Power Powder
A natural sugar, ribose can boost heart function and fight fatigue.
By Matthew Solan
Sugar is one of the simplest forms of energy, and one of the simplest
forms of sugar, ribose, may help jumpstart your energy and lessen
pain naturally. Ribose, also known as D-ribose, is a five-carbon sugar
whose main job is to stimulate your body's production of adenosine triphosphate
(ATP), a compound that releases energy when broken down, and
helps power your heart, muscles, brain, and every other tissue in the body.
How it works
You won't find ribose in any food: Your body manufactures it from glucose. But when your energy demands increase-for example, when you suffer from congestive heart problems, chronic fatigue syndrome, or fibromyalgia-ribose levels can dry up quickly. "Not having enough ribose in your body is like trying to build a fire without kindling-nothing happens," says Jacob Teitelbaum, M.D., the Kona, Hawaii-based author of From Fatigued to Fantastic! (Avery, 2007) and medical director of Fibromyalgia & Fatigue Centers, Inc. Research has found that people who suffer from chronic fatigue syndrome (symptoms include excessive fatigue, insomnia, brain fog, and joint and muscle pain) and fibromyalgia (widespread muscle pain) have low levels of ribose, says Teitelbaum. Ribosesupplement therapy can help: When you consume a ribose supplement in powder form, the body recognizes it as different from other sugars and preserves it to make ATP. Ribose therapy shows promise in fighting fibromyalgia when used as a complement to existing medication treatment.
You won't find ribose in any food: Your body manufactures it from glucose. But when your energy demands increase-for example, when you suffer from congestive heart problems, chronic fatigue syndrome, or fibromyalgia-ribose levels can dry up quickly. "Not having enough ribose in your body is like trying to build a fire without kindling-nothing happens," says Jacob Teitelbaum, M.D., the Kona, Hawaii-based author of From Fatigued to Fantastic! (Avery, 2007) and medical director of Fibromyalgia & Fatigue Centers, Inc. Research has found that people who suffer from chronic fatigue syndrome (symptoms include excessive fatigue, insomnia, brain fog, and joint and muscle pain) and fibromyalgia (widespread muscle pain) have low levels of ribose, says Teitelbaum. Ribosesupplement therapy can help: When you consume a ribose supplement in powder form, the body recognizes it as different from other sugars and preserves it to make ATP. Ribose therapy shows promise in fighting fibromyalgia when used as a complement to existing medication treatment.
