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What is D-Ribose and why is it important?

Every cell in your body requires energy to survive, maintain its integrity and perform its function. The mitochondria within each cell are the “powerhouse” that produces energy (ATP) through chemical reactions. Stressful conditions such as disease, high-intensity activities, mitochondrial dysfunction (consequence of aging), decreased blood flow and lower levels of oxygen can all significantly play a role in decreasing the concentration of these key “energy-making” compounds, which can result in fatigue and decrease cellular function.

D-Ribose is a 5-carbon monosaccharide (sugar) made by every cell in the body. It is not like normal “sugar”, like fructose or glucose, as it does not raise blood sugar levels, but rather is recognized by the body for its importance in many functions that are required every day, such as providing power to our hearts, muscles, brain and every other tissue in the body. It is absolutely required for the formation of ATP (cellular energy) and also is important in our genetic information (DNA and RNA).

D-Ribose is absolutely crucial to maintain optimal health. Without enough energy production, we can suffer fatigue, muscle weakness, soreness and eventually loss of cellular function which can play a role in diseases. When our cells demand more “fuel”, or energy, and the tank is on empty, these cells try and meet these energy demands. However, these alternate energy sources are not only far less efficient but they can produce damaging molecules, such as free radicals, which can cause further damage to the cell, jeopardizing its function.

Therapeutic Benefits of D-Ribose Powder

Therapeutic Benefits

Therapeutic Benefits of D-Ribose Powder

Although the athletic community was the first to capitalize on the benefits of D-Ribose, extensive research over decades has uncovered additional beneficial applications of D-ribose. Since all cells require energy to perform their “job”, it seems obvious that we should pursue compounds that can aid in maintaining adequate energy levels, thereby providing the fuel for our cells during times of stress. Obviously, cellular energy deficiency can lead to an alteration in function, which can present itself in the form of a disease, and if severe enough can lead to cellular death. Preventing this energy deficiency is crucial.

The Power of D-Ribose in Heart Disease

As one can imagine, our hearts require a constant supply of energy to perform its vital functions, such as relaxation and contraction of the heart muscle in order to provide adequate circulation of blood and oxygen to all our tissues. When the heart’s energy level decreases, the heart is unable to perform these functions adequately. When the heart muscle is under constant energy deprivation, clinical symptoms can develop along with an impairment in function.

When the heart experiences stress (ie: heart attack), blood flow to the heart muscle is decreased which results in lower ATP levels. It is this period of time when the heart’s muscular function is compromised and, if left untreated, can result in long-term damage. D-ribose is able to help those heart muscle cells recover from this deficiency in energy more quickly and thus, benefit function.

For example, studies have shown that D-ribose supplementation in congestive heart failure patients has improved the relaxation functional phase, improve quality of life, and increase exercise endurance in these patients. Hopefully, long term use of D-ribose may provide an additional benefit in decreasing the reliance on pharmaceutical interventions, which are known to cause a host of detrimental side effects.

D-Ribose: The “muscle” behind exercise endurance

Regular exercise by healthy adults as well as high-intensity exercise by athletes requires adequate supplies of ATP, as well as the capacity to regenerate these energy molecules following exercise. When cells are unable to generate enough ATP to support cellular processes in the muscle, the individual may experience fatigue, muscular pain, and soreness following exercise, which can last for days compromising an individual’s exercise regimen. By providing D-ribose, exercising muscles are able to maintain energy compounds, experience less discomfort post-exercise, enhance recovery of utilized ATP levels and maintain their exercise schedule.

KEY POINTS:

Fatigue and exhaustion often occur as a result of depletion of the vital energy molecule called ATP.
Stressed muscles are vulnerable to low ATP levels.
D-ribose supplementation has been shown to boost heart muscle function following ischemia and to aid in function in congestive heart failure patients by providing the energy required for increased activity.
Increased ATP levels in skeletal muscle following D-ribose supplementation can help to reduce the post- exercise muscle pain and fatigue, allowing the maintenance of a more rigorous exercise regimen.

