Anti-Atherosclerotic Properties of Nattokinase
Widely used product for Spike detoxification has added benefits fighting heart and vascular disease
By Peter A. McCullough, MD, MPH
With so many patients taking the Ultimate Spike Detox and Spike Support from the Wellness Company, there is more good news about one of its natural ingredients—nattokinase derived from the fermentation of chickpeas. There is evidence from preclinical and clinical studies suggesting that nattokinase may have anti-atherosclerotic effects, primarily through mechanisms like fibrinolysis, lipid-lowering, antioxidant activity, and modulation of inflammatory pathways, which could help reduce plaque buildup and intima-media thickness in arteries.
Preclinical Studies
Chen et al, has summarized animal models (e.g., rats with vascular injury and hypercholesterolemic rabbits) demonstrate that nattokinase suppresses intimal thickening, reduces aortic plaque area, and improves lipid profiles, often through enhanced thrombolysis and reduced LDL oxidation.
Human Clinical Trials Showing Positive Effects
Ren et al, 2017, published a randomized trial with 82 patients with carotid atherosclerosis and hyperlipidemia found that 6,500 FU/day of nattokinase for 26 weeks reduced common carotid artery intima-media thickness (CCA-IMT) by about 10.6% (from 1.13 mm to 1.01 mm) and plaque size by 36.6% (from 0.25 cm² to 0.16 cm²), outperforming simvastatin (20 mg/day, which achieved an 11.5% plaque reduction).
Chen et al published a larger 2022 observational study with 1,062 participants (aged 63-85 with mild atherosclerosis and hyperlipidemia) reported that high-dose nattokinase (10,800 FU/day for 12 months) reduced plaque area by 36% and intima-media thickness by 21.7%, alongside significant lipid improvements (e.g., 18.1% LDL-C reduction); lower doses (3,600 FU/day) were ineffective. Effects were more pronounced in subgroups like exercisers, obese individuals, smokers, and moderate drinkers. A 2021 randomized controlled trial by Hodis et al (Nattokinase Atherothrombotic Prevention Study) tested 265 healthy, low-CVD-risk participants and found no effect on subclinical atherosclerosis progression (e.g., no change in CCA-IMT) or biomarkers with low-dose 2,000 FU/day for 3 years, suggesting limited preventive benefits in asymptomatic populations at lower doses of Nattokinase.
Smaller trials summarized by Wei et al (e.g., 30-60 patients with hyperlipidemia) have shown modest reductions in total cholesterol, triglycerides, and LDL-C (8-12%) with doses of 1,500-2,000 FU/day over 8-12 weeks, supporting indirect anti-atherosclerotic benefits via better lipid management.
Overall, while promising for managing existing atherosclerosis at higher doses (6,000-10,800 FU/day) in at-risk patients, the evidence is not conclusive due to study limitations like small sample sizes in some trials, lack of placebo controls in others, and neutral results at low doses. Large-scale, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials should be organized and funded by the NIH NHLBI to confirm efficacy and safety, especially compared to or in addition to standard lipid-lowering therapy with aspirin.
After a year or more of McCullough Protocol Base Spike Spike Detoxification with resolution of long-COVID or vaccine injury symptoms supported by anti-Spike antibodies < 1000 U/ml, I commonly advise patients to remain on the Ultimate Spike Detox or Spike Support indefinitely for the cardiovascular benefits of nattokinase.
Please subscribe to FOCAL POINTS as a paying ($5 monthly) or founder member so we can continue to bring you the truth.
