Nattokinase

By Bonnie Jenkins, Advanced Natural Medicine

Nattokinase.

Except for an occasional joke about the “artery clogging” potential of a yummy, fat-filled meal, most of us don’t give much thought to our arteries. That’s especially true when we are young and think we can eat anything we want.

But here’s a news flash: plaque begins to build in your blood vessels during your teenage years. That means that most of us have a significant amount of plaque by the time we hit middle age. That can, in turn, lead to a condition called atherosclerosis – which can set you up for a heart attack or stroke.

Artherosclerosis 101

Atherosclerosis evolves over many years as the blood vessels gradually become narrowed or blocked by plaque. Plaque is a fatty substance made up of cholesterol, triglycerides, calcium and a blood-clotting material called fibrin, which causes the endothelium tissue that lines the artery to malfunction.

In response, the endothelium releases a chemical that creates a sticky surface which attracts other cells. Over time, this build-up narrows the arteries and causes blood flow to slow. Ultimately, this narrowing will prevent the heart from getting the oxygen and nutrients it needs to function properly.

A heart attack usually starts when this plaque ruptures and forms a dangerous blood clot. The clot may stay put or it may travel down an artery until it hits another obstructed area. If it does travel, it may block up to 95 percent of the blood flow. There may even be a complete blockage of the artery.

Thinning the blood and making the blood cells less sticky temporarily allows more blood to flow through an area with blockages. That’s why warfarin, nitroglycerin tablets, and even aspirin have found favor with the medical profession.

The real solution, however, is to remove the fibrin deposit or clot. Clot-busting drugs like urokinase, streptokinase, and alteplase can do the trick, but they all come with at least two problems. First, they are astronomically expensive. But the bigger problem is that they must be injected within minutes of a heart attack or stroke – and then their ability to dissolve blood clots and fibrous tissue only lasts for a maximum of 20 minutes.

Nifty Natto

The Japanese have been eating their way to arterial health for thousands of years. Their secret weapon? A fermented soy product called natto.

In 1980, Dr. Hiroyuki Sumi at the University of Chicago Medical School tested 173 foods for their ability to promote healthy circulation. He discovered a specialized enzyme found locked inside natto. This enzyme, dubbed “nattokinase,” did the job better than any of the other substances he was testing. In fact, nattokinase doesn’t just improve circulation; it can literally dissolve blood clots!

But its benefits don’t stop there. Because natto is high in vitamin K, it may also hold some promise for treating osteoporosis. Research shows that adding natto to your diet on a regular basis increases blood levels of the bone-building chemical osteocalcin. It also makes calcium more absorbable. Other studies show that this novel soy food lowers cholesterol and blood pressure.

Pill Power

Luckily, this nutty-tasting food has made its way to American sushi joints. But, before you order up a heaping bowl of natto, be aware that it can be an acquired taste – at least that was my impression when I tried it. But you can take nattokinase in supplement form – 100 to 200 mg. first thing in the morning and again at bedtime.

There are a couple of precautions to be aware of before taking nattokinase or eating natto. Don’t take nattokinase or eat natto if you are taking a blood-thinning drug like warfarin. Natto may interfere with the effectiveness of these drugs and cause excessive bleeding.

Because nattokinase is a very potent fibrinolytic agent, it’s also theoretically possible that using it on a regular basis could cause a clot to break loose from a lower-extremity vein and cause a pulmonary embolism or stroke. Even though there aren’t any reports of this actually happening to anyone, it’s a good idea to work with your doctor if you decide to take nattokinase. But I’ll warn you, you’ll probably have to do a little educating since nattokinase isn’t widely known in medical circles.

A healthy circulatory system is critical for a healthy heart and overall good health. If your circulatory system is functioning at an optimal level, it has profoundly positive effects throughout your entire body. Taking nattokinase in supplement form is by far one of the easiest things you can do to stave off the #1 cause of death and disability in this country.

One Last Thing ...

Statin drugs like Crestor are now being advertised to both lower cholesterol and slow plaque formation. But, unlike nattokinase, these drugs have a number of side effects like muscle pain and nausea. Now, according to a new study in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, you can attribute yet another side effect to statins.

It turns out that statin-taking seniors who undergo surgery are more likely to experience postoperative delirium.

During the study, researchers reviewed the data on more than 280,000 surgical patients over the age of 65. Those who had taken a statin drug during the year before surgery were 28 percent more likely to suffer from delirium after surgery. This finding led the researchers to recommend that patients talk to their doctor about temporarily halting statin treatment before any type of operation.

This Just In ...

I’ve always been an animal lover. Growing up, I would bring all kinds of critters home. And while the snake didn’t get much of a reception from my mom, cats were always a favorite.

Well, it turns out I was on to something. New research presented at this year’s American Stroke Association’s International Stroke Conference showed that petting your cat can significantly cut your risk of dying from a heart attack.

Investigators analyzed data on nearly 4,500 adults who took part in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Study, which ran from 1976 to 1980. Over the next 10 years, they tracked the participants’ death rates from all causes, including heart attacks and strokes.

They found that cat owners were 30 percent less likely to die from heart attacks than those who didn’t own cats. It seems that petting a cat may trigger biological changes that bring down stress, heart rate, and blood pressure.

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References:

Milner M, Makise K. “Natto and its active ingredient nattokinase.” Alternative & Complementary Therapies. 2002;8:157-164.

Qureshi A. “Cats as domestic pets reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases: Results from the Second National Health and Nutrition Examination Study Mortality Follow-Up Study.” ASA Meeting 2008.

Redelmeier DA, Thiruchelvam D, Daneman N. “Delirium after elective surgery among elderly patients taking statins.” Canadian Medical Association Journal. 2008;179: 645-652.

Suzuki Y. “Dietary supplementation of fermented soybean, natto, suppresses intimal thickening and modulates the lysis of mural thrombi after endothelial injury in rat femoral artery.” Life Sciences. 2003;73:1289-1298.

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