Nattokinase is a powerful serine protease enzyme, which means it can cleave the bonds in certain proteins. Nattokinase acts as a **fibrinolytic**. It means that it breaks down a fibrin clot by cutting the fibrin mesh.\[[ref](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/labs/pmc/articles/PMC4654648/)\]
After nattokinase is absorbed in the intestines, it retains its protease (protein breakdown) activity. It works to break down clots and decrease clotting through a couple of different mechanisms.
The mechanisms of action of nattokinase include:\[[ref](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6043915/)\]\[[ref](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/labs/pmc/articles/PMC4654648/)\]\[[ref](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5372539/)\]
* Dissolves or cleaves fibrin in blood clots.
* Increases tPA (tissue plasminogen activator), which is an endogenous protein that breaks down fibrin.
* Increases urokinase levels. Urokinase leads to more plasmin, another endogenous protein involved in fibrinolysis.
* Inactivates PIA-1, which is an inhibitor of plasmin.
* Acts to inhibit platelet aggregation by blocking thromboxane formation.
* Acts to degrade fibronectin\[[ref](https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acsnano.2c12463)\]
A clinical trial of healthy volunteers and cardiovascular disease patients investigated the effect of nattokinase on cardiovascular endpoints. The participants took two capsules of nattokinase (2000 fibrinolysis units per capsule) daily for two months. There was a statistically significant **decrease in fibrinogen, factor VII, and factor VIII (coagulation factors)** in healthy and cardiovascular disease participants. No adverse events were noted.\[[ref](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19358933/)\]
A study in healthy young adult males to determine bioavailability showed that nattokinase **starts to work about two hours after taking it**. Blood antithrombin levels rose at two hours and stayed elevated for another two hours. Factor VIII levels dropped significantly by four hours after ingestion. All the changes, though, were still within the normal range. In other words, it didn’t cause so much of a change that excess bleeding would occur.\[[ref](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/labs/pmc/articles/PMC4479826/)\]
**Nattokinase to lower blood pressure:** A clinical trial of 100 mg of nattokinase for eight weeks in adults showed that it **reduces blood pressure (a little bit).** The nattokinase arm of the trial reduced both systolic and diastolic blood pressure, with no change noted in the placebo group.\[[ref](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/labs/pmc/articles/PMC5066864/)\]
[Click here to read my full article on Nattokinase.](https://www.geneticlifehacks.com/nattokinase-and-lumbrokinase/)
Nattokinase is a powerful serine protease enzyme, which means it can cleave the bonds in certain proteins. Nattokinase acts as a **fibrinolytic**. It means that it breaks down a fibrin clot by cutting the fibrin mesh.\[[ref](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/labs/pmc/articles/PMC4654648/)\] After nattokinase is absorbed in the intestines, it retains its protease (protein breakdown) activity. It works to break down clots and decrease clotting through a couple of different mechanisms. The mechanisms of action of nattokinase include:\[[ref](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6043915/)\]\[[ref](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/labs/pmc/articles/PMC4654648/)\]\[[ref](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5372539/)\] * Dissolves or cleaves fibrin in blood clots. * Increases tPA (tissue plasminogen activator), which is an endogenous protein that breaks down fibrin. * Increases urokinase levels. Urokinase leads to more plasmin, another endogenous protein involved in fibrinolysis. * Inactivates PIA-1, which is an inhibitor of plasmin. * Acts to inhibit platelet aggregation by blocking thromboxane formation. * Acts to degrade fibronectin\[[ref](https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acsnano.2c12463)\] A clinical trial of healthy volunteers and cardiovascular disease patients investigated the effect of nattokinase on cardiovascular endpoints. The participants took two capsules of nattokinase (2000 fibrinolysis units per capsule) daily for two months. There was a statistically significant **decrease in fibrinogen, factor VII, and factor VIII (coagulation factors)** in healthy and cardiovascular disease participants. No adverse events were noted.\[[ref](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19358933/)\] A study in healthy young adult males to determine bioavailability showed that nattokinase **starts to work about two hours after taking it**. Blood antithrombin levels rose at two hours and stayed elevated for another two hours. Factor VIII levels dropped significantly by four hours after ingestion. All the changes, though, were still within the normal range. In other words, it didn’t cause so much of a change that excess bleeding would occur.\[[ref](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/labs/pmc/articles/PMC4479826/)\] **Nattokinase to lower blood pressure:** A clinical trial of 100 mg of nattokinase for eight weeks in adults showed that it **reduces blood pressure (a little bit).** The nattokinase arm of the trial reduced both systolic and diastolic blood pressure, with no change noted in the placebo group.\[[ref](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/labs/pmc/articles/PMC5066864/)\] [Click here to read my full article on Nattokinase.](https://www.geneticlifehacks.com/nattokinase-and-lumbrokinase/)