The Possible Benefits of Nattokinase 100 mg NSK-SD™, a Dietary Supplement
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Provides nutritional support for the maintenance and enhancement of normal healthy endogenous fibrinolysis, the dissolution of the essential portion of the blood clot or thrombus*
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Provides nutritional support for healthy blood pressure within normal levels*
Description
Nattokinase (NK) is a profibrinolytic serine protease originally extracted and purified from natto, a traditional fermented soybean food popular in Japan. The fermentation process includes incubating boiled soybeans with Bacillus subtilis natto. Current research suggests that NK may support healthy coagulation of blood within normal levels, and may be useful in the maintenance and enhancement of normal healthy endogenous fibrinolysis, the dissolution of the essential portion of the blood clot or thrombus.* Maintenance of optimum functioning of the body’s fibrinolytic/thrombolytic mechanisms may benefit the function of many bodily systems, in particular the cardiovascular system and the brain.*
The importance of blood clotting is obvious in relationship to survival in cases of injury. But the increasing and excessive stickiness of blood can have other consequences. Antioxidants are supportive in protecting prostacyclin, a prostaglandin that thins blood, and antioxidants also scavenge free radicals, which are required to activate the blood clotting effects of thromboxane. These effects are mediated through the blood supply, they depend upon healthy circulation, and they have themselves full systemic manifestations.
Although early clinical studies utilized intravascular administration of thrombolytic agents, it is now clear that some agents may be successfully administered orally when encapsulated for delivery into the small intestine. For instance, clinical and animal studies demonstrate that the intestinal absorption of urokinase produces a pro-longed level of activity in plasma together with a significant lytic effect on thrombi.
While investigating natural food sources for fibrinolytic activity, the University of Chicago researcher Dr. Hiroyuki Sumi discovered a potent fibrinolytic enzyme in a popular Japanese fermented food. His research group tested 173 foods including the traditional Japanese food called natto, made from boiled and fermented soybeans. Natto has been part of the Japanese diet for centuries, and the Japanese believed that it enhances cardiovascular health.* Dr. Sumi’s research group was surprised to find that this enzyme, nattokinase, has very potent fibrinolytic activity, stronger than that of plasmin or elastase, in vivo. Subsequent research has shown that NK is absorbed from the intestinal tract and degrades plasma fibrinogen. As an endogenous plasminogen activator, NK’s thrombolytic activity can be maintained for a relatively long time.