No clinical data has proven that natto has the effect of treating cardiovascular disease
Reprinted from Concern Network: Cardiovascular Forum
When it comes to natto, for many people, it is not an unfamiliar term. We often hear about it in health supplement advertisements. But what exactly is natto? Are the benefits of eating natto as miraculous as advertised when you stir the beans with chopsticks?
Recently, CCTV's Weekly Quality Report investigated a product advertisement called "High N-Peptide Natto" soft capsules, which claimed good therapeutic effects on cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, with an effectiveness rate exceeding 90%. For this reason, the Sina Health Channel specially connected with Dr. Sun Ningling, chief physician of Peking University People's Hospital, and Dr. Liu Qingchun, deputy chief physician of the Nutrition Department of the Armed Police General Hospital.
Japanese natto is actually very similar to Chinese fermented bean curd
What exactly is natto, which is endowed with high-tech concepts? Dr. Liu Qingchun said: "Natto is a traditional Japanese food made by fermenting soybeans. Actually, this thing is very similar to fermented bean curd in China." The traditional Japanese method involves placing hot cooked soybeans into a container made of rice straw containing natto bacteria, allowing natural fermentation using the natto bacteria attached to the rice straw. According to records, natto actually originated from China, with long threads resembling Chinese fermented beans and strange-flavored beans.
Although natto and fermented bean curd are very similar, their prices differ greatly. Imported natto capsules cost between 260-280 yuan for a month's supply, while domestic ones are relatively cheaper, usually priced around 150-160 yuan. Dr. Sun Ningling said: "Many of my patients regularly eat natto, firmly believing that it can effectively treat and control their diseases." Many people buy natto because they are influenced by advertising propaganda.
In vitro experiments are not equal to clinical trials; natto cannot be considered as having therapeutic effects
Does natto really have therapeutic effects on cardiovascular diseases? Regarding the claims in advertisements that natto can not only prevent cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases but also treat hyperlipidemia, hypertension, diabetes, etc., Dr. Liu Qingchun stated: "Some studies show that nattokinase in natto indeed has some effect on dissolving blood clots, and foreign countries extract this component from natto to make medicine, which has been clinically proven to be effective. However, whether just eating natto as food has therapeutic effects is still debatable."
Dr. Sun Ningling believed: "Currently, there is no clinical data showing that natto food has clear therapeutic effects on cardiovascular diseases. Although there may be in vitro experiments suggesting that natto has thrombolytic functions, the environments inside and outside the body are completely different, and there is still a long process from in vitro experiments to clinical trials. Without clinical trial data support, it is impossible to claim that something has therapeutic effects."
Patients with chronic diseases must not solely rely on natto and abandon drug treatment
Since natto does not have therapeutic effects, what about its health benefits? Dr. Liu Qingchun affirmed that it still has certain health benefits. He said: "If we just consider natto as a kind of food, eaten because one likes its special flavor, there is nothing wrong with it. However, for people with unreasonable dietary structures and insufficient exercise, who are at high risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, expecting to solve all problems simply by relying on one type of food is unrealistic." Dr. Sun Ningling pointed out: "I do not recommend my patients to control hypertension by eating natto. As a health food, it is fine, but it does not have therapeutic effects." If one suffers from hypertension, hyperglycemia, etc., timely medication should be used for treatment and control. Relying solely on health supplements clearly falls into the misconception that health supplements can do everything.
Dr. Sun Ningling finally said: "If health supplements could cure diseases, then they would directly apply for drug patents." At the same time, let your mind and body get the most intimate protection after the holiday. According to the Interim Provisions on the Examination of Health Food Advertising in our country, health food advertisements must not directly or indirectly promote therapeutic effects, nor suggest or imply that the health food has disease-treatment effects through the promotion of certain components, and must not advertise the product's efficacy. Therefore, patients eager for treatment must be vigilant when purchasing health supplements and not be deceived by overly exaggerated health supplement advertisements.
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