Nattokinase: Nature's Answer to the Lingering Effects of Spike Protein?

As the world continues to grapple with problems such as long COVID and vaccine side effects, it’s becoming increasingly important to find ways to deal with the lingering effects of spike protein in our bodies. 

Fortunately, nature has provided a potential solution in the form of Nattokinase, an enzyme with a centuries-long track record in Japanese medicine. Recent research has revealed that this enzyme possesses the unique ability to break down the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, making it a promising therapeutic candidate for those seeking relief from the lingering effects of spike. 

What Is Nattokinase? 

Nattokinase is a natural enzyme derived from a Japanese dish called Natto, which is made through the fermentation of soybeans. Enzymes are a class of proteins which catalyze chemical reactions, break down large molecules into smaller ones, and build up smaller molecules into larger ones.  

Nattokinase is a called a protease enzyme, because it specifically breaks down proteins. It does this by cleaving the chemical peptide bonds that hold proteins together, essentially chopping them into smaller pieces.  

Traditional Use 

Natto has been used in Japan for more than 2000 years as a remedy for various health conditions, including heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, and varicose veins.  

Its application in cardiovascular conditions stems from its ability to break down a protein called fibrin, which is a major component of blood clots. In addition to its clot-breaking capacity, research performed over the past 30 years suggests that Nattokinase reduces blood pressure, improves blood lipids, and reduces the risk of atherosclerosis [1].  

How Does Nattokinase Interact with Spike? 

Recently, Nattokinase has gained notoriety for a different reason: its effect on the COVID-19 spike protein.  

The spike protein – for those who aren’t familiar – is an integral component of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that enables it to infect human cells.  

Using a lock-and-key mechanism, the spike protein binds to receptors on the surface of human cells, allowing the virus to enter, replicate, and ultimately cause many of the symptoms associated with COVID-19, such as fever, coughing, and shortness of breath.  

Here’s the issue: long after infection (or vaccination), research has shown that the spike protein can linger in the body, potentially creating a viral reservoir associated with harmful long-haul symptoms [2, 3]. 

Preclinical Trials Show Nattokinase Degrades Spike 

In a 2021 study, researchers in Japan created a buzz when they found that exposing cell cultures containing SARS-CoV-2 to Nattokinase prevented the virus from infecting host cells. The enzyme effectively degraded the spike protein, and in doing so, stopped the virus in its tracks [4]. 

A 2022 study found similar results, confirming that when Nattokinase is applied to cell cultures containing the SARS-CoV-2, the spike is degraded rapidly [5]. Nattokinase exerts its effect by cleaving specific amino acid sequences that make up the spike protein's structure, causing it to lose its shape and function. 

Bottom Line 

While we don’t yet have human clinical trials on Nattokinase, preclinical studies are the first step in identifying efficacy of any disease-related therapeutic. Given its excellent safety profile and low cost, Nattokinase could be a powerful tool in the fight against the lingering effects of spike protein in our system, whether it’s from the virus itself, or the mRNA vaccines which were forced on so many people over the past few years. 

References 

[1] Chen, H., McGowan, E. M., Ren, N., Lal, S., Nassif, N., Shad-Kaneez, F., ... & Lin, Y. (2018). Nattokinase: a promising alternative in prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases. Biomarker insights, 13, 1177271918785130. 

[2] Swank, Z., Senussi, Y., Alter, G., & Walt, D. R. (2022). Persistent circulating SARS-CoV-2 spike is associated with post-acute COVID-19 sequelae. Medrxiv, 2022-06. 

[3] Yonker, L. M., Swank, Z., Bartsch, Y. C., Burns, M. D., Kane, A., Boribong, B. P., ... & Walt, D. R. (2023). Circulating Spike Protein Detected in Post–COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine Myocarditis. Circulation.  

[4] Oba, M., Rongduo, W., Saito, A., Okabayashi, T., Yokota, T., Yasuoka, J., ... & Mizutani, T. (2021). Natto extract, a Japanese fermented soybean food, directly inhibits viral infections including SARS-CoV-2 in vitro. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, 570, 21-25. 

[5] Tanikawa, T., Kiba, Y., Yu, J., Hsu, K., Chen, S., Ishii, A., ... & Kitamura, M. (2022). Degradative effect of nattokinase on spike protein of SARS-CoV-2. Molecules, 27(17), 5405.