Nattospes as Effective and Safe Functional Supplements in Management of Stroke

This small RCT enrolled 61 patients in the subacute phase of ischemic stroke and randomized them to Nattospes — a nattokinase-containing supplement — added to standard care versus standard care alone, assessing stroke recovery and lipid parameters as outcomes.

The Nattospes group showed significant improvements in stroke recovery scales (modified Rankin, Orgogozo, Barthel), blood pressure, lipid panels, and quality of life, with no reported adverse effects. The nattokinase component — a serine protease derived from fermented soybeans with fibrinolytic properties — is the proposed mechanism for improved recovery through thrombus resolution and anti-inflammatory effects.

The study has significant methodological limitations. It is small, single-center, and uses a proprietary supplement product with multiple active components. The evidence base for nattokinase as a cardiovascular therapy remains preliminary; it has not been tested in large outcomes trials. The lipid-lowering effects observed here are modest and the mechanism unclear relative to established therapies.

This article is at the periphery of the CAD research base — addressing stroke recovery rather than primary or secondary prevention of coronary disease, and using a fringe supplement agent rather than established pharmacotherapy.

We rate the evidence limited. A small, single-center RCT with uncertain applicability to CAD prevention — providing exploratory data on nattokinase in stroke recovery.