Cord Blood is blood that remains in umbilical cord and placenta following birth. Cord Blood is routinely discarded with placenta and umbilical cord. The blood in cord is a rich source of stem cells. Stem cells are building blocks of your blood and immune system. Stem cells have ability to differentiate into other types of cells in body, and thus give rise to all tissues, organs and systems in body. The stems cells in a child's cord blood are genetically unique to baby and its biological family.

Due to stem cells ability to differentiate into other types of cell tissue in body, treatments can be developed for diseases such as Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and Diabetes to name a few. Stem cells found in cord blood are a valuable biological resource that researchers can use to investigate potential of future applications for cord blood stem cells.

Cord Blood Banking

It's not illegal. I feel better when I use it. I don't get so tired in a double-header. I feel better after a good night's sleep. But bottom line is "It's not illegal!" Or it wasn't. It is now, in 2005. Should it be? Should other performance enhancing drugs be illegal? We really don't have all genetic evidence in yet. Do performance enhancers, and especially anabolic steroids, have long-term deleterious genetic effects? We may not know for another 10-20-30 or more years? We may never know for sure? But evidence of playing with chemicals is in, and there may be evidence to at least suggest (see artificial sweeteners) possibility of genetic changes from prolonged use.

So just what are major Performance Enhancers and what they do, good and bad. Here are a few (following statistics from Mayo Clinic):

Creatine. Typical drug of choice for many high school athletes. Over-the-counter supplement best known for improving performance in sports involving short bursts of high-intensity activity such as power lifting, wrestling and sprinting. Side effects include stomach pain, nausea, diarrhea and muscle cramps. High doses may be associated with kidney, liver or heart problems. Serious dehydration may occur from redirection of body's water to muscles. Possible leading cause of death of a young and promising professional baseball player in 2004.

Androstenedione (andro). Proponents claim it boosts testosterone production, which in turn increases muscle mass, energy and strength. In reality, andro doesn't do any of that. The Anabolic Steroid Control Act of 2004 classified andro as a controlled substance, adding it to list of banned anabolic steroids and making its use illegal. In males it can actually decrease production of testosterone while increasing production of estrogen. Side effects include acne, diminished sperm production, shrinking of testicles and enlargement of breasts. In females side effects include acne and masculinization, such as deepening of voice and male-pattern baldness. Andro might also stunt a child's growth.