Cocoon Solution

An HSI member named William writes: “What is your opinion of the enzyme SerraZyme?”

In my opinion, people with narrowed arteries (atherosclerosis) might do well to talk with their doctors about serrapeptase – the active ingredient of SerraZyme, which is a brand of dietary supplement.

Serrapeptase is an enzyme produced in the body of silkworms. Without serrapeptase (which dissolves non-living tissue) the silkworm wouldn’t be able to break down its cocoon and emerge as a moth. But serrapeptase has another appealing quality: It’s an effective anti-inflammatory.

Combine inflammation reduction with the ability to dissolve non-living tissue (such as arterial plaque) and you have a potent natural agent that may help prevent and treat atherosclerosis as well as other conditions associated with inflammation.

Surgery canceled

The late Hans Nieper, M.D., was a prominent alternative medicine internist in Hannover, Germany, and a leader in researching serrapeptase as a treatment for arterial plaque.

Some years ago, Dr. Nieper began using ultrasound to examine the arteries of his patients who took serrapeptase to reduce plaque. He found that over 12 to 18 months of serrapeptase treatment (combined with magnesium oratate, bromelain, L-carnitine, vitamin B1, and selenium) blockages in hardened arteries were often significantly reduced.

Dr. Nieper’s files include many cases of patients with restored circulation and mobility: One woman avoided hand amputation, while two elderly men who had been scheduled for heart bypass surgery improved so dramatically that they were able to cancel their surgeries. More than 50 other patients reported positive results while taking the serrapeptase formula over a two-year period.

Letting the fluid go

In Europe and Japan, clinical studies have shown that serrapeptase prompts anti-inflammatory activity, anti-edemic activity (the lessening of fluid retention), and fibrinolytic activity (the dissolution of protein buildups).

In a trial involving 174 patients, Japanese researchers tested serrapeptase’s ability to ease post-operative swelling. One day prior to surgery, 88 of the patients received three oral doses of 10 milligrams of serrapeptase. The evening following surgery, they received one dose. Over the next five days, they received three doses per day. The other 86 patients received placebos.

The researchers reported that “the degree of swelling in the serrapeptase-treated patients was significantly less than the placebo-treated patients at every point of observation after operation up to the 5th day.” None of the patients reported any adverse side effects.

Pain reduction

Researchers have also tested serrapeptase’s ability to ease inflammation disorders such as carpal tunnel syndrome and fluid retention conditions such as varicose veins.

At the SMS Medical College in Jaipur, India, researchers tested serrapeptase on 20 patients with carpal tunnel. Subjects were instructed to take 10 mg of serrapeptase twice a day for six weeks, and then return for reassessment. Sixty-five percent of the patients showed significant improvements. No adverse side effects were reported.

Researchers in Federico, Italy tested serrapeptase on 20 patients with varicose veins. The patients took 10 mg of serrapeptase three times a day for 14 days. The supplement generated good to excellent improvement also in more than 60 percent of the subjects. It reduced pain in 63 percent of cases, fluid buildup in 56 percent, abnormal skin redness in 58 percent, and nighttime cramps in 53 percent.

Serrapeptase can be found through many Internet sources and at some health food stores. But because this natural enzyme may impact anticoagulant therapy and other medications, you should consult with your doctor or a healthcare professional before taking serrapeptase.