Bacillus Natto products show blood pressure benefits for people with lifestyle diseases

17-Jul-2014 - Last updated on 18-Jul-2014 at 14:51 GMT

Dietary supplements of a filtrate from natto, a traditional Japanese fermented food made from soybean, may significantly reduce blood pressure in people with lifestyle diseases, says a new study.

Japanese researchers report that four weeks of supplementation with NKCP, a purified filtrate of Bacillus subtilis natto culture from Daiwa Pharmaceuticals, reduced systolic and diastolic blood pressure by an average of 10.4 and 4.3 mmHg, respectively. In the US, NKCP is known by the brand name as BFBP (Bacillopeptidase F Proprietary Blend).

“Randomized trials have shown that the lowering of blood pressure can produce rapid reductions in vascular disease risk,” wrote researchers in the Journal of Hypertension. “Furthermore, a 10 mmHg decrease in usual blood systolic blood pressure or 5 mmHg decrease in usual diastolic blood pressure is associated with a 40% lower risk of stroke death and 30% lower risk of death from ischemic heart disease or other vascular causes throughout middle age.”

The study was funded by Daiwa Pharmaceutical Co.

“Recently, traditional Japanese foods have been the subject of increased attention because of Japan’s lower prevalence of cardiovascular diseases than Western countries,” said Ron Marzoli, vice president, North American sales with Los Angeles-based Daiwa Health Development. “The fermented soybean product natto is a popular traditional food in Japan and is considered a health supplement because it contains a variety of peptides, amino acids, and vitamin B2.”

Study details

The Japanese researchers recruited 21 individuals with lifestyle-related diseases to participate in their study. Volunteers were assigned to receive supplements containing NKCP or a fermented soya extract (nattokinase) for four weeks.

Results showed that blood pressure reductions were only observed during the NKCP intervention, with systolic blood pressure showing averaged decreases from 130.9 to 120.5 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure from 72.9 to 68.6 mmHg. No such benefits were observed for nattokinase, they said.

The difference in the effect on blood pressure between these two substances was attributed to an improvement in blood fluidity by NKCP. According to the Daiwa, ongoing research will reveal further wide-range functions for NKCP.

Source: Journal of Hypertension
3:135, doi: 10.4172/2167-1095.1000135
“Effects of Bacillus Natto Products on Blood Pressure in Patients with Lifestyle Diseases”
Authors: M. Hitosugi, K. Hamada, K. Misaka, K. Ichihashi