D-Ribose Is That What You’re Missing?

D-Ribose, or just Ribose, as its sometimes called, is a simple sugar produced within our cells many thousands of times a day so that we can have energy to do work. D-Ribose is integral for our cells to create energy. All cellular respiration requires that we utilize ribose to make energy to perform a myriad of functions.

D-Ribose has been shown in studies to improve heart function, especially when there has been ischemic (lack of oxygen) injury to the heart muscle. Causes could be congestive heart disease, coronary artery disease, certain types of cardiomyopathy, certain diseases that affect the heart valves, and peripheral vascular disease. Post-exercise fatigue and muscle soreness, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome CFS, Fibromyalgia, Myoadenylated Deaminase disease, and McArdie’s disease all drain energy from muscles and are manifested in the form of fatigue, muscle pain, soreness, and stiffness. Ribose has been shown in clinical studies to help offset all of these symptoms. By supplementing with ribose, patients give their muscles the chance to overcome energy drain. Endurance athletes and athletes that have exposed themselves to strenuous training may require higher levels of ribose for recovery and overcoming muscle pain. Think of ribose like gas in your tank. When you drive your car down the road, your car is burning gas or consuming energy.

As your tank gets low, you have to fill it again or you will run out of gas and your car will stop, leaving you stranded. The same thing is true about your body. When you have enough food and oxygen, your cells will be able to work and never run out of energy. If you are healthy, your energy stores will build back up with a little rest. The rate at which your body converts glucose to ribose or the speed at which your cells consume your ribose stores will determine how much or how long you have sustained energy.

Every cell in your body depends on ribose to run. Your heart uses an insane amount of energy to work on a daily basis. An estimated 6,000 grams of energy is consumed in pumping blood throughout your body every day. The heart’s stored energy, at any given moment, is about .7 grams. The heart has to constantly replace its energy requirements and our heart muscle cells need ribose to function.

Ribose production is a slow process which requires time within the confines of our cells. Proper supplementation allows the cells to uptake increased amounts of ribose to make ATP (adenosine triphosphate), which is the gold bullion of cellular energy. This spells recovery and cellular function.

The amount of ribose you should take is need dependent. For example, a person needs:

• 2 to 5 grams a day to maintain a healthy energy pool
• 5 to 7 grams to prevent cardiovascular disease and for athletes wishing tore cover faster from higher intensity training, i.e. cross training and marathon/triathlon work
• 7 to 10 grams daily for patients with heart disease or peripheral vascular disease, post surgical heart patients and heart attack patients, and athletes that train daily at high intensities
• 0 to 15 grams daily for patients with fibromyalgia, CTS and other neuromuscular diseases

Once the patient experiences relief of symptoms, a lower maintenance dose can be used. Since ribose is a simple sugar, there are no major issues with its use. A recommendation would be to take divided doses when working with larger amounts, or pre and post exercise for athletes.

Corvalen, by Bioenergy, is a recognized brand that has been used in many clinical trials. They also have a product with magnesium and malic acid added to aid in its uptake and function in the cell.

If you have noticed that energy or fatigue is becoming or has been an issue, give D-Ribose a try and give your favorite energy drink a break.