Health Propaganda, Exposed
Before you act: Don't stop or replace a statin or other heart medication without talking to your doctor. Nattokinase may raise bleeding risk, especially with blood thinners or aspirin.
“it represents a retrospective study and not a randomized control trial.”
Retrospective observational study (not randomized, no placebo group), 12 months.
No funding statement found in the article. Disclosed: "Authors JC, RW, QZ, XZ, and JZ were employed by Sungen Bioscience Co. Ltd." and one author by Sinopharm Group Pharmaceutical.
A study of 1,062 people taking nattokinase (NK) at different doses, with lipid tests and carotid ultrasound.
The authors report NK at 10,800 FU/day "effectively managed the progression of atherosclerosis and hyperlipidemia," with reduced carotid intima-media thickness and plaque size; "NK was found to be ineffective ... at a dose of 3,600 FU/day." "No noticeable adverse effects associated with the use of NK were recorded."
The authors write: "it represents a retrospective study and not a randomized control trial ... self-claiming information on lifestyle cannot be validated," and there were no follow-up interviews. It does not compare nattokinase with statins or measure heart attacks or deaths.
A 3-year randomized placebo-controlled trial (NATS, 265 people, 2,000 FU/day) found a "null effect on subclinical atherosclerosis progression" — at a much lower dose (see next entry). A 2025 review says nattokinase's benefits "may be limited by bleeding risk or drug interactions" with antithrombotic therapy.