This raw material is a fermented soybean extract with high activity of the enzyme nattokinase. Nattokinase, like plasmin, is a fibrinolytic enzyme that directly destroys fibrin. In addition, nattokinase has been shown to convert pro-urokinase into urokinase and to increase tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) by degrading plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), with which plasminogen is ultimately activated.
Vitamin K2 has been removed because it negatively affects the thrombolytic properties of blood and neutralizes the beneficial properties of nattokinase. The raw material is non-GMO.
The above-mentioned studies have proved the safety of this dietary supplement raw material.
pH stability： pH 5.5-10
Optimal pH： pH 10.5
Heat stability： below 50℃
Optimal temperature： 65℃
Shelf life and conditions： 42 months at room temperature or 18 months at 40℃
Nattokinase is a protein-cracking enzyme produced by Bacillus subtilis natto. Natto is produced by fermentation of soybeans by Bacillus natto bacteria. This process produces polyglutamic acid, which gives natto its characteristic sticky texture, protein and vitamins. In addition to nattokinase, there are other enzymes such as amylase* and protease** that are produced by the bacteria.
In the 1980s, Professor Hiroyuki Sumi of Kurashiki University of Science and Arts conducted research on clot-dissolving enzymes*** at the Michael Reese Blood Institute in the United States. He discovered that an enzyme contained in the sticky substance of natto (fermented soybeans) had a strong thrombolytic effect, and he named this enzyme "nattokinase.
Nattokinase has the ability to easily dissolve clots. When a blood vessel is damaged and bleeding occurs, platelets**** gather to repair the damaged part and form a clot. This stops the bleeding. When the blood is healthy and smooth, the clot formed to stop the bleeding is dissolved by enzymes in the blood and eventually disappears. However, if cholesterol and triglyceride levels are high in the blood as a result of dieting or poor lifestyle, the blood becomes sluggish, the enzymes that dissolve the clot are less active, and the clot continues to grow. This causes blockage of blood vessels, which can lead to cerebral infarction or myocardial infarction. The ability of nattokinase to dissolve clots can prevent the cause of a blood vessel blockage.
Nattokinase tolerates high temperatures, so it is recommended to eat a natto dish as a source of the enzyme nattokinase without heating. In addition to nattokinase, natto also contains vitamin K2. Vitamin K2 supports bone strength and helps prevent osteoporosis***** but it also helps clot clots. Because blood clots usually form late in the evening or early in the morning, taking Nattokinase after dinner or before bedtime is considered effective.
* Amylase is a digestive enzyme found in pancreatic juice and saliva. It breaks down carbohydrates and makes them easier to digest.
** Protease is a general term for enzymes that break down proteins.
*** A blood clot is a clot that forms when platelets and other substances in the blood stick together. They can cause atherosclerosis and stroke.
**** Platelets are a type of cells found in the blood. They are formed when blood vessels are damaged and help stop bleeding.
***** Osteoporosis is a condition in which the inside of a bone becomes scaly due to extreme loss of calcium from the bone and is known to break very easily. It is a common disease among the elderly, with an estimated 10 million patients in Japan, and is one of the reasons why the elderly become bedridden.
The ability of nattokinase to dissolve clots helps prevent cerebral infarction and myocardial infarction. Cerebral infarction and myocardial infarction are known as thrombosis, which occurs because a blood clot clogs a blood vessel. These thromboses can occur suddenly, without any symptoms, so it is important to take daily preventive care. Blood clots are necessary to repair damaged blood vessels. However, when the blood is sluggish, clots do not dissolve smoothly and remain in the bloodstream. As a result, blood vessels can easily become blocked, leading to cerebral infarction or myocardial infarction. It is reported that 30% of Japanese people die from vascular diseases such as cerebral infarction and myocardial infarction. (According to mortality statistics from the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, 2009).
