Health Risks of Ribose Powder

Ribose, also known as D-Ribose, is a sugar the body produces from food. As a supplement, it’s popular with athletes since it's said to boost stamina, muscle energy and endurance. It may also have side effects and potential health risks that you should be aware of.

Potential Health Risks

• Although D-ribose powder appears to be without side effects for the majority of the population, when taken for short periods of time, there have been cases reported of headache, nausea, stomach upset, and diarrhea.

Diabetes

• The main concern is that the powder may pose health risks by lowering blood glucose levels. Since ribose may lower blood sugar, those who are taking insulin for diabetes should talk to their health care provider before using the supplement as it may cause blood sugar levels to drop dangerously low.

Hypoglycemia

• For people who have been diagnosed with hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) it’s probably best to avoid ribose altogether since it can plunge blood sugar levels even lower.

Surgery

• There are also concerns that ribose may interfere with blood sugar control during surgery and the supplement should be discontinued if someone is scheduled for an operation. Talk to your health care provider about how far in advance you should stop taking ribose before surgery.

Alcohol

• Avoid drinking alcohol while taking ribose powder (or ribose in any form) because alcohol also decreases blood sugar. Taking them together may cause blood sugar to drop below healthy levels.

Aspirin

• For people who take more than 81 milligrams of aspirin a day, they may want to stay away from ribose or choose another pain reliever. Large doses of aspirin lower blood sugar levels and d-ribose can make this worse.

Prescription Drugs

• Since ribose may have the potential to lower blood sugar levels, it’s best to talk to your doctor before taking this supplement if you’re on any prescription medications.