New England Stem Cell Institute

07/31/2026

"Screws? What screws?"

One of my existing patients had ACL reconstruction surgery several years ago. She soon developed pain over the distal IT Band. But her surgeon said everything "looked fine." She's been in pain since.

I ordered x-rays, for which she came in today for my review. I also performed a diagnostic ultrasound of her knee this morning.

The radiographs clearly show a screw head protruding from the surface of the lateral femoral condyle. On ultrasound this extends 5.1 mm from the cortical surface of the bone and is rubbing against the deep fibers of the IT Band.

X-ray also shows a tibial screw extending posteriorly WAY past the bone. And on ultrasound the screw can be seen extending a whopping 1.47 cm into the soft tissue behind the bone.

(Incidentally, the formal x-ray report made NO mention of the protruding screws, only that screws were present.😲)

But don't worry; nothing to see here. And don't look behind the curtain.🙄

Patients typically don't complain about pain for no reason. Over 30 years I've learned to listen to those complaints. After all, patients are living in their bodies 24/7; we see them only for a few minutes at a time. They may not always be able to put things in medical terms. But I've learned that, intuitively they are often right. Sadly, too many physicians adopt the "I'm the doctor, you're the patient" attitude and blow off such complaints, leaving the patient feeling belittled, invalidated, frustrated, and still in pain.

07/26/2026

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times - lifespan vs healthspan; a tale of two tendencies.

Modern medicine, augmented by the promises of longevity influencers and “biohacks,” has given hope to many for both longer and healthier lives. But it appears that all is not rosy in octogenarianville.

Summary: People across the world are living longer, but they’re also spending more of those later years coping with ill health, a recent study observed.

Perhaps not surprisingly, the gap widened the most in the wealthiest countries where people have greater access to life-extending resources and can afford them.

But there IS a difference between life extension and health extension. And while it’s never too late to start (see my recent post on reversing heart aging by 20 years in 50 year-olds), the challenge is that health extension requires strategies that are best implemented early in life.

Yet we see dramatic increases in obesity, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome in younger populations— the very group that needs to be implementing health extension strategies the most. With all the knowledge we now have on what is needed for healthy aging, why are we not seeing commensurate improvements in this metric?

The morbidity gap between life expectancy and healthy life expectancy is widest in America, where people spend about 14 years in poor health.

07/23/2026

Are organic foods worth it?

Spoiler alert - YES.

Forget your feelings, beliefs or agendas. What does the actual DATA show?

On the one hand, organics have no greater nutritional value than regular foods. So for anyone who tells you otherwise, challenge them to show the receipts-- where's the data?

On the other hand, independent research has shown a dramatically lower pesticide load from organics, as measured by urinary pesticide residues and metabolites. And many studies have linked these pesticides to health conditions, including cancer.

Watch the brief video for details.
Remember, without data you're just a person with an opinion.

In this video, Dr. Rhonda Patrick covers:• Is organic produce act...

07/22/2026

Longevity. The new-er buzz word.

Peptides. Hormones. Supplements. Cold plunges. Saunas. Intermittent fasting. There is almost no end to the list of "hacks" that people will try to improve both healthspan and lifespan. But there is ONE intervention that trumps all others, and without which everything else is akin to spitting in a pool and expecting the water level to rise.

Exercise.

In a dramatic study, Ben Levine et al took 53 otherwise healthy but sedentary 50-60 year olds and randomized them either to 2 years of a structured intense exercise program (both aerobic and resistance training, total of 5 hours/week) or to a control group consisting of flexibility and balance training.

As we age, the heart shrinks and stiffens, contributing to cardiovascular disease. In the study they measured VO2max and Left Ventricular stiffness.

At the end of 2 years the exercise group had reduced their aging of the heart by a whopping 20 years.

Of course, exercise has implications far beyond cardiac health. Insulin sensitivity, bone density, lean muscle mass, balance, and cognition all improve with exercise.

My patients increasingly ask about various longevity hacks. But universally I tell them the same thing-- Think of a brownie ice cream sundae. The whipped cream and chocolate sauce is all of the longevity hacks. But the brownie and the ice cream is diet and exercise. Just like you don't have a sundae without the base, so pursuing longevity without doing regular vigorous exercise and diligent attention to diet is a fool's errand. But once you have the base, adding the other strategies is worth considering carefully.

Poor fitness in middle age is a risk factor for heart failure, particularly heart failure with a preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). The development of HFpEF is likely mediated through increased left ventricular (LV) stiffness, a consequence of ...

07/21/2026

$28 an hour.

That's what orthopedic surgeons are making on average for ACL surgery (anterior cruciate ligament repair).

Not $28 for a quick consult. $28 an hour for the actual ACL reconstruction surgery. That includes 30 days of pre-op care, the surgery itself, 90 days of post-op care (the "global period"), the PA's salary, the malpractice insurance, office overhead, and medical school loan payments.

The average reimbursement to the surgeon for a total knee replacement is $1300-$1500. That’s for the surgery AND the 90-day follow-up global period. Pathetic.

According to the Journal of Arthroplasty, between 2000 and 2024 the average reimbursement for primary hip and knee replacement surgery decreased by 56%. Meanwhile both the costs of living and the costs of running a business have skyrocketed. Yet insurers rake in record profits while they deny coverage for services. UnitedHealthcare posted $20 billion in profits that same year.

These surgeries typically cost an average of $30,000. But it's NOT the surgeon who is collecting the bulk of it. Far from it.

As a result, ALL doctors are being forced to see more patients in less time just to keep even, never mind get ahead. And it's only getting worse. Increasing insurance and government oversight and regulations, much of which has little to do with providing quality care, places incredible burdens on physicians and their staff to stay "compliant."

And you wonder why 63% of doctors are burned out?

So PLEASE don't blame the physicians for the rising costs of healthcare. Yes, there are always a few bad apples. But that's not the majority. And when you complain about seeing a doctor for only 5 mins, understand that there's far more going on that you don't see.

I'm not asking you to feel sorry for physicians. But I AM asking you to understand that the economics are not what they seem.

06/22/2026

I had the honor & privilege of speaking this past weekend at the largest international musculoskeletal stem cell conference in Denver, the IOF/TOBI MAX conference. (Interventional Orthobiologics Foundation/The Orthobiologics Institute). I gave a lecture on emerging technologies and was also featured on an experts panel titled “The Autologous Gods” (hence the Roman togas!😆).

It’s humbling to be recognized as a leader among such a talented and experienced pool of international physicians & scientists. It was also fun to catch up with old friends and also finally to meet in person those who I’ve only “known” via LinkedIn!

Interventional Orthobiologics Foundation
TOBI: The Orthobiologic 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!

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