It’s tempting to think of abnormal blood clots as "matters of the heart"-they do, after all, play a major role in heart disease, stroke, and high blood pressure.
But if irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), migraines, or even fibromyalgia top your list of health concerns instead, you’d still be wise not to turn a blind eye to your blood-because as it turns out, hypercoagulation might be responsible for more than just heart trouble… a lot more.
Consider Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis-two major forms of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). A study has shown that patients with both disorders have abnormal coagulation and reduced ability to break down the clotting protein fibrin. Both of these blood viscosity-related factors have a direct influence on the severity of these disorders-while also increasing the risk of deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism in the same patients, at a much earlier age.1-2
Migraine sufferers also demonstrate more rapid platelet aggregation and more active fibrinogen receptors-two major signs of hypercoagulation.3 And this same tendency has been seen in fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue patients, suggesting that it may play a role in the development of these disorders, too.4 Finally, deep vein thrombosis (DVT), varicose veins, and even hemorrhoids have all been strongly linked to increased fibrinogen levels-along with diabetic ulcers and retinopathy, too.
In short: healthy blood clotting is critical for many more reasons. Fortunately, a single, natural enzyme is all you need to maintain a healthy viscosity of the blood.
Derived from fermented soy, nattokinase is four times more powerful than plasmin (a natural anti-coagulant produced within your body) when it comes to dissolving blood clots-making it the most potent anti-clotting agent available.12-13 Its numerous benefits are well documented in both animal and human studies: For example, rats fed nattokinase experienced fewer clots following arterial injury.14 And a human study has shown that travelers given nattokinase receive significant protection against DVT and edema during long flights, in contrast to untreated subjects.15
Its natural clot-busting abilities also make nattokinase a powerful solution for blood pressure control, with placebo-controlled trials showing significant drops in systolic and diastolic readings among hypertensive patients in as little as eight weeks.16 And more surprising research suggests that it may be helpful at halting other developments as well-this time, offering protection for your aging brain.
New research shows that this enzyme also has the ability to cleave and degrade the amyloid protein deposits that characterize Alzheimer’s disease.17 That makes nattokinase one of the only known compounds with this crucial ability -reinforcing its role as a powerful natural substance that can play an important role in a number of factors involved in your longevity and lasting health.