Peter A. McCullough, MD, MPH
Chief Scientific Officer, The Wellness Company
I can certainly believe the research that shows cardiovascular benefits. However, there is also a serious risk that was not discussed in the article and I do not think anyone should use nattokinase without being cautioned about the potential risks. I was taking nattokinase up to 400 mg. per day which is the maximum recommended in the Spike Support product, and had no side effects. But I had read one of the research studies showing cardiovascular benefit and "no side effects" in the research report, so I increased the dose for a few weeks. I had a fall and injured my knee very badly. I went to see an orthopedic surgeon within 72 hours, the soonest possible, and he immediately asked what blood thinner I was taking because of the enormous amount of swelling in my knee, and the enormous amount of bruising. I had bled into my knee joint just as a hemophiliac would (people with hemophilia cannot make one of the clotting factors and they can bleed excessively into a joint if they have an injury - as I did). Turns out that I was just like a hemophiliac and that with higher doses of nattokinase one can lose the ability to make Factor VIII and also Factor VII, so that one can bleed very excessively as I did. And - it can take two weeks or so to regain normal clotting capability. In fact, nattokinase has multiple mechanisms of action that serve to decrease the ability to clot. If you are having surgery, I would think that you should stop this perhaps 3 weeks in advance, and also, I do not think this should be taken without your primary physician being agreeable to monitor. When the orthopedic surgeon asked me what blood thinner - I realized, it must be the nattokinase, though I had not previously understood it could cause what I had just experienced. And by the way - at the time of the fall, I had already been off nattokinase for nearly a week, because I had decided not to take it while traveling, simply to avoid having to pack one more thing when traveling to a conference. And - even after returning home, and not resuming nattokinase, I additionally had an esophageal bleed, something I had never had before (I had had an esophogeal problem for decades, but never before any bleeding). When I met with a gastroenterologist, and discussing that situation, he pointed out that I was lucky that nothing worse had happened. I realized if I had hit my head in the fall (which I had not), it might have been a brain bleed - or one could have an eye bleed resulting in blindness which happened to someone I know of. Here is what Gemini AI said when I asked about how nattokinase can do this - all that follows is from Gemini:
That is an excellent and important question, as it gets to the core of why nattokinase is used therapeutically but also why it carries a significant risk of excessive or easy bleeding for some users.
Nattokinase (NK) is a potent enzyme extracted from the Japanese fermented soybean food natto. Its entire function in the body is to promote the dissolution of blood clots (thrombolysis) and reduce the blood's tendency to clot.
Nattokinase causes easy bleeding primarily through its three-pronged attack on the blood clotting system:
1. Direct Fibrinolysis (Clot Dissolving) - This is the primary and most powerful mechanism of nattokinase.
Fibrin Degradation: Nattokinase is a serine protease enzyme that directly breaks down fibrin. Fibrin is a tough, insoluble protein that forms the final mesh-like scaffolding of a blood clot (thrombus).
Action: By cleaving (cutting) this fibrin mesh, nattokinase literally dissolves existing clots and prevents new ones from fully solidifying. It is often compared to the body's natural clot-dissolving enzyme, plasmin, and is considered even more potent.
2. Enhancing the Body's Own Clot-Dissolvers- Nattokinase doesn't just work directly; it enhances the body's own fibrinolytic (clot-dissolving) system:
Urokinase and t-PA Activation: Nattokinase converts prourokinase (an inactive enzyme precursor) into urokinase (a powerful clot-dissolver). It also increases the body’s levels of tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA). Both urokinase and t-PA are enzymes that ultimately lead to increased production of plasmin, the body's natural clot-buster.
PAI-1 Degradation: It also degrades Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), which is the body's main brake on the fibrinolytic system. By degrading PAI-1, nattokinase effectively removes the brake, allowing the body to dissolve clots more freely and aggressively.
3. Modulating Coagulation Factors (Slowing the Clot Formation) - Nattokinase also reduces the concentration of key proteins necessary to start the clotting process:
Factor Reduction: Studies show that nattokinase helps lower plasma levels of critical clotting agents such as Factor VII and Factor VIII. A reduction in these factors means the initial stages of the coagulation cascade are slowed down.
Summary of Risk
Because nattokinase works through these three powerful mechanisms—directly dissolving clots, promoting natural clot dissolution, and slowing the rate of new clot formation—it essentially acts as a strong oral blood thinner (anticoagulant/antiplatelet agent).
The risk of easy bleeding is not due to a side effect but is a direct result of its intended pharmacological action on the blood. This risk becomes critical when nattokinase is:
Taken alongside prescription blood-thinners (like Warfarin, Plavix, or even high-dose Aspirin).
Taken by someone who has a pre-existing bleeding disorder (like hemophilia).
Taken immediately before or after surgery.
[My final comment is that I was not taken Coumadin/warfarin, nor Plavix, nor aspirin or any other med associated with "blood thinning." I do not have a pre-existing bleeding disorder like hemophilia. Three months later, most of the blood in my knee has reabsorbed, but there is still a lump in that knee that I believe is a result of the excessive bleeding I experienced, which has not yet fully resolved. I have not taken nattokinase since then, and have not taken since before I traveled to that conference, and I have had no further bleeding. But apparently it can take a week or longer for the body to produce a supply of clotting factors after they have been knocked out by a high dose of nattokinase. It is a good medication for getting rid of spike, and can have amazing cardiovascular benefits, but should be monitored just the same as if you were taking a strong prescription blood thinner.]
What about vit K2 in conjuction with vit D and Vit a and their role ina anti-athersclerothis through redireectiojn of calcium to bone and out of blood vessels?