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24-11-2015

Hypercoagulation, the little-known cause of modern health conditions

Hypercoagulation By Bruno Lacroix

It’s no secret that good health is a precious gift: one only has to look at the plethora of articles on the subject in the scientific press. Yet we know that good health is not necessarily the same as absence of visible disease.
Indeed, we may be eating healthily, taking nutritional supplements and exercising regularly, yet still be missing a key factor: blood circulation.
If blood flow is insufficiently fluid, there is a risk that crucial nutrients will fail to reach our cells, while the toxins that should be expelled remain stored in the body. While impairments in blood circulation vary widely from individual to individual, many of us may be affected by some degree of hypercoagulation without even realising it, albeit not to the point of causing heart problems. A recent study shows that hypercoagulation may directly lead to prolonged health problems such as chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis and infertility.

Poor circulation: finding the root causes

As part of the ageing process, there is a gradual or sudden deterioration in our circulation. The causes are multifactorial.
There are a number of ways to improve the circulation naturally: taking exercise, having a sauna or massage, eating garlic or supplementing with niacin or Ginkgo biloba. Some drugs such as aspirin, heparin and coumadin improve blood flow, while other powerful medications, including streptokinase, activase and urokinase, are prescribed for serious diseases. And in the last instance, surgery may be required.
It must be said, however, that these natural or medicinal blood-thinning substances ‘paper over the cracks’ rather than address the root causes.

Pathogen-induced clot formation and fibrin deposits

A variety of pathogenic causes, including bacteria, viruses and yeasts, as well as toxins and environmental pollution, can trigger the formation and release of thrombin. This sets off a cascade of coagulation factors which leads to the production of fibrin. Consisting of ‘sticky protein’ fibres, fibrin may accumulate and adhere to the internal walls of blood vessels or even continue to circulate in the bloodstream. Fibrin slows down blood flow and forms the mesh element of a blood clot.
If we imagine a blood clot as a lump or plug that stops blood flow completely, new research suggests that more subtle levels of fibrin accumulation may exist without any actual clot formation.
When blood has a tendency to coagulate or thicken more than it should, an actual clot may not form immediately. Instead, blood flow may simply start to slow down and when this happens, fibrin strands begin to stick to artery walls, further reducing blood flow. Eventually, movement of blood in the smaller capillaries slows down and the surrounding tissue starts to become deprived of oxygen, while more and more undesirable waste products and toxins accumulate.

Individual control of coagulation

A major enzyme called plasmin is produced by the body’s endothelial cells to stop and dissolve fibrin clots.
In order for the body to stem excess bleeding, but also enable blood to flow, there needs to be a balance of natural thrombolytic enzymes. According to experts in the field, a large percentage of the population does not have such a balance.
Fibrin deposits that form in muscle tissue can become inflamed and may often be responsible for fibromyalgia. In the uterus, they can result in chronic pelvic pain and even infertility.
The use of blood-thinners (heparin, coumadin, aspirin, garlic, vitamin E) may improve a patient’s condition by re-establishing blood flow in obstructed sites. However, it will not actually tackle the root cause of the fibrin accumulation. These ‘plugs’ must be dissolved, eliminated, and ideally, prevented in the first place. Injectable drugs such as urokinase, streptokinase and activase are used in hospitals for emergency cases such as heart attacks. Though effective, they are very expensive and short-acting (between four and twenty minutes). Nattokinase, on the other hand, offers enormous potential in the management and support of optimal circulation.

Hypercoagulation risk factors

Genetic predisposition
A percentage of the population will have genetic defects that inhibit the production of plasmin and other thrombolytic enzymes.

Junk food

Enzyme production depends on the absorption of a variety of vitamins and minerals. Most modern diets are deficient in these nutrients.

Ageing
As we get older, our blood vessels lose their elasticity. Blood circulates more slowly and has a greater tendency to coagulate.

Sedentary lifestyle
Exercise maintains the elasticity of blood vessels, and increases blood pressure and muscle contraction.

Low antioxidant levels
Antioxidants neutralise free radicals, protect blood vessels’ endothelial cells from the inflammation that triggers the release of clot-promoting enzymes, and protect a prostaglandin called prostacyclin which helps thin the blood. According to researchers, the level of antioxidants in US and European diets has fallen by 50% over the past 25 years.

Consumption of ‘bad’ fats

The body needs ‘good’ fats to produce healthy cell walls and membranes and so prevent pathogens and toxins from penetrating and damaging cells. When we eat too many ‘bad’ (trans) fats and not enough ‘good’ fats, arterial cell walls become fragile and vulnerable to damage, which in turn triggers the release of coagulation enzymes. EPA, DHA and GLA should therefore be included in the diet every day.

Toxin overload

Our bodies face daily exposure to, amongst others, pesticides, herbicides, industrial chemicals, household cleaning products, sprays, construction materials, toxic metals, vaccinations, air pollution, and food and water contaminants, to name but a few. Atmospheric pollution, particularly micro-particles called PM10, thicken the blood and promote inflammation. By inducing a pro-coagulant response, these particles can change cell functions in such a way as to stimulate mechanisms of coagulation and inhibit fibrinolysis pathways (the process of lysis or breaking down of blood clots).
As toxins are fat-soluble molecules, they tend to bind to the fatty barriers of endothelial cell membranes where they dissolve rapidly and lodge in the body’s fatty tissues – the liver, kidneys, nerves and brain. At this point, they are considered neurotoxins. They interfere with cell communication and ultimately disrupt the body’s ability to self-protect and self-heal.

More virulent pathogens

The misuse of antibiotics has led to the development of resistant bacteria. Tougher mutations of viruses, moulds and yeasts are appearing at an alarming rate. Some of these pathogens directly attack endothelial cells, ultimately leading to the formation of more fibrin. The majority of bacterial pathogens develop in oxygen-poor environments. By triggering inflammation and other processes that interfere with circulation, these pathogens guarantee their continued survival.

Nattokinase to the rescue

Nattokinase is a fibrinolytic enzyme extracted from a traditional Japanese foodstuff called natto - fermented soya with a cheese-like taste and consistency which has been consumed in Japan for over 2000 years for cardiovascular health.
Japanese scientists have shown that 100g of natto (the food) has the same fibrinolytic activity as a therapeutic dose of urokinase, the effect of the latter lasting between 4 and 20 minutes, and that of nattokinase 7 to 8 hours! This is remarkable considering it is a natural, food-derived enzyme.
Nattokinase is one of the most powerful dietary supplements to have been launched in the last few years. Average per capita consumption of natto in Japan is currently around 2kg per year. Nattokinase is safe, effective and free from side-effects.

Conclusion

Increased blood viscosity is at the root of numerous health problems. It has multiple causes, including defective coagulation control, increases in pathogens, toxins, unhealthy lifestyles leading to decreased blood flow, a major cause of hypoxia (lack of oxygen), as well as inadequate intake of essential nutrients and micronutrients. Lack of oxygen and ATP leads to fatigue, fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis and cardiovascular problems. To improve blood flow, it is therefore essential to adopt a healthy lifestyle, by avoiding junk food and smoking, taking regular exercise, consuming fish oils, garlic, antioxidants and drinking at least eight glasses of water a day. Last but not least, nattokinase offers a natural and effective way of addressing the root causes of hypercoagulation.
Order the nutrients mentioned in this article
Nattokinase

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Super DHA

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Super EPA

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