Serrapeptase

Asked directly to compare the three, Cabral says lumbrokinase "has more of an anti-fibrinogen or fibrinolytic effect and is more powerful," and is "stronger if you are looking specifically for cardiovascular fibrin," but he prefers nattokinase and serrapeptase because "I like the studies on nattokinase, I like the studies on serrapeptase, they're more well-rounded, where lumbrokinase is more specific to the fibrinogen." In the same answer he places serrapeptase with solid tumors, scar tissue and cysts, and nattokinase with fibrin buildup and hardened arteries, and notes his formula also contains vitamin K2 to move calcium from arteries to bones.

Cabral says serrapeptase, also called serratiopeptidase, was isolated "I believe it was the 1960s" from a bacteria carried by the silkworm, the same enzyme that dissolves the cocoon so the worm can emerge as a moth. He clarifies in the comparison video that it is "not actually from the silkworm itself, but essentially the bacteria that the silkworms give off." It is therefore not vegan; he offers bromelain from pineapple core, kiwi, ginger, trypsin and rutin as plant-derived alternatives that he says work but "not to the same degree." Nattokinase by contrast is extracted from fermented soybean, and he states "there's not actually any soy left when we pull out the enzyme."

Because serrapeptase "helps to break down dead tissue, diseased tissue and proteins in the bloodstream," Cabral lists it for gallbladder stones, post-surgical scar tissue, blocked fallopian tubes, fibrocystic breasts, PCOS with ovarian cysts, and endometriosis. In a separate Q&A he narrows the division of labor further, saying serrapeptase is "best for solid tumors, scar tissue, or tissue that needs to be broken up, cysts, etc." He says he has recommended it for fibrocystic breast disease and PCOS for years. No trials are cited for any of these indications.

Cabral describes serrapeptase as "one of the strongest natural painkillers and anti-inflammatory aids" and lists back issues, joint pain, arthritis, fibromyalgia, carpal tunnel, sinusitis, headaches, toothaches and autoimmune issues. He adds a lung and mucus category covering COPD, chronic bronchitis, asthma, emphysema, pulmonary hypertension, coughs, ear-nose-throat issues, difficulty breathing and mucus overproduction. He asserts this is "all based on clinical research" and says he will link it at stephencabral.com/1775, but cites no individual study for any condition on the list.

Across every video Cabral names one primary risk: both enzymes act as natural blood thinners, so "if you're on an anticoagulant or blood thinner, please check with your doctor first before using them." In the serrapeptase deep dive he states "the biggest side effect, and we do watch for this, is anybody on blood thinners or worried about blood thinning effects has to be careful with this," adding "there's always side effects to even natural things as well" and advising a doctor conversation especially before using a higher dose. He otherwise claims "almost no downside" and "no issues with side effects" in his clients, and he does not discuss surgery, procedures, or bleeding-disorder precautions anywhere in these transcripts.

Cabral names timing as the third big reason people fail to get results: taking proteolytic enzymes with or after a meal makes them work on food rather than systemically. His instruction is to take them first thing in the morning on an empty stomach, at least 30 minutes (elsewhere 30 to 60 minutes) before the first meal, optionally split as a second dose before bed. He explains the same enzyme taken away from food "will move into the bloodstream," whereas with food it stays in the gut.

Cabral argues plaque is not caused by cholesterol: "cholesterol goes to the site of the injury" to patch endothelial tissue damaged by microplastics, toxins, or inflammation from seed oils, so "it's what's beneath that, that's the inflammation." His resulting protocol logic is to use serrapeptase to reduce the inflammatory cause while nattokinase dissolves the existing plaque, over a 6-month to 1-year horizon, after which he suggests re-checking arterial plaque. No citations are given for this mechanistic model.

In a direct comparison Cabral scores the two enzymes category by category: for blood clots "they both work, but nattokinase is better"; for blood pressure "nattokinase wins because it's reducing more fibrin"; for overall inflammation "that's an easy one, that's serrapeptase"; and for arterial plaque "hands down, you have to use both." His stated conclusion is that the choice is a false one, calling them "cousins or brothers" that "should work together," and saying he has used them together in practice for over 20 years. This framing is also the rationale for the combination product he sells.

Cabral calls serrapeptase "the inflammation cleaner," stating that taken on an empty stomach it removes dead and necrotic tissue, diseased tissue and "masses like cysts," and reduces inflammation especially in the joints. He says it is one of the number one products for reducing inflammation outside of herbs like turmeric and ginger, and that this is why he uses it heavily with autoimmune issues, recovery, and most chronic health conditions. No study is cited for these specific claims.

Taken fasted first thing in the morning, the proteolytic enzymes pass into the small and large intestine and break down biofilms that shelter parasites, overgrown bacteria and yeast. Cabral adds that biofilms have been shown to sequester heavy metals, so disrupting them aids elimination. He recommends pairing with an overnight intermittent fast. Described as 'interesting newer research' without citations.

