Question:

My father aged 65 years, has been diagnosed for ideopathic lungs fibrosis and has been undergoing treatment. Recently the disease has progressed, and he finds even small tasks difficult. He is on oxygen support 24 hours a day. Will enzyme treatment suggested by biomedical labs such as serracor and nattokinase or serraPEPTASE help him? Can i contact Dr. Robert of the lungs department?

Answer:

I wish that these enzymes did work in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis so that we would have effective treatments for this devastating disease. However, there are no well-conducted clinical trials involving these enzymes and so there is no good evidence that they work. Since they are sold as enzyme supplements and not as medications, the Food and Drug Administration does not regulate them the way that prescription drugs are regulated with respect to advertising, etc.

In general, I urge caution in spending a lot of money on these types of non-tested products; the manufacturers often make unsubstantiated claims and offer false hope of curing incurable conditions. I have seen many patients and families spend hundreds of dollars a month and futilely deplete needed financial resources on these types of products. I am not familiar with Dr. Robert that you asked about.

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