Ribose is an essential pentose (5-carbon) sugar utilized by the body to synthesize DNA, RNA and
produce energy. Ribose is a fundamental building block of adenosine triphosphate (ATP - the
substance in which the body stores intracellular energy), the preferential source of energy for
skeletal muscle and heart tissue. Studies have shown that ribose supplementation can enhance
cardiac energy levels and support cardiovascular metabolism.* Further studies suggest that
ribose plays a role in supporting energy recovery after exercise.* Exercise increases free
radical production in muscle tissue. Ribose may strengthen and support the body’s crucial
antioxidant defenses.*
Highlights:
-Science-based nutrition
-Dietary supplement
-Supports healthy energy levels in heart and muscle tissue*
-Maintains normal heart function*
-Decreases free radical formation during exercise*
Benefits:
Supports Normal Heart Function*
A significant amount of in vitro, animal and human research suggests benefits of ribose on heart function.* Studies have shown that ribose supplementation can enhance cardiac energy levels and support cardiovascular metabolism.* Ribose has been shown in clinical trials to enhance the recovery of heart muscle ATP levels and improve myocardial function following exercise.
Studies suggest that ribose supplementation can increase the tolerability of the cardiovascular
system to exercise-induced fatigue. In one study, twenty men underwent treadmill exercise tests
on two consecutive days to confirm the onset of fatigue secondary to exercise. The participants
were then randomized to the treatment group or a placebo group. The groups received either four
doses of 15 grams of D-ribose (60 grams/day total) or the same amount of placebo each day. After
three days of treatment, another treadmill test was performed. The time it took to reach the
specified level of fatigue was significantly greater in the ribose group than in the placebo
group.
Another study investigated the ability of ribose to support healthy heart function and quality
of life. In a randomized, crossover design study, fifteen individuals were given 5 grams three
times a day of either D-ribose or placebo. Each treatment period lasted three weeks. In patients
receiving ribose, echocardiography demonstrated enhancement of heart function, reflecting a
"more efficient relaxation phase of the heart". Participants also had a significant improvement
in their subjective quality of life scores compared to placebo.
Scientists suggest that suboptimal heart function is a result of the heart requiring more energy
to function properly. Ribose supports the heart's enhanced energy requirements, promoting
optimal heart function. It does so by enhancing the stores of high-energy phosphates in heart
tissue. These intermediates are necessary for the production and resynthesis of ATP. A double-
blind crossover study in which 12 individuals were randomized to receive either ribose or
dextrose (both administered as 5 grams three times daily for three weeks, followed by a 1-week
washout period and crossover of treatments for three additional weeks) suggested significant
enhancements in normal cardiac function during the period of ribose supplementation.
Perhaps one of the more useful illustrations of the potential for ribose to support heart
function comes from a study in which 20 rats received a continuous infusion of ribose for 24
hours (control rats received an infusion of saline). The hearts were then explanted (as they
would be for heart transplants) and placed in preservation solution that was enriched with
ribose for 4 hours. ATP levels were measured from tissue biopsies and revealed that 10 of the
ribose-treated hearts had ATP levels higher than 12.3 micromoles per gram whereas saline-treated
hearts (controls) had lower ATP levels, with 20% showing levels below 10 micromoles per gram of
tissue. This provides support for the hypothesis that ribose may enhance the preservation of ATP
levels in cardiac tissue, promoting normal heart function.
Further animal studies have shown that ribose significantly enhances heart function after
experimentally induced cardiac depression. Rats were injected with isoproterenol (a drug that
stimulates sympathetic nervous system function) and had their abdominal aorta constricted to
induce depression of heart function and reduce cardiac ATP levels. The decrease in ATP was
primarily responsible for the depression of heart function. Continuous infusion of ribose for 24
hours replenished ATP concentrations to normal levels and normalized heart function in these
animals.
Ribose May Strengthen and Support the Body's Crucial Antioxidant Defenses*
Ribose may support the body's innate antioxidant mechanisms while promoting an antioxidant
effect of its own. Intense exercise and other strenuous activity can induce the production of
free radicals. Preliminary studies suggest that ribose can attenuate some of the effects of
oxidation seen after performance of intensive exercise.
