Have you ever tried the Japanese delicacy natto – a stringy, cheese-like food with a strong, potent aroma?
If you have, you'd probably remember. Consuming natto is not a culinary experience easily forgotten.
Made from fermented soybeans, natto has been a traditional food in Japan for thousands of years. Yet, its discovery was actually an accident...
According to historical accounts, a war broke out in 1051 AD in Mutsu province because Abe, the local landlord, hadn't paid tribute to the imperial court for several years.
As the great Samurai Lord Minamoto no Yoshiie and his army made their way towards conquests in northern Japan, they settled in one evening at a country farm to enjoy a simple meal of rice and boiled soybeans.
Just as they started to eat, they were Interrupted by the word of enemy approach. Hurriedly, they stuffed their freshly boiled soybeans into rice straw bales and attached them to the horses' flanks.
Little did they know that the straw contained a natural source of soil-dwelling Bacillus subtilis bacteria that would transform the soybeans into something they had never encountered before...
A day or two later when they reached their destination, they opened the bundles and found the soybeans covered by a white spongy layer.
The conditions had been ideal – the combination of the horses' warm body temperature, along with high moisture and the natural bacteria imbedded in the rice straw bales – to turn the soybeans into a fermented food that would eventually become known as natto.
Not only did the warriors discover that they liked the taste of this new concoction, they felt energized after eating it. Word spread about this new “superfood” and natto was soon being prepared and consumed throughout the East.
The rest of the story is history... Natto quickly earned its place as a staple in the traditional Japanese diet, and its renowned status continues to this day.
The Discovery of Natto's Potent Fibrinolytic Activity
It wasn't until the last half century that researchers confirmed natto's value for health.
In 1980, Japanese researcher Hiroyuki Sumi found that natto displayed strong fibrinolytic activity – that is, it duplicated a normal process in the body called fibrinolysis that breaks down fibrin, a protein that your body makes, to promote healthy blood flow.
Extracting this fibrinolytic substance from natto with saline, Sumi excitedly named this newly discovered enzyme “nattokinase.” Of the 173 natural foods he tested for breaking down fibrin, nattokinase showed a potency unmatched by any other food.
Nattokinase is what's known as a proteolytic or fibrinolytic enzyme. Similar to lumbrokinase and serrapeptase, this special type of enzyme is designed to break down waste products and proteins in your body, but not the proteins in your food.
The type of enzymes you might take at mealtime – digestive enzymes – remain in your intestinal tract to break down the food you eat into smaller, digestible components. Proteolytic enzymes like nattokinase are taken between meals when food isn't present.
These enzymes quickly enter your bloodstream and go to work in a seek-and-destroy-type mission to break down and clear out proteins to clean up your blood, tissues and organs. They do this by digesting their protein-based shields.
While working to dissolve unwanted proteins, fibrinolytic enzymes don't harm healthy tissues. They can tell the difference between living tissue and dead tissue, or non-living proteins, which makes them one of the greatest tools for supporting health.
So where do you find nattokinase? You can get it from eating natto – daily, like people in Japan have done for centuries – or you can get the enzyme in supplement form, as scientists have learned how to extract the nattokinase from natto.
Getting it in supplement form means you don't have to actually eat natto, which is welcome news for many individuals.
Either way, nattokinase may be one of the most important discoveries you can make for achieving optimal health. Let's find out more about the potential it holds for your well-being...
9 Ways Nattokinase Supports Your Health
Nattokinase is best known for its potential benefits for your heart and arteries. Here's how it accomplishes this...
Your body naturally produces an enzyme known as plasmin, which, like nattokinase, helps break down fibrin.
Nattokinase closely resembles plasmin and, at the same time, supports your body's healthy production of this important enzyme, plasmin.*
It supports the healthy actions of two naturally occurring proteins in your body, too – tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) and urokinase, another fibrinolytic enzyme.*
When you are young, the endothelial cells lining your blood vessels produce adequate amounts of fibrinolytic enzymes that can handle your body's needs. But, as you grow older, the production of these enzymes begins to decline.
Ensuring your body has an abundant supply of enzymes like nattokinase promotes healthy blood flow throughout your body, including your brain. Supplementing with nattokinase is like giving your body's enzymes a helping hand.*
Studies suggest nattokinase may support these aspects of health:
- Normal blood clotting and blood flow*
- Blood pressure levels already in the normal range*
- Cardiovascular health, including circulatory and blood vessel health*
- Respiratory health by promoting airflow and thinning mucus*
- Eye health by helping to maintain the integrity of your blood-retinal barrier*
- Cognitive and brain health by promoting blood circulation*
- Energy production and cellular health*
- Bowel and intestinal health*
- Lipid levels, such as triglycerides and cholesterol, already in the normal range*
Please note: Because of the effects of nattokinase on the cardiovascular system, avoid using any nattokinase if you take an anticoagulant agent, such as Coumadin or Warfarin, or take aspirin regularly. It is best to consult with your health care provider prior to taking any dietary supplement.
Introducing Nattokinase Delayed Release – A Soy-Based Enzyme Without a Trace of Soy
Just as Yoshiie's warriors learned early on, natto – and the enzyme nattokinase – is produced through fermentation by the bacterial strain Bacillus subtilis.
However, in the early 1900s, researchers found they could produce natto without the use of straw. This discovery changed the way natto was produced, marking the beginning of the commercial production of natto.
