A July 14 Instagram post (direct link) a quote from a questionable cardiologist known for spreading incorrect information about COVID-19.
The video’s caption quotes Dr. Peter McCullough as saying that a supplement called nattokinase “is the enzyme we know of lately that dissolves spike protein. “
McCullough says in the video that the spike protein “is loaded in the box with COVID-19 infection and with vaccines. “
The post received over 2000 likes in five days.
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Experts have said there is no evidence that the spike proteins in the vaccine pose a danger to the public or that nattokinase dissolves those proteins in the body. Public fitness officials have taken action against those who misrepresent the supplement in advertisements.
Nattokinase is an enzyme discovered in natto, a fermented soy food popular in Japan. It is legal through the U. S. Food and Drug Administration. Health Canada as a treatment for COVID-19.
The message claims that the supplement is effective in counteracting the COVID-19 spike protein, which is how the virus enters healthy cells and is the first level of infection. Experts say those proteins discovered in vaccines are harmless.
Dr. Amesh Adalja, a senior researcher at Johns Hopkins University’s Center for Health Security, said claims that nattokinase dissolved spike proteins “defy the evidence. “
The Federal Trade Commission has sent letters to corporations and Americans selling nattokinase as a treatment for COVID-19. Health Canada spokeswoman Anne Genier said the firm is investigating court cases it has won over ads for the supplement. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention did not respond to a request for comment.
The Instagram post became known as a paid partnership between Rebel News and The Wellness Company Canada. One of the products for sale on the company’s online page is Spike Support, a supplement that nattokinase and sells for around $66 in the United States.
McCullough, a cardiologist who in the past promoted misinformation about COVID-19, is listed as the organization’s clinical director. USA TODAY reached out to him through the research database that bears his name, but did not immediately hear back.
Fact-checking: No, thousands of doctors have been charged with pandemic-related crimes
A Feb. 21 trial McCullogh published in Substack on nattokinase’s effect on spike protein included a reference to a trial conducted by 10 researchers in Japan. ThisArray published in August 2022 found that the enzyme “has potential” to inhibit COVID-19 infection by degrading this protein.
But the study was done in vitro, not in the body, and only looked at spike proteins from an infection, not an mRNA vaccine. USA TODAY reached out to its lead author, researcher Takashi Tanikawa, but did not get an immediate response.
Experts consistently say that the effects produced through laboratory studies are not the same as those seen in human clinical trials.
USA TODAY reached out to Rebel News for comment but did not get a response.
AFP denied the claim.
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