NOT MEDICAL ADVICE. No information on this site should be considered medical advice. Research peptides are not intended for human consumption — in-vitro lab use only. Consult a physician prior to introducing anything into the human body.
Peptide HubResearch Peptide Wiki
Support Us Join

Home/Cardiovascular & Circulatory/Nattokinase

Nattokinase

Fibrinolytic serine protease enzyme from fermented soybeans (natto); studied as an oral supplement for blood-flow support.

Overview

Nattokinase is an enzyme, not a research peptide in the usual sense: it is a serine protease of the subtilisin family produced by the bacterium Bacillus subtilis during fermentation of soybeans into natto, a traditional Japanese food. It attracted research interest after being shown to degrade fibrin directly in vitro and to enhance endogenous fibrinolytic activity. Small human studies and supplementation trials have examined its effects on markers of blood clotting and circulation.

Mechanism

Nattokinase cleaves fibrin directly and has also been reported to convert plasminogen to plasmin and to increase levels of tissue plasminogen activator while reducing plasminogen activator inhibitor, actions that together favor fibrinolysis. It can degrade fibrin in blood samples in vitro, which is the basis of most of its laboratory assays.

Dosing

Supplementation studies have used oral doses ranging from about 100 to several thousand fibrinolytic units (FU) daily, taken in capsule form; the specific regimens are reported in each study. There is no drug-approved dose.

Expected Effects

  • reduced markers of coagulation activity, such as fibrinogen or D-dimer, in some small human studies
  • improved blood-flow parameters in some supplementation trials
  • evidence quality is limited by small sample sizes and heterogeneous designs

Side Effects & Tolerability

Oral nattokinase is generally well tolerated in short-term studies, but because of its fibrinolytic activity it carries a theoretical bleeding risk, particularly with anticoagulant or antiplatelet medication. People with bleeding disorders or upcoming surgery are advised against use in most product literature.

Storage

As a protein enzyme, nattokinase is sensitive to heat and moisture; supplements should be stored per the manufacturer label, typically cool and dry, and protected from light.

Related peptides

Albumin-Binding Peptide AnalogsCategory of peptides described as engineered to bind serum albumin for a longer half-life; specific products are undefined in the literature.Angiopoietin Peptide AnalogsVendor umbrella for peptides marketed as angiopoietin analogs; individual sequences and functions are undocumented.Atrial Natriuretic Peptide (ANP) AnalogsMarketed peptides classed as analogs of atrial natriuretic peptide; sequences are undisclosed and no published characterization exists.Cardiogen (Khavinson Cardiac Bioregulator)Marketed short-peptide cardiac bioregulator in the Khavinson tradition; product identity and supporting studies could not be confirmed.Endothelin Receptor Peptide AnalogsCatalog name implying peptide modulators of endothelin receptors; not a recognized class, and products are undocumented.Heparin-Binding Peptide AnalogsGeneric catalog heading for peptides grouped by heparin-binding activity; no single defined product with published identity.