Scientists and doctors globally continue to look for treatments for COVID-19 since the World Health Organization declared the pandemic in March 2020. on social media the supplement nattokinase — an enzyme that comes from natto, a traditional Japanese food made of fermented soybeans — can prevent or treat COVID-19. This is false. Public Health Agency of Canada says it is not an approved treatment for the virus.
Some of the posts claim the enzyme can from COVID-19 mRNA vaccines by dissolving spike proteins, and many link to sites selling supplements that purport to help the body recover from "spike protein exposure."
Rating: False
The claim has been around since 2021 after a was published in the journal Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications. The study suggests "that proteolytic enzymes that are thought to be present in natto extract degrade the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 particles, resulting in inhibition of infection."
However, the study was done in a Petri dish and not on humans.
"This study is an experiment using cultured cells and does not show that eating natto can prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection," the Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology clarified in in Japanese in 2021.
The press release further clarified that to date, there have been few examples of direct antiviral effects of food, and the research will serve as an opportunity to reconsider the value of traditional food in emergencies.
Despite natto being part of a regular Japanese diet, the World Health Organization shows more than 33 million people in the country still .
The Public Health Agency of Canada also confirmed it is not an for the virus.
Understanding how spike proteins work
There is that vaccine-generated spike proteins are harmful.
The mRNA vaccines teach our cells how to make harmless spike protein that triggers an immune response to our bodies, and the body then makes antibodies to help fight infection.
The vaccine-generated spike proteins don't last long in the body because the immune system identifies, attacks then destroys them naturally. Scientists estimate that the spike protein can stay in the body up to a few weeks.
Making money off of false COVID-19 claims
While nattokinase is available in supplements in Canada, most of the products say it's used to "."
Health Canada says it only authorizes treatments, including those for COVID-19, after a thorough scientific review of the safety, efficacy and quality data. A treatment must show evidence that it works well, is of high quality and is safe. The available data must demonstrate that the treatment's benefits outweigh its risks.
"Selling unauthorized health products like drugs, medical devices and natural health products or making false or misleading claims to prevent, treat or cure COVID-19 is illegal in Canada," the Public Health Agency of Canada said in a statement.
The agency says it has also received for nattokinase as it relates to COVID-19, and it is reviewing those claims.
Sources
Examples of the claim can be found on Twitter (), () and ()
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( of product that uses nattokinase)
( with nattokinase complaints highlighted)
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