Stem cell therapy is a category, not one product. A vial product, amniotic fluid, umbilical cord, placental tissue, or exosome preparation, requires no harvest; the FDA classifies these as unapproved for orthopedic use, and a 2019 AJSM study found zero of three commercial amniotic products contained mesenchymal stem cells. Your own cells, MFAT or bone marrow aspirate, are harvested by a physician the same day, concentrated, and placed under live ultrasound. Ask which one is in the syringe.
A physician-written guide to the two treatments sharing the name stem cell therapy, so you know which one you are offered.
Four things that make two treatments different
Each variable below is one you can verify before you decide, shaping what our stem cell therapy protocol delivers.
The vial: what a tissue-bank product actually contains
A vial product, amniotic fluid, umbilical cord, placental tissue, or an exosome preparation, is manufactured off-site and opened at the point of care. No blood is drawn from you. No tissue is harvested from you. The FDA lists these among the unapproved products for orthopedic use, and a 2019 AJSM study testing three commercial amniotic products found none contained mesenchymal stem cells (Panero et al., 2019).
The harvest: cells that exist because you provided them
Dynamic Stem Cell+ starts with a harvest, not a vial. Dr. Garg draws microfragmented adipose tissue (MFAT) or bone marrow aspirate (BMA) from you, that same visit, physician-selected from your imaging, then concentrates it on site: the cells placed into the injury are your own, living cells. A 2017 randomized, placebo-controlled AJSM trial studied bone marrow aspirate concentrate for knee osteoarthritis pain (Shapiro et al., 2017).
The pairing: a harvest is the first step, not the whole treatment
Dynamic Stem Cell+ pairs your concentrated MFAT or BMA with High-Dose PRP and Fibrin-Rich Plasma (FRP), placed under live ultrasound into the exact structure identified on your exam. Every step, harvest, concentration, and injection, is performed personally by Aneesh Garg, DO, CAQ.
The candidacy: an honest answer before an expensive one
Not everyone is a candidate for cellular therapy, and we will tell you. If imaging shows truly end-stage disease, surgery is the right call, and we say so rather than sell a product that will not help. Ask any provider: will you tell me if I am not a candidate, before the cost?
Print this. Ask it on the phone.
- Was blood drawn or tissue harvested from me, or is this from a vial?
- If from a vial, what type of product is it, and is it FDA-approved?
- If my own tissue, is it MFAT or BMA, and why that source?
- Is the injection placed under live ultrasound, by a physician, personally?
- Will you tell me if I am not a candidate, before telling me the cost?
The one line to remember
If no one drew your blood or harvested your tissue, ask what was actually in the syringe. A vial product and a physician-harvested procedure can both be marketed as stem cell therapy. Peer-reviewed testing has repeatedly found many vial products contain no viable mesenchymal stem cells. The invoice will not say which one you received.
Side by side: a vial versus your own cells
A plain comparison of what is different between the two.
| Property | A Vial Product | Your Own Cells, Physician-Performed | Dynamic Stem Cell+ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Source | Tissue bank (donor tissue) | Harvested from your own body | MFAT or BMA, from your own body |
| Harvest required | None | Yes, physician-performed | Yes, same visit |
| Paired with PRP + FRP | Not typically | Varies by provider | Always |
| Placed under live ultrasound | Often undisclosed | Varies by provider | Always |
| Performed by | Staff on duty | Varies by provider | Dr. Garg, exclusively |
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a vial stem cell product and stem cell therapy using my own cells?
A vial product, amniotic fluid, umbilical cord tissue, placental tissue, or an exosome preparation, is manufactured off-site by a tissue bank, shipped to a clinic, and injected from a vial. No blood is drawn from you and no tissue is harvested from you. The FDA lists these products among the unapproved biologics it warns patients about for orthopedic use. Stem cell therapy using your own cells is different: a physician harvests microfragmented adipose tissue (MFAT) or bone marrow aspirate (BMA) from you, that same visit, then concentrates it and places it under live ultrasound. At Dynamic Athlete, this is Dynamic Stem Cell+, always paired with High-Dose PRP and Fibrin-Rich Plasma, performed exclusively by Aneesh Garg, DO, CAQ. Both are marketed as stem cell therapy. Only one involves a harvest from you.
Do amniotic or umbilical cord “stem cell” products actually contain stem cells?
Independent, peer-reviewed testing says largely no. A 2019 study in The American Journal of Sports Medicine tested three commercially available amniotic fluid products marketed for orthopedic use and found that none contained mesenchymal stem cells (Panero et al., Am J Sports Med, 2019;47(5):1230-1235). A 2021 study in Cartilage tested nine amnion, chorion, umbilical cord, and amniotic fluid products with proteomic analysis and cell-viability testing, and its authors concluded the idea that live cells in these products aid tissue regeneration is not supported by their findings (Becktell et al., Cartilage, 2021;13(2 suppl):495S-507S). These products may still contain useful growth factors and cytokines. What the research does not support is calling them stem cell therapy.
