AI is increasingly being used for medical information and diagnosis. Unfortunately, much of it that is available provides inaccurate or insufficient information and is directly tied to the type of websites that are used. Although it is good to see people wanting to learn more about their health, a recent survey, the Canadian Medical Association’s third Health and Media Tracking Survey conducted by Abacus Data revealed that there certainly are levels of mistrust of medical information that is being provided.

When using AI sites, how we phrase the question can help reduce the chance of biased answers. Sometimes the AI is trying to please you and as such asking leading questions pointing in a particular direction may result in a cherry-picked answer.

An excellent website for medical information is openevidence.com.

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• A man asks about the use of nattokinase for the prevention of heart disease. We review the evidence from openevidence.com
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Nattokinase and Heart Health: What the Science Says

What Is Nattokinase?

Nattokinase is a natural enzyme found in natto — a traditional Japanese food made from fermented soybeans. It’s been used in Asian cultures for centuries and has gained popularity worldwide as a dietary supplement marketed for heart health. But does the science back up the hype? Let’s break it down.

How Might It Help Your Heart?

Scientists have identified several ways nattokinase could benefit the cardiovascular system:

– It helps dissolve blood clots. Nattokinase breaks down fibrin, a protein that forms the scaffolding of blood clots. Studies in healthy volunteers show it can reduce clotting factors in the blood after about two months of daily use.

– It fights inflammation. Chronic inflammation in blood vessel walls is a key driver of plaque buildup (atherosclerosis). Lab studies show nattokinase can calm down several inflammatory pathways in blood vessel cells.

– It may slow plaque buildup. In animal studies, rats and mice fed natto or nattokinase developed less artery-clogging plaque compared to those that didn’t receive it.

What Do Human Studies Show?

– The strongest human evidence comes from a large Japanese study that followed nearly 30,000 people for 16 years. Those who ate the most natto had a 25% lower risk of dying from heart disease and about a one-third lower risk of dying from stroke compared to those who ate the least. Interestingly, eating other soy foods without the fermentation didn’t show the same benefit — suggesting there’s something special about natto itself.

– A clinical trial tested nattokinase supplements in people with narrowed arteries in the brain and neck. While it didn’t improve overall thinking and memory scores, there were hints of benefit in one specific area of brain function.

– Other small studies confirm that nattokinase does have real, measurable blood-thinning effects in people.

Is It Safe?

For most people, nattokinase appears to be well tolerated. Safety testing shows it’s non-toxic at the doses commonly used. However, there’s one important warning:

If you’re already taking blood thinners like aspirin, warfarin, or similar medications, nattokinase could increase your risk of serious bleeding. There’s a documented case of a patient who suffered a brain bleed after combining aspirin with nattokinase for just one week. Anyone on blood-thinning medications should talk to their doctor before trying nattokinase.

The Bottom Line

The early science on nattokinase is genuinely interesting. There are plausible biological reasons it could help protect against heart disease, and the large Japanese population study is encouraging. But here’s the reality check:

– No large-scale clinical trial has proven that nattokinase supplements prevent heart attacks or strokes.

– No major medical organization recommends it as a replacement for proven heart medications like statins, blood pressure drugs, or prescribed blood thinners.

– There are still questions about the best dose, how well it survives digestion, and how to standardize supplements so you know what you’re actually getting.

So, is nattokinase worth watching? Absolutely. Is it ready to replace your heart medications? Not yet. If you’re interested in trying it, have a conversation with your doctor first — especially if you’re on any blood-thinning medications.