Another Beneficial Enzyme,... Lumbrokinase
I'd like to share a personal experience that happened to me last week, that I believe had a profound impact on my health.
I'm a big believer in nutritional supplements. I have seen some remarkable benefits from them. First beginning with Magnesium, solving my back issues I've dealt with for ages. Then heartburn and related stomach issues completely disappearing with probiotics and digestive enzymes. And NAC, Quercetin and vitamin C helping with my COPD. It's been over ten years since being diagnosed, and still haven't had any need for medication or supplemental oxygen.
These are just some of the benefits I have seen. Your results may differ. I should add, I was not a sickly individual. I taught karate and was very athletic. But even so, most of us are in need of some help. As numerous studies reveal, deficiencies and insufficiencies exist even among the majority of the population (D3, Mk-7, Mg). Those creeping up in age have other nutrient concerns. These include Zinc, Glutathione (NAC), CoQ-10, probiotics, digestive enzymes and other such nutrients found in short supply as we age.
Well a couple of weeks ago I added another supplement to my regiment. I recently added Nattokinase to my arsenal, in the hope it might help combat atherosclerosis, inhibit and break up blood clots, and possibly degrade spike proteins that may exist. Now I haven't really noticed if I am experiencing any of these benefits. I would think that would be hard to tell anyway, without some testing. Such as checking lipid levels (cholesterol) through a simple blood test. If it's lowering cholesterol, I know it is probably clearing plaque in my arteries as well. As gathered from two studies I showed previously (not here of course as this is my first post) looking at atherosclerosis and hyperlipidemia....
Clinical study on the effect of nattokinase on carotid artery atherosclerosis and hyperlipidemia (July 2017)
It seems obvious to me, if it's benefitting hyperlipidemia, then it's also having benefits for atherosclerosis as well. The results in those studies seemed to go hand in hand. I bring this up because nattokinase is not the only enzyme to have shown these benefits. There are two other systemic enzymes in the same class as Nattokinase. They are Serrapeptase and Lumbrokinase. All are considered proteolytic enzymes. Enzymes that break down proteins...
Lumbrokinase vs Nattokinase vs Serrapeptase: What's the Difference?
All have similar benefits for heart health and circulation, with a few differences. Nattokinase and Serrapeptase have been more extensively studied than Lumbrokinase. But on all accounts that I have seen, whether from anecdotal reports or research, Lumbrokinase has performed head and shoulders above the other two enzymes. Being much more powerful in what it does. 30 times more powerful than Nattokinase and 300 times more than Serrapeptase.
Lumbrokinase for Heart Health (2023)
So on that basis, I gave it a try. There are many manufactures that bottle Nattokinase and Serrapeptase together, so I see no harm in taking Lumbrokinase with Nattokinase. But to play it safe, I take them separately at different times during the day or rotate them every other day. Enzymes in general are considered very safe. But with what they do in thinning your blood, you should not be taking them with medications that do the same, including aspirin.
When I started taking Nattokinase, I saw no direct benefits. Doesn't mean there aren't any, just haven't noticed them. But when I recently started taking Lumbrokinase, something very dramatic happened. I stopped going to the bathroom 3 or 4 times a night. For the past few days, I have actually slept through the entire night, without having to get up once to relieve myself. And for me,... that is an insane development.
I know my prostate is enlarged. It is quite common with all men advancing in age. And I have tried a few supplements to help with this condition with very limited success. I have tried DIM, Saw Palmetto and Pumpkin Seed Oil. All are supposed to be anti-inflammatory, but only real pumpkin seed oil from Austria had some benefits for me. Although, it had no real effect on my frequent nighttime trips to the bathroom. I had been dealing with this frequency for the better part of ten years, if not longer.
I remember years ago, a roommate and old friend of mine, having this problem when we shared an apartment. And I couldn't understand why he had to go all night long. Then I got older, and it happened to me.
This new development is just amazing. They say uninterrupted sleep is probably the best thing for your health. More so than eating a healthy diet or even exercise. Your body does amazing things while you sleep. Mainly involved in restoration. Your GI tract actually stops digestion, in order to transfer resources to healing processes. That's why we feel like crap when we don't get a good night's sleep. I haven't had a real good night's sleep in ten years! I have no problem getting to sleep, but getting up 3 or 4 times a night, can't be as good as sleeping straight through the night.
I can't tell you how flabbergasted I was over this. After all this time, trying to find something that would help, then taking something for completely different reasons all together and to have this happen,.. is just amazing. There is no doubt Lumbrokinase is a very powerful anti-inflammatory. Because I believe that is what an enlarged prostate is all about. Even though the science is not clear on this. The general consensus is that it is hormonal. Whatever it is,... Lumbrokinase, or maybe combined with Nattokinase has really made an incredible difference. Who knows what other benefits it's having on my health. It does cost a bit more than Nattokinase, but I just love this remarkable benefit I am seeing.
It might be too good to be true. I have only experienced this benefit for 3 days so far. So I hope it continues.... Magnesium had a similar benefit improving sleep when I first started taking it, but has since worn off. I hope this is a lasting benefit.
Edit:... It seems this was only a temporary benefit/effect similar to first taking magnesium. I guess my body adjusted to the enzymes. It's weird how this happens. How some effects wear off. It's like the dozen or so arthritic medications that people keep on changing, as the benefits of each med wanes over time. But as more time has passed, I have noticed there is still some reduction in frequency. It's not as dramatic as not having to get up at all, but on average, the urgency has decreased somewhat.
But just as magnesium has resolved my back issues I had for ages, I'm sure Lumbrokinase's other benefits for heart health will be long lasting. And best of all, it is another very safe supplement. Suggested use is usually 40 mg/day. Here in this study, they were given 1,470 mg/day for 14 days with no ill effects. That's 35 times the recommended daily dose....
The Safety and Tolerability of Lumbrokinase in Healthy Adult Subjects - PubMed (June 2016)
Lumbrokinase is used by some doctors to treat Lyme disease. It has the power to break down the biofilm of bacteria that causes Lyme disease. In China, it is an official medicinal used in many hospitals.
“Lumbrokinase is used as an oral supplement to support and maintain healthy cardiovascular function, and to treat cardiovascular diseases in clinical [practice] for more than 10 years." Lumbrokinase Protects Against Myocardial Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury - (nih.gov) (June 2018)
"Lumbrokinase exists as a complex of six serine protease isoforms. Each isoform has different molecular weights with a variety in fibrinolytic activity. It has a dual mechanism in clot degradation: acts on fibrin directly and activates plasminogen and converts it into plasmin, which subsequently induce plasmin-based clot dissolution." Role of Fibrinolytic Enzymes in Anti-Thrombosis Therapy - (nih.gov) (May 2021)
"To explore the clinical efficacy and safety of lumbrokinase in the treatment of acute and moderate pulmonary thromboembolism…… The clinical efficacy of the lumbrokinase group was better than that in the control group." Effect of lumbrokinase on patients with acute and moderate risk pulmonary thromboembolism - (nih.gov) (Oct. 2017)
Most of this research comes from the far east. And as mentioned, it has been used in hospitals there for more than ten years. We in the west, are just catching up on its potential benefits.
In this Substack, I will express the research I have done, since I was first diagnosed with stage 2 cancer a little more than ten years ago. All in my quest for improved wellness. It has served me very well up to now, especially throughout the pandemic.
Stay safe and be well…