Is exosome therapy the same as stem cell therapy?
No, and neither is currently FDA-approved for orthopedic use. Exosomes are cell-signaling particles, not cells themselves, so an exosome product injected from a vial contains no living cells at all, stem or otherwise. The FDA’s consumer alert on regenerative medicine products lists exosome products alongside amniotic fluid and umbilical cord blood among the unapproved products marketed for joint and orthopedic conditions. A clinic offering exosome therapy is offering a different product than a clinic performing a physician-harvested stem cell procedure, even when both use the word “stem cell” in their marketing. Ask directly what is in the syringe: a manufactured product from a vial, or cells harvested from your own body that same day.
What is Dynamic Stem Cell+?
Dynamic Stem Cell+ is our physician-performed cellular therapy protocol. Aneesh Garg, DO, CAQ, selects microfragmented adipose tissue (MFAT) or bone marrow aspirate (BMA) based on your imaging and condition, harvests it from you personally that same visit, and concentrates it on site. It is always paired with High-Dose PRP and Fibrin-Rich Plasma (FRP), platelets concentrated 12 to 20 times baseline, over 10 billion, then the full combination is placed under live ultrasound into the exact structure identified on your exam. Every step, harvest, concentration, and injection, is performed exclusively by Dr. Garg. With Dynamic Stem Cell+, over 90% of our patients self-report a 75% or greater improvement, all without surgery.
Does the evidence support stem cell therapy for joint pain?
The evidence depends entirely on which product is being studied, which is why this page draws the distinction. A 2017 randomized, placebo-controlled trial in The American Journal of Sports Medicine examined bone marrow aspirate concentrate, a physician-harvested product, for knee osteoarthritis pain (Shapiro et al., Am J Sports Med, 2017;45(1):82-90). Studies of manufactured vial products, amniotic fluid, umbilical cord, and exosome preparations, are a separate evidence base, and peer-reviewed testing has repeatedly found these products do not contain viable mesenchymal stem cells. Outcomes with any cellular therapy depend on candidacy, cell source, dose, and delivery. Not everyone is a candidate, and a physician who evaluates you before offering a product, rather than the reverse, will tell you honestly whether you are.
What is the difference between MFAT and BMA?
MFAT (microfragmented adipose tissue) and BMA (bone marrow aspirate) are both harvested from your own body; the difference is the source and the tissue’s biologic profile. MFAT is drawn from fat tissue, typically the abdomen or flank, under local anesthesia, then mechanically processed on site. BMA is drawn from the bone marrow, typically the iliac crest, and concentrated by centrifuge. Neither is shipped, stored, or shared between patients. At Dynamic Athlete, Dr. Garg selects which source fits your specific joint, tissue type, and imaging findings rather than defaulting to one source for every patient. Our companion guide on MFAT vs BMA covers the selection criteria in full.
How do I know if I am a candidate for stem cell therapy?
Not everyone is a candidate, and we will tell you. Cellular therapy responds best when there is living tissue to stimulate: mild to moderate joint degeneration, partial tears, and early to moderate arthritis. In truly end-stage, bone-on-bone disease, surgery is the right call, and a responsible physician says so rather than offer a vial product or a harvest procedure that a body will not meaningfully use. Ask any provider offering stem cell therapy a direct question: will you tell me if I am not a candidate, before you tell me what it costs? The evaluation, not the sales conversation, comes first.
Where can I get physician-performed stem cell therapy in Boulder?
Dynamic Athlete Sports Medicine and Regenerative Orthopaedics in Boulder provides Dynamic Stem Cell+: physician-harvested MFAT or bone marrow aspirate, concentrated on site, paired with High-Dose PRP and Fibrin-Rich Plasma, and placed under live ultrasound. Aneesh Garg, DO, CAQ, “The Regen Doc,” performs the harvest, the concentration, and the injection personally on every case. He is a double board-certified physician, Yale-New Haven trained, an Andrews Sports Medicine fellow, and teaching faculty at the Regenerative Medicine Training Institute and Rocky Vista University. The clinic serves Boulder, Louisville, Lafayette, Erie, Broomfield, Longmont, and the surrounding Front Range. A quote follows a thorough evaluation, priced for the plan, not line items off a menu.
Ask which one you are being offered
Physician-harvested MFAT or bone marrow aspirate, concentrated on site, paired with High-Dose PRP, placed under live ultrasound, performed exclusively by Dr. Garg. Same-week evaluations in Boulder, with an honest answer if a biologic is not right for you.