Take some boiled soybeans; throw in some bacteria and voilá, natto—a potent, all-natural, heart-health preserving enzyme—is born. Japanese researcher Hiroyuki Sumi discovered the power of natto, a traditional Japanese food made of fermented soybeans and natto bacillus (Bacillus subtilin natto)—in 1980 while testing various foods in search of a natural substance powerful enough to dissolve blood clots. Natto received a thumbs up for its powerful anticoagulant properties, and Sumi distilled the active ingredients into a supplement he dubbed nattokinase.

In the years since, research has shown that nattokinase works similarly to plasmin—the body’s one naturally occurring enzyme that combats thrombosis (blood clotting). Though all living beings have plasmin, the amounts decline with age, leading to increased risk of clotting and upping the chance of stroke and heart attack.

In one study, dogs with induced thrombosis were given either 1,000 mg of nattokinase or nothing. Researchers noted that in treated dogs, blood clots dissolved within five hours, while untreated dogs showed no improvement, even after 18 hours. Nattokinase, researchers have found, seems to attack fibrin, the protein that binds together to form clots.

Nattokinase supplements have found success as treatments for a wide array of ailments, including fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, hemorrhoids, varicose veins, hypertension, tissue oxygen deprivation, infertility, and endometriosis. Although large-scale human studies still need to be conducted to determine whether nattokinase has a significant effect on those conditions, solid research does support its clot-busting ability.

“The largest study was done on nattokinase as a prevention for developing blood clots in high-risk patients on long-distance air flights,” says Petra Eichelsdoerfer, a naturopath and pharmacist who teaches at Bastyr University in Kenmore, Washington. The results were clear cut. “There was a significant decrease in blood clots and swelling compared with placebo.”

For people with a family predisposition to blood clots but no personal history of heart attacks, clots, or strokes, adding a nattokinase supplement to their daily regimen may be a good idea, Eichelsdoerfer says. High-risk patients on coumadin or other blood-thinning drugs, however, should check with a doctor familiar with natural medicines before giving nattokinase a try.

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