Nutrition. Vitamins. You.
Coronary Artery Disease Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND Coronary artery disease is considered to be the most common type of heart disease in the United States. Other names for coronary artery disease include coronary heart disease or ischemic heart disease. (1) While most people have …
PROTEIN (POWDER): THE IMPORTANT NUTRIENT WE ALL KNOW By: Allie Might, FMC, INHC, ATT Protein is that nutrient that everyone knows and everyone loves. But how well do we know all the proteins available? Let’s navigate through one of our favorite foods and discuss …
Nattokinase!
Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND
What the heck is Nattokinase? Where does it come from? What exactly does it do? Is it just for heart health or does it do anything else for us? These are just some of the questions that people have about Nattokinase. I get so many questions about Nattokinase that I wanted to take the time to explore this interesting supplement. Let’s start at the beginning. Nattokinase is an enzyme. It is extracted from a Japanese food called Natto. The way that Natto is produced is by adding a bacteria called Bacillus Subtilis to boiled soybeans. Now I just want to point out that while other soy foods may have enzymes only Natto contains Nattokinase. (1)
Nattokinase has been found in studies to have numerous benefits for our heart health including reducing the risk of heart attack and even improving overall heart health. (2) Studies have found that Nattokinase can help to reduce both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. (3) In addition to helping lower blood pressure Nattokinase has also been found to help lower LDL, triglycerides and even total cholesterol. (2) Studies have also found that Nattokinase may help with slowing the development of atherosclerosis. This is because Nattokinase has both antiplatelet and anticoagulant effects that may help to clean out the arteries. (4) Nattokinase has been found to be a very potent blood clot dissolving protein. (5) In fact when Nattokinase comes into contact with blood clots it has been found to break them up. (1)
Now I know some people might say but wait does it really work this way in the human body? Doesn’t it get broken down by our digestive juices and not really do anything? Well studies have been conducted and found that Nattokinase is active in the body when used orally. (6)
Due to the fact that Nattokinase helps to break up blood clots it has also been studied in regards to stroke. I know your probably thinking wait stroke? What does that have to do with heart health? Well to be honest the risk factors for many heart conditions and a stroke are very often the same and thus in my clinical experience those who have heart disease are often at risk of a stroke. So I wanted to mention it here. Plus as I hinted in the beginning of this blog Nattokinase isn’t just a “heart supplement”. It is useful for more than just heart health. Now back to Nattokinase and strokes. In one study in those who have had a stroke after 60 days of Nattokinase the patients had better control over their blood pressure and even cholesterol levels. (7) Nattokinase has also been found to help improve the cognitive function in those who have had a stroke. (8)
Nattokinase has also been found to be helpful in protecting our blood vessels after they are injured. In other studies Nattokinase was found to help reduce the amount of aortic plaque that builds up in those who have high cholesterol. Nattokinase has been found to be very good at breaking up blood clots. Research has explored using it to help break up other things in the body. New research has found that Nattokinase may be helpful at degrading amyloid fibrils suggesting it may be helpful for diseases such as Alzheimer disease. (9)
So let’s sum up a few things from all these studies. Overall studies have found that Nattokinase is good for blood clots, atherosclerosis, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and overall heart health. Other studies have found that Nattokinase can even help our brain and reduce our stroke risk. It has also been found to help with certain diseases where there is a buildup of amyloid fibrils such as Alzheimer disease. That is just amazing! (10)
Now just a PSA I’d like to point out that Nattokinase can and does interact with certain medications. This is why it is so important to talk to an Invite nutritionist to determine if Nattokinase is right for you!
Our next topic will be something that has cropped up quite a bit over these weeks of talking about heart health – Coronary Artery Disease!
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What is Angina? Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND Angina or heart/chest pain is one of the first signs that many experience when they have heart disease. However there are other conditions that mimic angina. One of these is anxiety. Angina and anxiety share many symptoms …
Purples Hx and the Heart! Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND I wanted to take the time to talk about one of the most under rated products at Invite health. What product is this you ask? Why its Purples Hx! Purples Hx is an amazing combination …
Mitral Valve Prolapse
Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND
Our next topic is one that will draw heavily upon the anatomy blog that I wrote a while ago. This topic is mitral valve prolapse (MVP). Do you recall how the heart was divided into left and right and then into top and bottom? Well the mitral valve is the valve on the left side. It is the doorway or divider between the left atrium and the left ventricle. As you may recall the mitral valve keeps the blood flowing in the correct direction. In other words it prevents the blood from flowing backward or what is medically referred to as “regurgitating”. Please see the attached picture for a refresher of what the mitral valve looks like. (1)
As we know sometime things can go wrong no matter how well the system is designed. Mitral valve prolapse (MVP) is a problem with the mitral valve. In this heart disorder the mitral valve flaps have become enlarged or stretched out. What this means is that they don’t close properly and therefore don’t form a tight seal and the blood can actually leak backward. One way to imagine this is to think of a doorway. Imagine if the doorframe is too big for the door. In this case there would be no seal between the door and doorway and thus a gap that allows wind to pass through. When this happens with the mitral valve the backflow of blood is called mitral valve regurgitation. (2)
Many people who have MVP have little to no symptoms. For those who do experience symptoms these can include a racing, irregular heartbeat as well as fatigue. You may have difficulty breathing and may even have dizziness. Lastly depending on the severity of the MVP you may experience chest pain that is not caused by heart attack or coronary artery disease. (2)
Now let’s move on to the most common causes of MVP. To start with MVP affects approximately 3% of the population. Women in general are more likely to be diagnosed with MVP than men. MVP does appear to run in families and can be inherited. There are certain chronic conditions that increase the risk of developing MVP. These include Marfan’s syndrome, Muscular dystrophy, Ehlers- Danlos syndrome, Graves’ disease, Ebstein’s anomaly and Scoliosis. (2)
Depending on the severity of MVP there can be complications that occur. Most common is mitral valve regurgitation which as I’ve said is where the blood flows backward. This backward flow of blood makes it harder for the heart to work. If there is severe regurgitation there may be swelling of the upper left atrium and this can lead to arrhythmias or irregular heartbeats. (3)
One important point I want to make about MVP, is that it can get worse as we get older. This makes sense since the heart like all things begins to “wear out” as we age. Certain heart concerns such as prior heart attack or coronary artery disease can hasten this process. This is why it is important to monitor the symptoms you experience due to MVP. As the MVP gets worse over time so will the symptoms. In some cases it will be helpful to take certain medications. In other cases if the MVP is severe enough surgery may be necessary. If the MVP is severe enough to re quire surgery it is very important to follow these recommendations. For those who need surgery but don’t have it the outlook has a tendency to be poor. For those who need surgery but don’t have it there is a 20% chance of dying within the year and a 50% chance of dying within 5 years. (4) I know surgery is always a scary option, but remember that Invite nutritionists are always available to help you with any concerns that you may have.
Now what supplements can help support our Mitral Valve?
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