Far and away the most common question I get from those who took one of the COVID-19 vaccines is: "how do I get this out of my body." The mRNA and adenoviral DNA products were rolled out with no idea on how or when the body would ever breakdown the genetic code. The synthetic mRNA carried on lipid nanoparticles appears to be resistant to breakdown by human ribonucleases by design so the product would be long-lasting and produce the protein product of interest for a considerable time period. This would be an advantage for a normal human protein being replaced in a rare genetic deficiency state (e.g. alpha galactosidase in Fabry's disease). However, it is a big problem when the protein is the pathogenic SARS-CoV-2 Spike. The adenoviral DNA (Janssen) should be broken down by deoxyribonuclease, however this has not be exhaustively studied.

This leaves dissolution of Spike protein as a therapeutic goal for the vaccine injured. With the respiratory infection, Spike is processed and activated by cellular proteases including transmembrane serine protein 2 (TMPRSS2), cathepsin, and furin. With vaccination, these systems may be avoided by systemic administration and production of Spike protein within cells. As a result, the pathogenesis of vaccine injury syndromes is believed to be driven by accumulation of Spike protein in cells, tissues, and organs.

Nattokinase is an enzyme is produced by fermenting soybeans with bacteria Bacillus subtilis var. natto and has been available as an oral supplement. It degrades fibrinogen, factor VII, cytokines, and factor VIII and has been studied for its cardiovascular benefits. Out of all the available therapies I have used in my practice and among all the proposed detoxification agents, I believe nattokinase and related peptides hold the greatest promise for patients at this time.

Tanikawa et al examined the effect of nattokinase on the Spike protein of SARS-CoV-2. In the first experiment they demonstrated that Spike was degraded in a time and dose dependent manner in a cell lysate preparation that could be analogous to a vaccine recipient. The second experiment demonstrated that nattokinase degraded the Spike protein in SARS-CoV-2 infected cells. This reproduced a similar study done by Oba and colleagues in 2021.
Degradative Effect of Nattokinase
Tanikawa T, Kiba Y, Yu J, Hsu K, Chen S, Ishii A, Yokogawa T, Suzuki R, Inoue Y, Kitamura M. Degradative Effect of Nattokinase on Spike Protein of SARS-CoV-2. Molecules. 2022 Aug 24;27(17):5405. doi: 10.3390/molecules27175405. PMID: 36080170; PMCID: PMC9458005.

Nattokinase is dosed in fibrinolytic units (FU) per gram and can vary according to purity. Kurosawa and colleagues have shown in humans that after a single oral dose of 2000 FU D-dimer concentrations at 6, and 8 hours, and blood fibrin/fibrinogen degradation products at 4 hours after administration elevated significantly (p < 0.05, respectively). Thus an empiric starting dose could be 2000 FU twice a day. Full pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic studies have not been completed, but several years of market use as an over-the-counter supplement suggests nattokinase is safe with the main caveat being excessive bleeding and cautions with concurrent antiplatelet and anticoagulant drugs.

Based on these findings, nattokinase and similar products such as serrapeptase should undergo well-funded, accelerated preclinical and clinical development programs. The issue at hand is the urgency of time, similar to that with SARS-CoV-2 infection and empiric early therapy. It will take up to 20 years to have a fully developed pharmaceutical profile to characterize the safety and efficacy of nattokinase in the treatment of vaccine injury and post-COVID syndromes. Large numbers of people are sick now and many believe empiric treatment is justified given sufficiently low risk of side effects and potentially high reward. My recommendation is to discuss this with your doctor or seek a specialist in holistic or naturopathic medicine who is experienced with the safety profile of nattokinase in a range of applications.

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Tanikawa T, Kiba Y, Yu J, Hsu K, Chen S, Ishii A, Yokogawa T, Suzuki R, Inoue Y, Kitamura M. Degradative Effect of Nattokinase on Spike Protein of SARS-CoV-2. Molecules. 2022 Aug 24;27(17):5405. doi: 10.3390/molecules27175405. PMID: 36080170; PMCID: PMC9458005.

Oba M, Rongduo W, Saito A, Okabayashi T, Yokota T, Yasuoka J, Sato Y, Nishifuji K, Wake H, Nibu Y, Mizutani T. Natto extract, a Japanese fermented soybean food, directly inhibits viral infections including SARS-CoV-2 in vitro. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2021 Sep 17;570:21-25. doi: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2021.07.034. Epub 2021 Jul 13. PMID: 34271432; PMCID: PMC8276596.

Kurosawa Y, Nirengi S, Homma T, Esaki K, Ohta M, Clark JF, Hamaoka T. A single-dose of oral nattokinase potentiates thrombolysis and anti-coagulation profiles. Sci Rep. 2015 Jun 25;5:11601. doi: 10.1038/srep11601. PMID: 26109079; PMCID: PMC4479826.