Research

Fibrinolytic Effect and Coagulation Inhibitory Effect

We currently have 6 human clinical and 7 non-human studies showing the fibrinolytic and anti-coagulation properties of NSK-SD.

  • Sumi et al. 1990 - In 12 healthy women and men, Euglobulin Lysis Time reduced 2,4,8 hours after consumption compared to control. Euglobulin Fibrinolytic Activity increased 2,4,8,12 hours after consumption compared to control. Enhancement of plasma fibrinolytic activity was maintained for up to 8 hours.

  • Sumi et al. 1990 - In 9 dogs, a local clot was induced. The control group showed no sign of lysis of clot 18 hours later, but the nattokinase group showed completely restored blood circulation within 5 hours through fibrinolytic activity.

  • Sumi et al. 1990 Part B - In 7 healthy volunteers, Fibrin Degradation Products spiked on day 1, then decreased slowly over 8 days. TPA (an important factor for degrading blood clot) increased on days 4 and 8 compared baseline (p<0.05).

  • Sumi & Maruyama 1998 - In 5 healthy women and men, Euglobulin Fibrinolytic Activity increased 4 to 8 hours after consumption compared to baseline. Fibrin degradation products increased 6,8 hours compared to baseline.

  • Hsia et al. 2009 - In 45 men and women given nattokinase daily for 8 weeks saw a decrease in plasma levels of fibrinogen, factor VII and factor VIII in humans.

  • Sumi et al. 1987 - Nattokinase was discovered to have strong fibrinolytic activity.

  • Fujita et al. 1995 - Nattokinase is less sensitive on the cleavage of fibrinogen, but is more sensitive on the cleavage of cross-linked fibrin compared to plasmin.

  • Kurosawa 2015 - In 12 young males, D-dimer concentrations and blood fibrin/fibrinogen degradation products were elevated significantly after administration. Factor VIII activity declined, blood antithrombin concentration was higher, and activated partial thromboplastin time prolonged. Therefore, a single dose of nattokinase enhances fibrinolysis and anti-coagulation via several different pathways simultaneously.

  • Urano 2007 - In 45 slightly overweight individuals, the fibrinolytic effect in the nattokinase group compared to the placebo group was not significant. However, when limited to participants with BMI higher than average (25), there was a significant decrease in PAI-1.

  • Suzuki et al. 2003 - Nattokinase reduced development of intimal thickening following endothelial injury in rat femoral artery compared to control (p<0.05) and did not prolong bleeding time.

Blood Pressure Reducing Effect

We currently have 6 human clinical studies showing NSK-SD’s efficacy in decreasing high blood pressure. NSK-SD is also safe for those with normal blood pressure and has been found to now effect those with blood pressure in the normal range.

  • Sumi et al. 1998 - In 5 hypertensive subjects, systolic and diastolic blood pressure decreased.

  • Kim et al. 2008 - In 73 hypertensive men and women, reduction observed in Systolic and Diastolic blood pressure and Renin, all compared to placebo.

  • Krishnan Medical Association 2003 - In 20 men and women with various diseases, reduction in systolic blood pressure was observed compared to baseline.

  • Fujita et al. 2011 - In 63 rats, nattokinase and its fragments are different from each other in the mechanism to reduce hypertension. Nattokinase retained its protease activity after absorbance across the intestines, may decrease blood pressure through cleavage of fibrinogen in plasma.

  • Murakami et al. 2012 - Nattokinase is found to inhibit the angiotensin-converting enzyme.

  • Kang 2014 - In 42 men and women with high blood pressure risk, Nattokinase by Lotte using NSK-SD had drastic reduction of blood pressure compared to nattokinase by KPX.

  • Jensen 2016 - In 79 adults with high blood pressure, the data suggest that nattokinase consumption in a North American population is associated with beneficial changes to BP in a hypertensive population, indicating sex-specific mechanisms of action of nattokinase effect on von Willebrand factor and hypertension.

  • Ried 2012 - In 79 adults with uncontrolled systolic hypertension, the trial suggests that supplement garlic blend with nattokinase is an effective and tolerable treatment in uncontrolled hypertension, and may be considered as a safe adjunct treatment to conventional antihypertensive therapy.

Anti-Platelet and Red Blood Cell Aggregation Effect

We have 3 human clinical studies that show NSK-SD can help prevent platelet aggregation and red blood cell aggregation in blood.

  • Jang et al. 2013 - In a rodent study, nattokinase displayed excellent anti-platelet aggregation and anti-thrombotic activities in vitro and in vivo. It is suggested that nattokinase could be a good health functional food for the improvement of blood flow.

  • Takaoka 2003 - 10 healthy adults, NSK-SD showed inhibitory effects on platelet aggregation with peak mostly at 6hrs, 4 patients saw up to a 50% decrease.

  • Takaoka 2004 - In 9 smokers or subjects with hyperlipidemia (individuals at risk from spontaneous platelet aggregation), strong inhibitory effect on spontaneous platelet aggregation after 6 hours from administration of NSK-SD was observed. The rate of small aggregates increased and medium and large aggregates decreased, which shows NSK-SD may have inhibited the small aggregates from forming into larger aggregates.

  • Pais 2006 - In an in-vitro study, 17 to 125 FU/ml of nattokinase was incubated with blood samples. Results showed a dose-dependent decrease of RBC aggregate sizes from the control ranging from 22% to 62% inhibition of red blood cell aggregation respectively.

  • Human study on 2 subjects with Rouleaux formation (red blood cell stacking). One suject was a smoker male and one was a non-smoker female. 2,000FU/day of NSK-SD softgels were administered for 7 days. Treatment returned the red blood cells close to normal after 1 week and the rouleaux formation did not begin again until after 3 weeks after discontinuation of treatment.

Blood Flow Improving Effect

We have a human study that shows a single dose of NSK-SD is effective in increasing blood flow to hands and feet.

  • Luchi et al. 2006 - 15 healthy men and women were given a single dose of 2,000FU of NSK-SD. Increased blood flow was observed in the fingers and back of hands compared to baseline, 80, 120, and 180 minutes after consumption.

Anti-inflammatory Effect

We have a human study that shows a single dose of NSK-SD is effective in decreasing inflammation in subjects with high CRP levels.

  • Jeske et al. 2011 - 10 subjects that each had three or more cardiovascular risk factors present were given a single dose of 2,000FU of NSK-SD and the CRP levels in the blood were measured over 24 hours following intake. Mean CRP levels decreased progressively for 12 hours post-dose. The greatest effect was observed in patients with higher CRP levels pre-treatment. The highest CRP value dropped by 72%.