Heart Health Essential
by Dave Foreman
In 1980, Doctor Hiroyuki Sumi was in the
middle of searching for a natural agent that
had thrombolytic effects (able to break up
blood clots). The enzyme he was looking for
would be able to dissolve the clots associated
with heart attacks and stroke. After testing
over 100 natural foods as potential “clot
busters”, Dr Sumi accidentally found what
he was looking for when Natto was dropped
onto artificial thrombus (fibrin) in a Petri dish.
The thrombus around the Natto dissolved
gradually and had completely dissolved
within 18 hours. Dr Sumi named the newly
discovered enzyme "nattokinase", which
means "enzyme in natto".
To understand the importance of this
discovery, let’s go back to biology class for a
second. Blood clots form when strands of
protein called fibrin accumulate in a blood
vessel. In the heart, blood clots cause blockage
of blood flow to muscle tissue. If blood flow is
blocked, the oxygen supply to that tissue is cut
off and it eventually dies. This can result in
angina and heart attacks. Clots in chambers
of the heart can mobilize to the brain. In the
brain, blood clots also block blood and oxygen
from reaching necessary areas, which can
result in senility and/or stroke.”
For many, Nattokinase may be the biggest
discovery for natural approaches to cardiovascular
health. But what is Nattokinase?
Nattokinase is a potent fibrinolytic (breaks
down fibrin) enzyme extracted and purified
from a traditional Japanese food called Natto.
Natto is a cheese-like food and is produced by
a specific fermentation process of soybeans.
Natto has been used in Japan for over 1,000
years for cardiovascular support and to lower
blood pressure. Natto is the only preparation
that contains the remarkable nattokinase
enzyme with fibrin-dissolving properties.
Why is Nattokinase so important? The enzyme
is capable of breaking down and dissolving
blood clots formed in a vessel or heart
chamber and can enhance the body's natural
ability to fight clotting of the blood. Unlike
the class of medications called antithrombin,
Nattokinase produces a prolonged action
(lasting from 8 - 12 hours) in preventing
coagulation of blood and dissolving
existing clots.
As a pharmacist and ND, I think that this
discovery is and should be considered a
major discovery for those concerned with
cardiovascular health issues and general
overall health. I come from a family history
of cardiovascular disease and have started
using Nattokinase personally to help prevent
circulatory episodes in the future.
Beyond the more obvious uses mentioned
above, Nattokinase has shown to provide
other health benefits. Here is a small list of
some of the other potential health benefits of
Nattokinase:
- Hemorrhoids and varicose veins
- Diabetes (caused by pancreatic
dysfunction)
- Senile dementia
- Fibromyalgia
- Muscle spasms
- Poor healing
- Chronic inflammation
I believe in using Nattokinase in combination
with other enzymes. I believe in using
balance and enzymes are no exception to this
philosophy. Enzymes support many different
facets of health and in this case, Nattokinase is
the one to use for cardiovascular health.
Regretfully, for those of us who are healthy,
it is hard to notice any changes, but with the
science behind Nattokinase, you can get
piece of mind knowing that you are doing
something proactive to help your cardiovascular
health.
Nattokinase is extremely important for
circulation and circulatory disorders. If you
look at the physiology of the body and
understand how Nattokinase works, you
can easily understand why this may be a
supplement that even the healthiest of people
would want to use.
Finally, the one concern many natural health
enthusiasts have is about safety. When looking
for a quality Nattokinase, you need to look for
one with the vitamin K removed. Natto contains
the highest concentration of Vitamin K
known in food. Significant amounts of Vitamin
K2 are produced during the fermentation
process of Nattokinase. By removing most or
all of the Vitamin K2 you will eliminate any
potential adverse drug interactions with
warfarin (Coumadin®), a Vitamin K antagonist
pharmacological agent typically used an
anticoagulant.
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