the cell can no longer divide, which is associated with aging and certain diseases.

New research shows that vitamin D can help protect the telomeres, therefore helping protect against, or slow down, the aging process.

The problem, IMO, is that most physicians and clinicians either do not recommend vitamin D supplements at all, or if they do they recommend too low a dose. The laboratory reference range for vitamin D most commonly is 30–100. I prefer to see levels in the 60-80 range. To get there, I commonly recommend daily doses of 5000 IU, but I always follow blood serum levels and adjust accordingly.

Harvard researchers discovered that daily vitamin D supplementation reduced telomere shortening by more than half compared to placebo in a four-year trial.

08/27/2025

Is your doctor or clinic selling or injecting products derived from placenta tissue, Wharton's Jelly, amniotic fluid, or umbilical cord blood?

If yes, then you're being scammed.

NONE of these products are FDA cleared or approved for clinical use! In fact, the FDA has again dropped the hammer on another manufacturer of perinatal products, Platinum Biologics, based in Orlando. Here's the link to the FDA's warning letter: https://www.fda.gov/inspections-compliance-enforcement-and-criminal-investigations/warning-letters/platinum-biologics-llc-705090-08152025

From the letter:

"The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reviewed your company’s website at www.platinumbiologics.com/ (last visited August 2025), through which your company sells two umbilical cord derived products, Nano PRP Jelly and Nano Flex, and two exosome products, NanoEx and Nano Xsomes, for allogeneic use (collectively, “your products”). This letter is to advise you that your products are unapproved new drugs in violation of section 505(a) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act), 21 U.S.C. § 355(a). Your products are also unlicensed biological products . . ."

I don't know how many times I, the FDA, and other leaders in the regenerative medicine and orthobiologics field have to emphasize that, with a very rare exception for use in certain wound healing and cosmetic applications, NO product derived from perinatal sources (cord blood, Wharton's Jelly, placenta, amnion, etc.) is FDA cleared for clinical use in orthopedic, musculoskeletal, or neurologic applications. Period.

It doesn't matter what the doctor or clinic tells you. Don't be scammed and don't waste your money on illegal treatments!

Deviations/CFR/Regulations for Human Cells, Tissues & Cellular Products (HCT/Ps)