Nattokinase has two functions: first, it directly dissolves blood clots, and second, it activates the enzyme urokinase*, which works to dissolve blood clots. Urokinase is located on the surface of the digestive tract and is activated by stimulation. Nattokinase activates this urokinase and can produce a clot dissolving enzyme that is naturally present in the body. In addition, the function of Nattokinase to dissolve thrombus easily leads to the prevention of traveler's thrombosis (economy syndrome)**, one of the diseases of thrombosis.
Nattokinase prevents high blood pressure by helping to dissolve blood clots. The heart pumps 4 to 5 liters of blood throughout the body every minute. The pressure this blood exerts on the walls of the arteries is called blood pressure. High blood pressure can cause symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, palpitations, shortness of breath, ringing in the ears, and tingling in the extremities. In addition, when pressure is placed on fragile blood vessels, there is an increased chance of them rupturing, which increases the likelihood of bleeding into the brain. There are two types of hypertension: essential hypertension, which has no apparent cause, and secondary hypertension, which is caused by conditions such as kidney damage. Most adult patients with hypertension are thought to have essential hypertension, which, in addition to heredity, is caused by obesity, aging, excessive salt intake, stress, smoking and lack of exercise. By preventing hypertension, Nattokinase may also help prevent hypertension-induced disease.
Nattokinase has been shown to lower blood cholesterol levels and improve dyslipidemia. Cholesterol, a type of fat, is an important component in cell production. However, eating foods rich in animal fats, such as butter, too often can lead to elevated blood cholesterol levels. Elevated cholesterol levels can lead to diseases such as dyslipidemia, atherosclerosis, stroke, and myocardial infarction. In addition, basal metabolism***, which accounts for 60-70% of energy intake, decreases with age, making it easier to raise cholesterol levels. Nattokinase has the effect of preventing the rise in cholesterol that causes dyslipidemia.
* Urokinase is a type of enzyme that breaks down proteins.
** Traveler's thrombosis (economy syndrome) is thrombosis caused by staying in one position for long periods of time, such as when traveling by plane or train. Blood pools in the legs, causing dull pain and swelling, and if the clot formed in the legs is carried by blood flow to the lungs, it can clog blood vessels in the lungs, causing difficulty breathing and other symptoms.
*** Basal metabolism is the energy used to maintain the minimum number of functions necessary for human life.
The enzyme nattokinase can be obtained from the Japanese dish natto, as well as by taking supplements containing nattokinase.
This product is recommended for people:
1] Spontaneously hypertensive rats were given 2,600 mg of nattokinase per day, and systolic and diastolic blood pressure and fibrinogen, a substance that promotes clot formation, decreased. Nattokinase was found to have blood pressure lowering effects and an antithrombogenic effect on blood flow.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22040882
2] In 86 patients with hypertension, nattokinase was taken at a dose of 2000FU per day for 8 weeks, and systolic and diastolic blood pressure decreased and the activity of renin, a blood pressure-raising substance, decreased. Nattokinase has been found to be effective in preventing hypertension.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18971533
3] 46 patients with hyperlipidemia took 200 mg of nattokinase and 1200 mg of red yeast rice a day for 6 months, and they had an improvement in the ratio of total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and total cholesterol/LDL cholesterol. These results suggest that Nattokinase has a preventive effect on hypercholesterolemia.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19786378
4] When 7 healthy adult men and women took 3,900 mg of nattokinase per day for 8 days, the amount of breakdown products of fibrin, a component of the clot, and plasminogen, the enzyme that breaks down the clot, increased.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2123064
5] When 30 patients with hyperlipidemia received 400 mg (4000FU) of nattokinase daily for 8 weeks along with a low-cholesterol diet, total blood cholesterol levels decreased, and HDL and LDL cholesterol levels also showed a downward trend. These results suggest that Nattokinase may have a preventive effect on hypercholesterolemia.
6] Nattokinase was injected into a human blood sample and stirred for 30 minutes. Nattokinase inhibited erythrocyte aggregation and maintained blood viscosity, suggesting that nattokinase can improve blood flow by inhibiting erythrocyte aggregation.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16899918
