NATTOKINASE - HEALTH BENEFITS

1. What is Nattokinase food supplement?

Nattokinase is a natural enzyme found in natto, a popular and traditional Japanese food made from soybeans. The enzyme is produced during the natto fermentation process by a specific bacteria called Bacillus subtilis (1). In East Asia, natto has been consumed for thousands of years, and its high consumption has been linked to a longer average life expectancy and lower incidence of chronic diseases. Studies have shown that individuals with diets rich in natto are less likely to die from cardiovascular disease (2).

2. What are the health benefits of Nattokinase?

Studies suggest that Nattokinase may have multiple positive health effects, including:

• Reduced risk of cardiovascular diseases, as Nattokinase has antihypertensive and fibrinolytic activity that helps dissolve blood clots in blood vessels, thus maintaining vascular structure and blood flow (3,4).
• Improvement of chronic sinusitis, reducing the size of nasal polyps and inflammation of the nasal mucosa, thus improving airflow through the nasal passages (5).
• Contribution to a healthy balance of the intestinal microbiome, as it has probiotic properties. A healthy gut improves an individual's immune system and reduces the risk of developing several chronic diseases, such as obesity, diabetes, cancer, and autoimmune diseases (6).
• A recent in vitro study demonstrates the potential of nattokinase to inhibit infection by the Covid-19 virus by degrading the spike protein (S protein) of the Covid-19 virus (SARS-CoV-2), which is essential for the entry of the virus into cells human (7).

3. What are the food sources of natto?

Other than dietary supplements, the only dietary source of natto is natto itself (fermented soybeans).

4. What are the other components of this Nattokinase dietary supplement?

This dietary supplement also contains three other components: dandelion extract, which recent in vitro studies suggest may also prevent the Covid-19 spike protein from binding to human cells (8); selenium, an essential antioxidant that combats cellular oxidative stress and helps repair and recover the human body; and green tea extract, which provides additional cellular defenses by eliminating free radicals.

5. Who should take this Nattokinase supplement?

This supplement is recommended for individuals who want to:

• Reduce cardiovascular risk, such as heart attack or stroke. As the body ages, it loses the ability to dissolve small blood clots, predisposing to atherothrombotic diseases (9).
• Reduce blood pressure.
• Improve seasonal or chronic sinusitis.
• Potentially, for individuals vaccinated and unvaccinated against Covid-19, in order to potentially assist in the elimination of the Covid-19 spike protein, whether through infection with the virus, post-vaccination against Covid-19 or through viral elimination (7, 10).

6. What are the adverse effects of taking Nattokinase?

In general, nattokinase is considered very safe to consume. In Japan, natto has been consumed for thousands of years. The main precautions when taking this supplement are possible interactions with medications. Individuals taking blood thinners or antiplatelet medications, such as warfarin, aspirin, or clopidogrel, may have an increased risk of bleeding (11). Because nattokinase can lower blood pressure, people taking antihypertensive medications may need to adjust the dose of the antihypertensive medication. In these situations, it is recommended to consult a doctor before starting to take nattokinase.

7. Can pregnant and breastfeeding women take this supplement?

There are not enough studies to indicate that nattokinase is safe for pregnant or breastfeeding women, or for children.

8. What is the recommended dose and for how long can Nattokinase be taken?

There is no set recommended dose for nattokinase, but most studies suggest health benefits from an oral dose of 100 to 200 mg per day. Most studies conducted on nattokinase involved individuals who took the supplement for 6 to 12 months. No toxicity problems or side effects were found; however, more studies are needed to provide concrete guidelines on dosing and long-term safety.

 

REFERENCES

1. Sumi H., Hamada H. et al. A novel fibrinolytic enzyme nattokinase in the vegetable cheese Natto; a typical and popular soybean food in the Japanese diet. 1987; 43:1110-1111.

2. Nagata C., Wada K. et al. Dietary soy and natto intake and cardiovascular disease mortality in Japanese adults: The Takayama study. J. CLin. Nutr. 2016.

3. Hsia C.-H., Shen M.-C. et al. Nattokinase decreases plasma levels of fibrinogen, factor VII, and factor VIII in human subjects. Res. 2009; 29:190-196.

4. Fujita M., Ohnishi K et al. Antihypertensive effects of continuous oral administration of nattokinase and its fragments in spontaneously hypertensive rats. Pharm. Bull. 2011; 34:1696-1701.

5. Takabayashi T., Imoto Y. et al. Nattokinase, profibrinolytic enzyme, effectively shrinks the nasal polyp tissue and decreases viscosity of mucus. Allergology International . 2017; 66(4):594-602.

6. Wang P., Gao X. et al. Bacillus natto regulates gut microbiota and adipose tissue accumulation in a high-fat diet mouse model of obesity. Journal of Functional Foods . 2020; Vol 68, May, 103923.

7. Tanikawa T., Kiba Y et al. Degradative effect of Nattokinase on spike protein of SARS-CoV-2. Molecules . 2022; Aug 24;27(17):5405.

8. Tran HTT, Gigl M. et al. In vitro effect of Taraxacum officinale leaf aqueous extract on the interaction between ACE2 cell surface receptor and SARS-Cov-2 spike protein D614 and four mutants. Pharmaceuticals (Basel). Oct 17; 14(10):1055.

9. Mari D., Ogliari G. et all. Hemostasis and aging. Immunology Aging. Oct 23. 5:12

10. Takahashi K., Ishikane M. et all. Duration of infectious virus shedding by SARS-CoV'2 Omicron variant-infected vaccines. Emerging Infectious Diseases. 2022. May; 28(5): 998-1001.

11. Chen H., McGowan EM et al. Nattokinase: a promising alternative in prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases. 2018. Biomarker insights, 13, p.1177271918785130.