Cabral claims research supports nattokinase — especially combined with serrapeptase on an empty stomach — for opening airways by decreasing inflammation, clearing old necrotic tissue, and removing fibrin blocking nasal and respiratory passages. He connects this to poor sleep and CPAP dependence from inflamed airways. No specific studies are cited.

Cabral sells the product he recommends: "Proteolytic Enzymes by Equi.life," containing nattokinase, serrapeptase, proteases and rutin, directed to cabral.com/enzymes or stephencabral.com/proteolytic in every video reviewed. He tells listeners the dosing thresholds he gives (10,000 FU nattokinase, 15,000+ SPU serrapeptase) are exactly what is on his own label and to "compare it to the one that you're using." He repeatedly adds that buyers may use any brand they trust, but he also reports that after airing the nattokinase study his stock of roughly 500 bottles "were gone the same exact day," which makes the commercial incentive behind the study promotion explicit.

Cabral gives "about 20,000 units per day" on an empty stomach as the typical dosage matching studies, achieved in his practice with two capsules of his biofilm product on waking and two before bed at 10,000 units per two capsules. For joint issues he cites Wobenzym PS at two to four capsules on waking and two to four before bed, noting all four can be taken in the morning instead. He also mentions standalone serrapeptase products at 120,000 units, "the max dose," taken once or twice daily, while stating he cannot give an upper limit or medical advice. Minimum useful course is three to four months.

Cabral's stated label targets are 10,000 fibrin units (FU) of nattokinase and a minimum of 15,000 serrapeptase units (SPU), suggesting 15,000 to 20,000 SPU as a starting range and saying that for serrapeptase "honestly, sky's the limit." He warns the most common failure is underdosing, since "most nattokinase supplements are only 4,000 to 5,000" units, which he says is not enough to be effective. He also wants a protease and rutin in the same formula.

Asked whether serrapeptase could help three and a half years of interstitial cystitis, Cabral answers "yes, serrapeptase could help, no doubt about it," but immediately redirects to root-cause testing, naming a bacteria and parasite stool test as the single highest-priority lab (looking for clostridia, C. difficile and E. coli), followed by a candida, metabolites and vitamins test and a food sensitivity test. He frames the enzyme as an adjunct to an anti-inflammatory nutrition plan rather than a standalone treatment. No study is cited for the interstitial cystitis claim.

Answering a listener asking about serrapeptase for high blood pressure, Cabral says he uses the combined serrapeptase plus nattokinase formula "for any vascular based issues" because "people don't know which one they have, that's why we combine both." He suggests 16 weeks at two capsules on waking and two before bed can be very helpful, while emphasizing hypertension has underlying root causes including excess fibrinogen and arterial hardening, and that cortisol, heavy metals, magnesium-to-calcium and sodium-to-potassium balance should be tested. No study is cited for the blood pressure effect.

Cabral says a key reason his CBO gut protocol works is that proteolytic enzymes dissolve the biofilm covering parasites, candida overgrowth and bacterial overgrowth. Once the biofilm is dissolved, natural antimicrobials such as caprylic acid from coconut oil can break down the outer layers of the organisms so they can be killed and removed, after which repopulation begins. Serrapeptase is part of the enzyme biofilm-disruptor product used in that protocol, which he sells and which thousands of practitioners he has trained also use.

Cabral recommends that anyone over 45 or 50 use proteolytic enzymes daily, two capsules on waking, for at least 12 months, then optionally drop to one each morning. He frames this as what he recommends "to my personal clients, my family as well," and says he takes it himself each morning now that he is in his later 40s because heart disease is the number one killer in men. For serrapeptase used for other conditions he gives a shorter minimum of three to four months, continuing to six months or so.

Cabral reports that in his Boston office he ran live and dried blood microscopy on clients for about eight years at 10,000x to 100,000x magnification, and could see fibrin/fibrinogen accumulating in the blood, which he says "looks like hair, literally hair in the blood." Clients showing this pattern were all put on nattokinase, and he says he could re-examine their blood 6 to 8 weeks later and show them a reduction in fibrin. This is an uncontrolled clinical observation with no published data offered; live blood analysis itself is not a validated diagnostic.

Cabral's practice uses a combined proteolytic enzyme formula rather than isolated nattokinase: 10,000 units nattokinase + 18,000+ units serrapeptase + proteases + rutin. He argues these work better together — nattokinase and rutin for arterial anti-inflammatory effect and fibrin removal, serrapeptase for joints, inflammation and recovery. Note: he sells this product (Equal Life brand, stephencabral.com/enzymes), a commercial conflict of interest.

Cabral reads an abstract verbatim from the Asian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, describing serratiopeptidase as "a proteolytic enzyme from the trypsin family" and stating that "serine protease possesses a higher affinity for COX-1 and COX-2 enzymes associated with inflammatory mediators including interleukins, prostaglandins, thromboxane etc," with named applications in arthritis, sinusitis, bronchitis, fibrocystic breast disease and carpal tunnel syndrome. He says the paper goes on to show it "can actually be more effective for many of these conditions than something like an Advil or ibuprofen." No authors, year or volume are given, only the journal name.