One small human study indicated that ribose administered at a dose of seven grams before and
after a bout of cycling exercise may reduce free radical production. Seven volunteers ingested
either ribose or placebo both before and after intense exercise. Markers of lipid peroxidation,
including malondialdehyde, significantly decreased in the ribose-supplemented group, while
increasing in the control group. The results of this study indicate a possible effect of ribose
in supporting antioxidant activity.
Supports Healthy Energy Levels in Heart and Muscle Tissue*
After bouts of intense exercise, ATP levels have been shown to decrease by an average of 15 to
20%. The amount of ATP stored in the muscle is limited and so the body must have the potential
to rebuild ATP stores. ATP is the fuel necessary for the integrity and function of a cell. In
addition, several studies have found correlations between ATP content and heart function.
Research that was also alluded to above suggests that ribose stimulates ATP synthesis and
supports heart and muscle function by enhancing ATP levels in cardiac and muscle tissue. D-
ribose is an essential building block for the synthesis of ATP through the pentose phosphate
pathway.
The results of ribose supplementation enhancing ATP levels in muscle are evidenced by studies
suggesting beneficial effects on anaerobic performance. In a randomized, placebo-controlled
crossover study assessing the effects of acute ribose supplementation, participants receiving
the ribose supplement had increases in mean power (a measure of average overall muscular
strength output during the sprint) and peak power (a measure of the highest muscular strength
output during the sprint) when undergoing a series of cycle sprints. While this effect was not
noted in all of the six short cycling sprints that the participants underwent, the study does
illustrate the potential benefits of ribose on ATP production and, secondarily, on enhancing
exercise performance.
A second placebo-controlled trial investigated the effects of four weeks of ribose-
supplementation (10 grams /day) on male bodybuilders. Of the 20 participants who were recruited,
twelve completed the study. Each subject participated in a heavy-resistance training program
designed to increase skeletal muscle mass. The effects of ribose on body composition (body
weight, body fat, lean body mass, fat mass, and bone mineral content) were also assessed. The
results suggested that ribose increased total work capacity and bench press strength compared to
placebo, without altering body composition.
Supports Energy Recovery After Exercise*
Animal studies have suggested that the administration of ribose after exercise increases the
rate of adenine salvage by five to seven-fold in muscle tissue, supporting energy recovery
after exercise. When ATP is utilized by muscle tissue, the degradation products include adenine
nucleotides (Adenine is one of two purine bases that is a component of DNA). Adenine is recycled
to synthesize DNA, and the salvage of adenine within the muscle tissue is crucial to energy
recovery. Studies have shown that the presence of adequate ribose concentrations is the rate-
limiting step in the purine salvage pathway. Therefore, increased adenine salvage could
potentially help in the recovery and regeneration of ATP after intense bouts of activity.
A study investigated the effect of oral intake of ribose on the synthesis of AMP, a precursor to
ATP. Participants performed intense cycle training for seven days. They then received either
ribose (at a concentration of 200 mg/kg body weight, which is equivalent to 14 grams per day for
an average 70 kilogram male) or placebo three times a day for the following three days. Exercise
tests were performed again on day 4. Muscle biopsy samples were taken before the first training
session, immediately after, and again five hours, 24 hours, and 72 hours after the last training
session. No differences were seen in exercise performance between the groups. The intense
exercise caused the ATP levels in muscle to decrease in both groups. However, at 72 hours post-
exercise, the ribose group exhibited a much higher ATP level than the placebo group. The muscle
levels of critical building blocks for ATP, including total adenine nucleotides (TAN) and
inosine 5'-monophosphate (IMP), were also significantly higher in the ribose group compared to
the placebo group at 24 hours after exercise. Ribose-supplementation was shown to enhance the
resynthesis of ATP after intense exercise.
Supplement Facts:
Serving Size: 5 grams (1 scoop)
Servings per container: 50
Why Shop With Us
Shipping
800-610-1729 
