Ribose Supplement Information

There are many supplements that advertise the ability to augment muscle gain and quality of exercise. Ribose supplements are commonly said to do both, and their benefits extend even beyond the realm of body-building. Yet it is important to understand how ribose supplements work in order to understand their consequences and shortcomings.

Features

• Ribose occurs naturally in the body as a sugar present in living cells. Along with its role coding proteins as RNA (ribonucleic acid) and DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid), ribose performs a key role in the formation of adenosine triphosphate, or ATP. ATP is the energy cells draw upon for performing tasks such as muscle contraction. So a ribose supplement ultimately provides the body with greater levels of ATP, thus more energy for physical exercise.

Athletic Use

• Ribose supplements are often taken by training athletes, since it is known to increase stamina and endurance, fostering muscle growth. In addition, ribose supplements reportedly allow athletes to recover from workouts faster, since the cells don't need as long to regain their energy levels. Aside from word-of-mouth, however, no solid clinical trials have been done to back up these claims, so ribose supplements true role in fostering physical fitness is undefined.

Misconceptions

• There have been some preliminary trials run on animals concerning the role of ribose supplements in exercise, and it may have effects contrary to popular belief. A relatively low ATP level is necessary for insulin sensitivity and glucose re-uptake in the muscle cells. With the high ATP levels caused by ribose supplements, glucose may be unable to re-enter the muscle cells and no growth may have taken place. This has led some researchers to find that ribose supplements are good for better and more prolonged performance, but not for actual muscle growth.

Medical Use

• Ribose supplements have a use outside of the gym as well. Their ability to stimulate cellular energy is especially useful in the recovery of heart attack victims, since they can help to rejuvenate cardiac tissue. In addition, for people suffering from ischemia, ribose supplements can improve blood circulation. Finally, ribose supplements help stimulate the growth of ATP in sufferers of ATP depletion-related diseases.

Warning

• Because ribose is a chemical that occurs naturally within cells, it is difficult to impossible to overdose using ribose supplements. However, the supplements can bring out some negative side-effects, including diarrhea, nausea, headaches, hyperuricemia, hypoglycemia and hyperuricosuria. In addition, diabetics must always consult with their doctor before taking ribose supplements for any reason.