2025-02-27 00:30:04
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A correction was added to the FAQ How does nattokinase work? and a study that was cited was removed.
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Nattokinase
•Last Updated: February 27, 2025
Nattokinase is an enzyme derived from the fermented soy food product nattō which appears to have some direct fibrinolytic (blood-clot-busting) activity. It is thought to have cardioprotective effects.
Nattokinase is most often used for
Last Updated:February 27, 2025
Nattokinase is a large enzyme from the serine protease family that is derived from the fermented food nattō, which is made from boiled soybeans and the bacterium Bacillus subtilis. It is gaining popularity as a supplement for its cardiovascular benefits, including reducing blood clotting and blood pressure, although there are rare concerns about increased bleeding risk in certain individuals.
Nattokinase is primarily noted for its cardiovascular benefits, which include reducing blood clotting and lowering blood pressure, but it does not lower cholesterol or reduce atherosclerosis progression, based on clinical trials. Some evidence suggests that higher doses may reduce cholesterol, but further research is needed to confirm these effects and their applicability in different populations.
Nattokinase is generally safe for adults at doses of 100 mg daily, but there have been rare reports of bleeding in older adults with chronic conditions and severe allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis, in some individuals. The European Commission has determined that the risk of allergic reactions to nattokinase is comparable to that of soy products.
Nattokinase primarily works by reducing blood clotting through the breakdown of fibrin and the degradation of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1, which enhances the activity of clot-dissolving proteins like tissue-type plasminogen activator. Studies indicate that regular intake of nattokinase can increase blood levels of tPA and reduce various clotting factors, although some results may not be statistically significant.
Note that Nattokinase is also known as:
- Natto extract
- subtilisin NAT
- Orokinase
- NSK-SD
- NKCP
Nattokinase should not be confused with:
- Nattō (food product)
Most commonly, 100 mg (2,000 fibrinolytic units (FU)) of nattokinase are taken by mouth daily.[1][2][3][4] This dose is reported to not cause adverse effects by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).[5] Limited research using higher doses of nattokinase also reported no adverse effects. People living in China have taken 540 mg (10,800 FU) of nattokinase daily for a year,[6] and adults living in the United States have taken 552 mg of nattokinase daily for four weeks[2] without any reported adverse effects. Nattō itself can be used, and some anti-clotting effects have been noted with 12 grams of nattō daily over 2 weeks.[7]
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2024-07-29 00:30:03
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- ^Kim JY, Gum SN, Paik JK, Lim HH, Kim KC, Ogasawara K, Inoue K, Park S, Jang Y, Lee JHEffects of nattokinase on blood pressure: a randomized, controlled trialHypertens Res.(2008 Aug)
- ^Lampe BJ, English JCToxicological assessment of nattokinase derived from Bacillus subtilis var. natto.Food Chem Toxicol.(2016 Feb)
- ^Yoo HJ , Kim M , Kim M , Lee A , Jin C , Lee SP , Kim TS , Lee SH , Lee JHThe effects of nattokinase supplementation on collagen-epinephrine closure time, prothrombin time and activated partial thromboplastin time in nondiabetic and hypercholesterolemic subjects.Food Funct.(2019 May 22)
- ^Gallelli G, Di Mizio G, Palleria C, Siniscalchi A, Rubino P, Muraca L, Cione E, Salerno M, De Sarro G, Gallelli LData Recorded in Real Life Support the Safety of Nattokinase in Patients with Vascular Diseases.Nutrients.(2021 Jun 13)
