Neprinol and Fibrin

Enzymes can be thought of as proteins on a mission to improve your health.  The most destructive target an enzyme can seek-and-destroy is a fibrous protein called fibrin. Neprinol contains a powerful combination of fibrin-dissolving enzymes like serrapeptase, nattokinase and bromelain, as well as other natural ingredients. That is why it is known as Neprinol AFD – Advanced Fibrin Defense^®.

But to understand why the body needs help defending itself against fibrin you first need to understand a bit more about the protein itself.

Fibrin

Fibrin is an insoluble protein that plays a major role in the formation of blood clots and scar tissue. During the blood clotting process, the soluble protein fibrinogen converts into insoluble fibrin, which is then laid down inside the damaged blood vessel. The fibrin strands then assemble into a net-like gel that hardens and captures all of the materials necessary to patch the damaged vessel. This is the structural framework of a blood clot.

Obviously, fibrin plays a vital role in the healing process; however, when there is fibrin overproduction, it can lead to the formation of dangerous and unnecessary blood clots in the body [1]. One factor that can lead to excessive fibrin is aging.

As we age, the concentration of fibrinogen increases in our blood [2]. High levels of fibrinogen increases fibrin production, and as fibrin begins to accumulate in the blood vessels it generally leads to the formation of blood clots [3]. Healthy individuals usually have sufficient levels of plasmin, an enzyme that breaks up fibrin blood clots. Unfortunately plasmin production slows down as we get older so the normal process of removing excess fibrin is reduced. The result of this can be cardiovascular disease, heart attacks, strokes, pulmonary emboli, deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and other related disorders [4-8].

Neprinol

Research has shown that protein-dissolving enzymes like those found in Neprinol can slow the production of fibrin and enhance its removal from the body [1]. Neprinol’s blend of enzymes generally tests well above 50,000 FU per gram, which means that 50,000 units of fibrin are broken down by each gram of Neprinol powder. Of the enzymes contained in this formula perhaps the most significant is nattokinase, which has been shown to be four times more powerful than our body’s own plasmin at breaking down blood clots [9].

Nattokinase

Nattokinase is an enzyme extracted from natto, a fermented soybean ‘cheese’ that is popular in Japan [10]. The ability of nattokinase to breakdown fibrin has been tested inmore than 12 studies [11], and nattokinase has been shown to be the most potent fibrin-degrading enzyme out of more than 200 foods tested [3].

Researchers have found that nattokinase works much in the same way as plasmin [3], which means that nattokinase literally dissolves fibrin, whether it is holding together blood clots or is part of scar tissue [12]. However, nattokinase also blocks the activity of plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1), which boosts its fibrin-destroying capabilities even more [9,13].

Plasminogen is made into plasmin, the body’s fibrin-dissolving enzyme. However, the conversion process is inactivated by PAI-1. This is why high levels of PAI-1 reduce fibrin breakdown and removal [14]. Nattokinase increases fibrin breakdown by blocking PAI-1 so that more plasmin is produced.

Because of this nattokinase is not only able to stop dangerous blood clots from developing but also helps dissolve any clots that have already formed. As a result, oral nattokinase supplements are recommended for preventing cardiovascular disease [15]. Nattokinase has also been shown to reduce the risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in high-risk patients in combination with pycnogenol [16].

Bromelain

Bromelain is an extract from pineapple that contains a number of fibrin-degrading enzymes [17,18], as well as enzymes that enhance this fibrin-dissolving action [19]. Bromelain was shown to increase the conversion of plasminogen into plasmin [20-22]. It has also been shown to prevent the conversion of fibrinogen to fibrin [17]. However, unlike nattokinase, bromelain is not able to dissolve fibrin clumps that have already formed [17].

Because a high percentage of ingested bromelain is absorbed intact into the bloodstream, protein- and fibrin-degrading activity in the blood can be increased for hours after taking it [23]. Two large-scale trials in patients with heart problems showed that bromelain could almost completely eliminate thrombosis [24].

Serrapeptase

Serrapeptase is another important component of Neprinol’s advanced fibrin defense. Serrapeptase is a protein-degrading enzyme isolated from the silk worm [25]. It has significant anti-inflammatory and fibrin-removal activity [26], which makes it ideal for preventing blood clot formation associated with cardiovascular disease.

Other Diseases Linked to Fibrin

The buildup of excess fibrin in the body can cause more health problems than just blood clots. Fibrin has also been linked to a number of chronic and progressive diseases like multiple sclerosis [27,28] and asthma [29]. As a result, Neprinol’s fibrin-degrading enzymes could prove to be a good treatment option [1,30].

Breaking down fibrin using enzymes may also help a number of conditions that are difficult to treat, such as Peyronie’s disease, Dupuytren’s contracture and Ledderhose’s disease. All of these conditions are characterized by a loss of tissue elasticity, which leads to tissue tearing, then bleeding, clot formation and fibrin deposition. Over time, taking fibrin-degrading enzymes may reduce the amount of scar tissue built up in locations where there has been repeated damage and bleeding [1].

Finally, using enzymes to dissolve fibrin may also play a role in cancer prevention and treatment. Cancer cells often are surrounded by a fibrin coating [31]. Researchers think that the fibrin may provide a type of camouflage for these abnormal cells, allowing them to escape being destroyed by the immune system. It is possible that by removing this fibrin coating, the body could detect cancer cells and destroy them before they are able to gain a foothold in the body.

Advanced Fibrin Defense

As you can see, excess fibrin can wreak havoc on our bodies, especially as we get older and our natural production of enzymes decreases. However, Neprinol provides a combination of superior fibrin-active enzymes designed to keep fibrin levels in check. Neprinol is an excellent choice for anyone suffering from, or hoping to prevent, the harmful effects of excess fibrin.

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