Nattokinase supplement to help prevent blood clots

Nattokinase is a dietary supplement containing nattokinase, an enzyme which has been attracting significant scientific interest since its discovery in a traditional Japanese food (natto) and the confirmation a few years later of its exceptional properties.

What is fibrinolysis?

Fibrinolysis is a normal, breakdown process in which clots of fibrin (a filamentous protein) are broken down by the enzyme plasmin. This reduces the amount of fibrin in the blood, and as a result, helps to protect the body against thrombosis, the process in which a blood clot forms in and obstructs a blood vessel.

Plasmin is an enzyme produced by the liver, initially in an inactive form, plasminogen. This binds to fibrin, and if a clot forms, the plasminogen becomes activated and cuts the fibrin in different places.

This normal reaction is facilitated by activators such as urokinase and Tissue Plasminogen Activator (t-PA) secreted by the vessel wall following a trauma. These activators work primarily by converting the plasminogen into plasmin (2).

What causes thrombosis?

Thrombosis is defined as the obstruction of a blood vessel by a clot. It can be venous (phlebitis, pulmonary embolism) or arterial (heart attack, stroke …).

Most of the time, thrombosis occurs after damage to a vessel wall following gradual hardening and loss of elasticity. This is called atherosclerosis.

Atherosclerosis is normally seen in those over 40 but there are certain groups of people at higher risk:

• smokers;
• those who are overweight;
• diabetics;
• those who do no daily exercise;
• those who suffer with bleeding disorders;
• those with a long history of poor dietary habits;
• those who’ve been subjected to daily stress for several years.