- ^Turck D, Bresson J-L, et alSafety of fermented soybean extract NSK-SD® as a novel food pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 258/97(28 July 2016)
- ^Chen H, Chen J, Zhang F, Li Y, Wang R, Zheng Q, Zhang X, Zeng J, Xu F, Lin YEffective management of atherosclerosis progress and hyperlipidemia with nattokinase: A clinical study with 1,062 participants.Front Cardiovasc Med.(2022)
- ^Sumi H, Hamada H, Nakanishi K, Hiratani HEnhancement of the fibrinolytic activity in plasma by oral administration of nattokinaseActa Haematol.(1990)
- ^Chang YY, Liu JS, Lai SL, Wu HS, Lan MYCerebellar hemorrhage provoked by combined use of nattokinase and aspirin in a patient with cerebral microbleeds.Intern Med.(2008)
- ^Ramachandran L, Aqeel A, Jafri A, Sidhu Y, Mohamed Djirdeh TNattokinase-Associated Hemoperitoneum in an Elderly Woman.Cureus.(2021 Dec)
- ^Hodis HN, Mack WJ, Meiselman HJ, Kalra V, Liebman H, Hwang-Levine J, Dustin L, Kono N, Mert M, Wenby RB, Huesca E, Rochanda L, Li Y, Yan M, St John JA, Whitfield LNattokinase atherothrombotic prevention study: A randomized controlled trial.Clin Hemorheol Microcirc.(2021)
- ^Yang NC, Chou CW, Chen CY, Hwang KL, Yang YCCombined nattokinase with red yeast rice but not nattokinase alone has potent effects on blood lipids in human subjects with hyperlipidemia.Asia Pac J Clin Nutr.(2009)
- ^Liu X, Zeng X, Mahe J, Guo K, He P, Yang Q, Zhang Z, Li Z, Wang D, Zhang Z, Wang L, Jing LThe Effect of Nattokinase-Monascus Supplements on Dyslipidemia: A Four-Month Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial.Nutrients.(2023 Sep 30)
- ^Suzuki K, Nakamura M, Sato N, Futamura K, Matsunaga K, Yagami ANattokinase (Bac s 1), a subtilisin family serine protease, is a novel allergen contained in the traditional Japanese fermented food natto.Allergol Int.(2023 Apr)
- ^Jilani TN, Siddiqui AHTissue Plasminogen Activator.StatPearls.(2024 Jan)
- ^Tai MW, Sweet BVNattokinase for prevention of thrombosis.Am J Health Syst Pharm.(2006 Jun 15)
- ^Fujita M, Ohnishi K, Takaoka S, Ogasawara K, Fukuyama R, Nakamuta HAntihypertensive effects of continuous oral administration of nattokinase and its fragments in spontaneously hypertensive rats.Biol Pharm Bull.(2011)
- ^Murakami K, Yamanaka N, Ohnishi K, Fukayama M, Yoshino MInhibition of angiotensin I converting enzyme by subtilisin NAT (nattokinase) in natto, a Japanese traditional fermented food.Food Funct.(2012 Jun)
- ^Ramlal A, Nautiyal A, Baweja P, Kumar V, Mehta S, Mahto RK, Tripathi S, Shanmugam A, Pujari Mallikarjuna B, Raman P, Lal SK, Raju D, Rajendran AAngiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitory peptides and isoflavonoids from soybean Glycine max (L.) Merr..Front Nutr.(2022)
- ^Li D, Hou L, Hu M, Gao Y, Tian Z, Fan B, Li S, Wang FRecent Advances in Nattokinase-Enriched Fermented Soybean Foods: A Review.Foods.(2022 Jun 24)
- ^Ero MP, Ng CM, Mihailovski T, Harvey NR, Lewis BHA pilot study on the serum pharmacokinetics of nattokinase in humans following a single, oral, daily dose.Altern Ther Health Med.(2013 May-Jun)
- ^Wang C, Du M, Zheng D, Kong F, Zu G, Feng YPurification and characterization of nattokinase from Bacillus subtilis natto B-12.J Agric Food Chem.(2009 Oct 28)
- Fibrinolysis - Sumi H, Hamada H, Nakanishi K, Hiratani HEnhancement of the fibrinolytic activity in plasma by oral administration of nattokinaseActa Haematol.(1990)
- Factor VIII - Hsia CH, Shen MC, Lin JS, Wen YK, Hwang KL, Cham TM, Yang NCNattokinase decreases plasma levels of fibrinogen, factor VII, and factor VIII in human subjectsNutr Res.(2009 Mar)
- Liver Enzymes - Yang NC, Chou CW, Chen CY, Hwang KL, Yang YCCombined nattokinase with red yeast rice but not nattokinase alone has potent effects on blood lipids in human subjects with hyperlipidemia.Asia Pac J Clin Nutr.(2009)
- Blood Pressure - Kim JY, Gum SN, Paik JK, Lim HH, Kim KC, Ogasawara K, Inoue K, Park S, Jang Y, Lee JHEffects of nattokinase on blood pressure: a randomized, controlled trialHypertens Res.(2008 Aug)