By Paul A. J
The term Nattokinase got its name from a Japanese food called Natto. In the Japanese tradition, Natto refers to the food made of boiled soybean that is fermented with certain bacteria. Nattokinase enzymes are produced during this food preparation. These enzymes are also called Nattozimes. They can be used to cure blood related disorders and also minimizes the chances of developing heart related diseases. Nattokinase is highly valued in the medical fraternity as they can be effectively used as a blood-thinner or a clot-buster. In fact, they are even recommended for aspirin therapy.
‘Nattokinase’ was coined by a Japanese researcher Hiroyuki Sumi way back in the 1980s. The history of this enzyme can be traced back to the 17th century. During this period, Minamoto no Yoshiie; a warrior from Japan found that boiled soybeans that were accidentally left on straw, had fermented. This eventually led to the Natto’s discovery. Natto was now being widely accepted as a part of Japanese culture and was regularly used in most parts of Japan. The low prevalence of cardiovascular diseases in Japan is attributed to Natto. No wonder then, that Natto is now a popular food across Japan. Natto is generally eaten along with rice and it has a strong smell and very salty in flavor. Over the years, a number of things were derived from Natto.
Natto is purified through certain processes to produce the supplement called Nattokinase. These supplements are available in the form of capsules and tablets in the open market. Hence these supplements have less smell; at least as compared to their original versions. These supplements are found to be very useful for a number of reasons. Firstly, they help in dissolving abnormal blood clots that can cause strokes and heart attacks. They can also prevent abnormal conditions like pulmonary embolism and phlebitis happening to you. Strong meshes that are present in blood clots get dissolved by these supplements. They get easily absorbed in the mouth and their effects are generally long-lasting. Their blood clotting abilities is generally equated with plasmin, an enzyme present in the blood. There is ample information available on how Nattokinase supplementation works.
In spite of having plenty of advantages associated with it, Nattokinase supplements are known to create certain side-effects. People who are suffering from severe bleeding and under the influence of other drugs shouldn’t take these supplements, unless otherwise suggested by their doctor. All said and done, these supplements can be relied upon to lower blood pressure.
But the effectiveness of these supplements in people who are already healthy is still not yet known. They are also known to cause excessive bleeding and bruising on certain occasions. Among few elements that are common between Natto and Nattokinase is Vitamin K. However, the presence of this vitamin in large quantities can reduce the efficiency of Coumadin. Pregnant women and mothers nursing children should use these supplements very selectively and under strict medical supervision.