Dosage Guidelines

D-Ribose is a slightly sweet powder which is 95-98% absorbed within 30-45 minutes. Since we get very little ribose in our diet, supplementation offers a means to maintain adequate levels of energy following stressful situations. We believe that nearly 100% of all adults could benefit from D-ribose supplementation.

The following are recommended guidelines for supplementation with D-ribose.

Daily Dosage	Patient Population Characteristics
5-7 grams/day	Potentially benefit patients with ischemic cardiovascular disease Healthy people/athletes for supplementation pre-/post-exercise
7-10 grams/day	Nutraceutical dosage for patients with cardiovascular or peripheral vascular disease, patients recovering from heart surgery/heart attack Athletes working out with high-intensity exercise
10-15 grams/day	Patients with advanced heart disease, including congestive heart failure Patients with dilated cardiomyopathy, frequent angina episodes Patients with fibromyalgia/chronic fatigue syndrome

Supplement Facts

Serving size: 1 teaspoon (approximately 6.2 grams)

Serving per container: 48

Usage: Take 1 teaspoon up to 2-3 times per day, dissolved in water or other beverage, before or after exercise, or as directed by your physician or qualified healthcare consultant.

Excipient Free: This product contains no hidden coatings, excipients, binders, fillers, shellacs, artificial colors, fragrance, diary, wheat, egg, yeast, gluten, corn, sugar, starch, preservatives or hydrogenated oils.

INTERACTIONS/CONTRAINDICATIONS:

D-Ribose should not be used indiscriminately for cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy and radiation.

D-Ribose use should be monitored very closely in patients with Type I Diabetes. Simultaneous use of an insulin product and D-Ribose could cause rapid hypoglycemia. Patients with Type I Diabetes are strongly advised to monitor their blood sugar levels regularly.

Always consult a health care professional prior to starting any product.

ALLERGY WARNING: This product is contraindicated in an individual with a history of hypersensitivity to any of its ingredients.

PREGNANCY WARNING: If pregnant, consult your health-care practitioner before using this product.

DISCLAIMER: These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is a Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act compliant combination of naturally derived FDA GRAS (Generally regarded As Safe) herbal, nutraceutical, vitamins, minerals and amino acids products legally sold in the USA. In accordance with FDA regulations, when taken orally, this product may be considered a dietary supplement as defined by section 201(ff) of the Act, 21 U.S.C. § 321(ff).

Also, this product consists ONLY of a combination of naturally derived FDA GRAS (Generally regarded As Safe) herbal, nutraceutical, vitamins, minerals and amino acids products legally sold in the USA. Therefore, this product cannot be considered a drug as defined in section 201(g)(1) of the Act, 21 U.S.C. § 321(g)(1). This product is not intended to affect the structure or function of the body and is not intended for use in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment or prevention of disease in man. Any nutritional suggestions and research regarding this product are provided for informational purposes only, and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease nor should any information provided be used as a substitute for sound medical advice.

References

The role of ribose in human skeletal muscle metabolism

Dodd SL, Johnson CA, Fernholz K, St Cyr JA

Med Hypotheses 2004; 62(5):819-24

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15082114

Ribose in the Heart

2008, Vol. 5, No. 2, Pages 213-217

James Herrick and John St. Cyr

http://informahealthcare.com/doi/abs/10.1080/19390210802332752?journalCode=jds

Myocardial Ischemia: Alterations in Myocardial Cellular Energy and Diastolic Function, a Potential Role for D-Ribose

Novel Strategies in Ischemic Heart Disease, Dr. Umashankar Lakshmanadoss (Ed.), ISBN: 978-953-51-0184-0

Linda M. Shecterle and J. A. St. Cyr (2012)
http://www.intechopen.com/books/novel-strategies-in-ischemic-heart-disease/myocardial-ischemia-alterations-in-myocardial-cellular-energy-and-diastolic-function-a-potential-rol