August 2024 letter - nattokinase

NATTOKINASE

Have you heard about the more and more popular supplement called nattokinase?

Nattokinase is an enzymes, extracted and purified from a Japanese food called nattō. Natto is made from soy beans, by fermentation with Bacillus natto bacteria, which also produces the enzyme. While other soy foods contain enzymes, it is only the nattō preparation that contains the specific nattokinase enzyme.

Enzymes are extremely important proteins in all biochemical reactions in the body. There are different enzymes in the body involved in different functions. Nattokinase is know to exhibit a strong fibrinolytic activity when in contact with human blood or blood clots, it breaks down blood clots. It is used to treat high blood pressure, raised cholesterol, and to prevent stroke and atherosclerosis. It has also been used to treat Alzheimers.

Fibrin works as our inner plaster. When we get a cut on our skin which results in bleeding, fibrinogen is converted at the wound into fibrin. This happens by the action of a clotting enzyme, thrombin. Once healed, the fibrin is removed. This works well outside of the body, and of course this mechanism works the same way inside the body too. We have fibrinogen in our body which then activates when there is damage, for example on out artery walls. Fibrinogen turns into fibrin which patches this damaged area, like a plaster. Once healed, plasmin (an enzyme that catalyzes the removal of old fibrin) removes fibrin and all is ok. Normally these functions are all well balanced. When there are problems within this balance, however, for example as a result of chronic inflammation, the consequences could lead to excess blood clotting.

Tissue plasminogen activator is a protein involved in the breakdown of blood clots. Plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1) functions as the primary blocker of plasminogen activator and is involved in normal blood clotting. After an injury, clots protect the body by sealing off damaged blood vessels and preventing further blood loss. The PAI-1 protein blocks (inhibits) the action of plasminogen activators to ensure this action. Raised PAI1 is a risk factor for heart disease however. Increased levels could lead to excessive blocking of tissue-plasminogen activator, leading to decreased clot breakdown and eventually an unwanted blood clot. Nattokinase prevents this from happening.

Nattokinase dilutes this fibrin. It has no direct effect (which would be dangerous as fibrin is very important and needed), but it acts on affecting this plasminogel activator, as well as urokinase which activates plasminogel. The way it works prevents any unwanted side effects such as uncontrolled bleeding which is one the dangers when medication is used.

You can find nattokinase as supplements. Similar to nattokinase, serrapeptase also works similar way. I will definitely write about serrapeptase soon, but today I will focus on nattokinase.

Natto is a common food in Japan. We know that Japanese are very healthy and cardiac problems are not common. Nattokinase most likely has a role in this. Nattokinase is generally considered very safe, but it can interact with certain medications, so check with your GP. Especially anticoagulants should not be taken with nattokinase.

If you are interested in finding out more, have a look at the Finnish company Biomed’s information page here.

Here is your bonus; a recipe for a lovely summer-time fish soup:

FISH SOUP

4-5 fair sized fish fillets (cod and haddock work well)

500 g of prawns in shells

1-2 limes

1 onion

1 red pepper

1 yellow pepper

few spring onion

handful of fresh coriander

1 teaspoon tomato puree

olive oil or coconut oil

400 ml coconut milk

sea salt

black pepper

1 tsp turmeric

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp cumin

½ teaspoon chili flakes

Peel the prawns. Put the shells in a saucepan, add enough water to cover them. Bring to boil and cook the shells on low heat for about two hours. Add water if needed to keep the shells well covered.

Place the cooked prawns in a bowl and squeeze in the juice from the limes, stir well. Squeeze some lime juice over the fish fillets also. Then sprinkle with salt and black pepper. Turn the fillets over and repeat the same on the other side. Leave the prawns and the fish fillets to marinate while cooking the prawn shells.

Slice all the vegetables. Chop the coriander. When the prawn shells are ready, strain the broth and put aside.

Put a fair tablespoon of coconut oil in a large saucepan and sauté the sliced onion first. Add the garlic, then the other vegetables and half of the coriander. Let the vegetables cook for five minutes. Add tomato puree, sesame oil, prawn broth and coconut milk. Bring to the boil gently.

Cut the fish fillets into slices less than two cm wide and lift them into the broth. Bring to a boil over low heat and simmer for a while. Finally, add the prawns which don’t need cooking. Just let them warm up for a moment. Add the rest of the coriander.