By now, you may be wondering... aren't I supposed to avoid soy?
Much controversy exists about soy and soy-based products. On one hand, companies that produce soy products tout them as “wonder foods.” Yet, that's not necessarily true.
Natto from Japan is much different from the soy you see in your grocery store. Much of the soy in stores here – such as soy milk, soy protein, soy lecithin and soybean oil - is genetically engineered, or GMO.
When you ferment soybeans into foods like natto, miso and tempeh, you end up with a much different product, one with valuable nutrients because of the fermentation process.
And as long as it is organic soy, you don't have to worry about GMOs or the herbicide glyphosate used to grow the soybeans.
Our Nattokinase Delayed Release provides activity from Bacillus subtillis natto isolated from lab-grown natto. However, you don't need to worry about soy because it doesn't contain any. The raw material has been verified to be free of soy proteins.
Each capsule of Nattokinase contains 2,000 Fibrinolytic Units (FU) of Nattokinase, the level used in many clinical studies.
And we package it in a special way so you receive all its potential benefits...
Delayed Release Without Questionable Enteric Coatings
Just like any other protein you ingest, nattokinase is also a protein that your body seeks to digest. That makes it vulnerable to your stomach's acidic digestive juices.
For the best results, you want the enzymes to bypass your stomach and reach your small intestine unharmed. There they can enter your bloodstream and go to work.
To protect the enzymes from your digestive processes so they can safely reach your small intestine, our Nattokinase uses a delayed release capsule that survives gastric acid.
Instead of a delayed release capsule, other manufacturers often use an enteric coating on the pill to protect the enzymes.
There are several problems with this... If they don't apply enough coating, the enzymes can't effectively resist the harsh stomach acids. And too much coating can delay the release of the enzymes once they reach your small intestine.
Worse, enteric coatings typically include synthetic chemicals. This can include shellac, polymers, plasticizers, pigments, opacifiers, glidants, binders, anti-tacking and anti-foaming agents, fillers, surfactants and extenders.
Two of the most commonly used enteric coatings are cellulose acetate phthalate (CAP) and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose phthalate (HPMCP). As you can tell by their names, they contain phthalates.
Phthalates are a family of chemicals used by manufacturers as plasticizers to achieve flexibility and resilience – and protection, like with proteolytic enzymes. However, scientists link phthalate exposure to a number of serious health issues:
- Declining sperm counts and infertility
- Disrupted hormones
- Altered thyroid function
- Obesity
- Type 2 diabetes
- Lowered IQ
- Attention deficit disorder
I recommend avoiding phthalates at all costs. Our Nattokinase is packed in delayed release capsules that do not use phthalates or other potentially harmful chemicals.
How Nattokinase Compares to Serrapeptase and Lumbrokinase Enzymes
As we've learned, nattokinase, lumbrokinase and serrapeptase are all fibrinolytic, or proteolytic, enzymes. And each offers powerful benefits for health, which is why we offer all three formulas in the Mercola Market.
So how do you decide which one is best for your needs?
Each enzyme comes from a different source and offers valuable benefits. For optimal results, I recommend using all three in rotation.
For example, take Nattokinase for one month, then switch over to Serrapeptase Enzymes for the second month, and then take Lumbrokinase Enzymes during month three. At the end of three months, repeat the rotation, starting again with Nattokinase.
Because all three fibrinolytic enzymes work to break down fibrin, they all support healthy blood flow, as well as cellular and organ health, yet in slightly different ways. Rotating their use gives you the best of each while preventing your body from becoming accustomed to the actions of just one group of enzymes.
Here are some additional strengths of our Serrapeptase and Lumbrokinase formulas:
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Serrapeptase Enzymes contains a blend of serrapeptase and bacterial protease Bacillus subtillis, another protein-dissolving enzyme that works synergistically with serrapeptase.
Serrapeptase is best known for its ability to support a normal inflammatory response, immune health, joint comfort and mobility, as well as sinus and respiratory health.*
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Lumbrokinase Enzymes, an enzymes sourced from earthworms, is known as the “king” when it comes to enzyme strength.
Its powerful action supports heart health and blood flow, while it excels at breaking apart unwanted proteins in your body. It supports immune health, heart health and circulation, brain health, cognitive function, as well as muscle health and energy production.*
All three formulas are used the same way – taken on an empty stomach between meals or at bedtime – for optimal benefits.
Support Your Heart and Healthy Blood Flow With Nattokinase*
While fibrinolytic enzymes are an outstanding tool for supporting health, Nattokinase promotes many aspects of your well-being, including the following:
- Normal blood clotting and blood flow*
- Blood pressure levels already in the normal range*
- Cardiovascular health, including circulatory and blood vessel health*
- Respiratory health by promoting airflow and thinning mucus*
- Eye health by maintaining the integrity of your blood-retinal barrier*
- Cognitive and brain health by promoting blood circulation*
- Energy production and cellular heath*
- Bowel and intestinal health*
- Lipid levels, such as triglycerides and cholesterol, already in the normal range*
As you can see from this list, anywhere in your body that blood flows, Nattokinase offers potential value.
This important fibrinolytic enzyme has proven itself over and over again throughout history. Now it's your opportunity to put Nattokinase Delayed Release to work for you. Order your supply today.