Has anyone tried nattokinase?

What were the active ingredients of Defense?

Biofilm Defense is an enzyme blend. It includes nattokinase. I don’t have the bottle anymore. I discontinued because I seemed to be getting more bruising.
The two may not be related, but as you know, most of this is trial and error.
I think it was suggested for me because it is also a digestive aid.
I used it a couple months but did not see any benefit.

I took lumbrokinase 600k three times a day x 2 months and nattokinase daily x 1 year and no improvement in symptoms

I have just added nattokinase to a regimen centered on serrapeptase, and my objective is to break down biofilm(s) that may be causing or contributing to severe nasal dryness and airflow block that set in during my recovery from acute COVID. I believe that the serrapeptase may possibly be helping me, incidentally, with longstanding hypertension, but I expect that proteolytic enzymes needs plenty of time to do their magic, if they are going to work in a given case.

Never heard of it....can it help severe fatigue???

In fact, serrapeptase is an unusually broad-spectrum supplement. . .Its fans consider it to be effective in helping to break down everything from uterine fibroids to coronary artery plaque, but for those of us with respiratory sequelae of COVID, the really good news is that serrapeptase has been considered a go-to remedy, even among many doctors, in Europe and Japan, for rhinosinusitis and lower respiratory (bronchial and pulmonary) congestion disorders. The literature on serrapeptase is huge. Initially discovered in 1960s by Japanese researchers, and now grown in laboratories via fermentation of organic products that yield or come with bacteria that secrete the enzyme (serrapeptase). Serrapeptase is also popular among people dealing with musculoskeletal pain (e.g. arthritis) and even some inflammatory/autoimmune illnesses. I would guess that if your fatigue derives from one of serrapeptaseś known applications, indeed this enzyme might be useful. If you survey the serrapeptase products now widely available, literature accompanying these may summarize the various actions and applications of serrapeptase. And before I started on it, I read several helpful peer-reviewed articles reporting on findings relating to these actions and applications. A KEY point here is that this enzyme, like other proteolytic enzymes, must absolutely be taken on an empty stomach (defined as at least 2 hours after any food and also at least 30 minutes prior to taking any food). Last night, I found a dosing recommendation for 3 daily doses, and this came with a product with a relatively quite high concentration-per-capsule of the enzyme. . .I am gradually moving my strength upward (that is usually the recommendation), and I will now increase dosing frequency (dividing total daily dose accordingly). As with all nonpharmaceutical remedies, itś still important to explore any risks involved and to learn about how much of the supplement can easily be tolerated . . . but when our doctors and researchers are at a loss, it is, in my view, entirely defensible for us to try products that are generally considered safe at particular doses, while ruling out interactions with drugs we may still need/take and also paying attention to how we are responding. And patience is important. Very few nutraceuticals quell symptoms immediately. Most require sustained use and following instructions for proper use along the way. The payoff, though, is that some nutraceuticals work deeply enough actually to modify the course of our illness over time.

What dose are you on now of the serrapeptase ?

I started on 40,000 units once daily (this is the lowest strength one typically can find in the many serrapeptase products available today) and, after continued reading on how this supplement works, gradually titrated up to 120,000 once daily.

The conventional material on serrapeptase usually states that 120,000 units daily is the highest level ever studied for safety, but thereś lots of writing in the natural healing literature indicating that significantly higher amounts are safe and likely to be more effective.

Iḿ taking the approach that I am willing to consume doses lots higher than the conventional recommendation of 120,000/day as a cap IN EXCHANGE FOR my observance of some rules for dosing that help to minimize and reverse adverse effects.

In particular, because serrapeptase seems to be able to break down biofilms of many types (some of them derived from acute infections that have subsided), it is known to have the capacity to cause Herxheimer reactions in some users. Herxheimer reactions are sometimes called ¨die offs,¨ (a concept very popular among chronic Lyme Disease patients who believe that particular remedies, if they are working well, will, at times, flush away toxins that were produced, in the body, by infectious organisms that may themselves no longer be active, with the toxin flush producing short-term symptoms like gastrointestinal upset, fatigue, rash, and even a temporary relapse into the symptoms of the disorder being treated.

So far, I have titrated my serrapeptase dose up to 160,000 units 3X/day without triggering a Herxheimer reaction, but if such a reaction develops, I will scale back for a while. That dosing level is actually the recommended standard dose on several well-known serrapeptase products, and while I would never have started at that level from the outset, this product labeling provides me with a modicum of reassurance that others may have proceeded safely at this level at some point in their self-treatment.

To minimize the risk of Herxheimer reactions, itś important to take serrapeptase only on an empty stomach and only with at least 8 oz. of water. This means taking it not less than 30 minutes before eating or drinking anything (other than water), and not sooner than 2 full hours after eating or drinking anything (other than water). In addition, it is essential to use only acid-resistant serrapeptase to ensure its bioavailability. Products that are enteric-coated or that have been formulated for delayed release can both meet that requirement (though there is some debate over which approach yields the most reliable resistance to GI acids).

As you can tell, I am always keenly aware that I am on my own, in this endeavor, and may encounter unwanted effects at times, but that I nonetheless move into this unknown territory because conventional medicine has been entirely unable to help me get well, so far, and may, in fact, have set me back seriously, at times.

Very interesting about the Herxheimer reactions. I’d been on a combination of Nattokinase and Serrapeptase for about 3 weeks in hopes of breaking down the fibrin-amyloid microclots in my lungs. Went for a full-body massage and had diarrhea for about 3 days following the massage. What it felt like was that the massage had released toxins stored in my muscles, which a Herxheimer reaction would explain.

Interesting! Iḿ greatly hoping that indeed, that GI upset post-massage was a confirmatory Herxheimer reaction. And perhaps the input of that natto/serra combination, on board for the preceding 3 weeks, helped to make that massage even more effective than it might otherwise have been. I do like the idea of multiple healing therapies producing exponential benefits. I expect to stay on serrapeptase indefinitely if it produces the breakthrough that I sometimes feel is beginning, but long-term use of these proteolytic enzymes, like high dosing of these enzymes, has not yet been carefully studied. . .Needless to say, this does not deter me, at the moment. The topical (intransal spray) drugs I was pressured to stay on in the early days of my long COVID definitely did some damage from which I am still trying to recover, and yet the medical literature is LOADED with ¨proofs¨ that using those drugs forever is perfectly safe for everyone. Ugh . . .