Nutritional Supplement

Ribose for Sports & Fitness

Also indexed as: D-Ribose
Ribose

Ribose is a type of sugar normally made in the body from glucose. Ribose plays important roles in the synthesis of RNA, DNA, and the energy-containing substance adenosine triphosphate (ATP).

Why Do Athletes Use It?*

Some athletes say that ribose helps improve recovery from intense exercise.

What Do the Advocates Say?*

Ribose is used in the body to make adenine nucleotides, which are important components of the high energy compound adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Intense exercise depletes ATP and adenine nucleotides, and ribose supplementation can help restore normal levels of these components more quickly.

How Much Is Usually Taken by Athletes?

Ribose is a type of sugar used by the body to make the energy-containing substance adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Intense exercise depletes muscle cells of ATP as well as the ATP precursors made from ribose,1,2 though these deficits are typically replaced within minutes.3 Unpublished reports suggested that ribose supplementation might increase power during short, intense bouts of exercise.4,5 However, in a double-blind study, exercisers took 4 grams of ribose four times per day during a six-day strength-training regimen, and no effects on muscle power or ATP recovery in exercised muscles were found.6 In two other controlled studies, either 10 grams of ribose per day for five days or 8 grams every 12 hours for 36 hours resulted in only minor improvements in some measures of performance during repetitive sprint cycling.7,8

References

1. Hellsten-Westing,Y, Norman B, Balsom PD, Sjodin B. Decreased resting levels of adenine nucleotides in human skeletal muscle after high-intensity training. J Appl Physiol 1993;74:2523-8.

2. Tullson PC, Terjung RL. Adenine nucleotide synthesis in exercising and endurance-trained skeletal muscle. Am J Physiol 1991;261:C342-7.

3. Zhao S, Snow RJ, Stathis CG, et al. Muscle adenine nucleotide metabolism during and in recovery from maximal exercise in humans. J Appl Physiol 2000;88:1513-9.

4. Ziegenfuss T. The effects of Ribocell supplementation on repeated sprint performance: a pilot study. Submitted to the American College of Sports Medicine 47th Annual Meeting, 1999.

5. Trappe S. Effect of ribose supplementation on nucleotide depletion following high intensity exercise in human skeletal muscle, 1999. Data on file at Bioenergy, Inc., 13840 Johnson St. N.E., Minneapolis, MN 55304.

6. Op 'T Eijnde B, Van Leemputte M, Brouns F, et al. No effects of oral ribose supplementation on repeated maximal exercise and de novo ATP resynthesis. J Appl Physiol 2001;91:2275-81.

7. Kreider RB, Melton C, Greenwood M, et al. Effects of oral D-ribose supplementation on anaerobic capacity and selected metabolic markers in healthy males. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab 2003;13:76-86.

8. Berardi JM, Ziegenfuss TN. Effects of ribose supplementation on repeated sprint performance in men. J Strength Cond Res 2003;17:47-52.

9. Pliml W, von Arnim T, Stablein A, et al. Effects of ribose on exercise-induced ischemia in stable coronary artery disease. Lancet 1992;340:507-10.

10. Hellsten-Westing,Y, Norman B, Balsom PD, Sjodin B. Decreased resting levels of adenine nucleotides in human skeletal muscle after high-intensity training. J Appl Physiol 1993;74:2523-8.

11. Tullson PC, Terjung RL. Adenine nucleotide synthesis in exercising and endurance-trained skeletal muscle. Am J Physiol 1991;261:C342-7.

12. Zhao S, Snow RJ, Stathis CG, et al. Muscle adenine nucleotide metabolism during and in recovery from maximal exercise in humans. J Appl Physiol 2000;88:1513-9.

13. Ziegenfuss T. The effects of Ribocell supplementation on repeated sprint performance: a pilot study. Submitted to the American College of Sports Medicine 47th Annual Meeting, 1999.

14. Trappe S. Effect of ribose supplementation on nucleotide depletion following high intensity exercise in human skeletal muscle, 1999. Data on file at Bioenergy, Inc., 13840 Johnson St. N.E., Minneapolis, MN 55304.

15. Op 'T Eijnde B, Van Leemputte M, Brouns F, et al. No effects of oral ribose supplementation on repeated maximal exercise and de novo ATP resynthesis. J Appl Physiol 2001;91:2275-81.

16. Kreider RB, Melton C, Greenwood M, et al. Effects of oral D-ribose supplementation on anaerobic capacity and selected metabolic markers in healthy males. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab 2003;13:76-86.

17. Berardi JM, Ziegenfuss TN. Effects of ribose supplementation on repeated sprint performance in men. J Strength Cond Res 2003;17:47-52.

18. Gross M, Reiter S, Zollner N. Metabolism of D-ribose administered continuously to healthy persons and to patients with myoadenylate deaminase deficiency. Klin Wochenschr 1989;67:1205-13.

19. Gross M, Zollner N. Serum levels of glucose, insulin, and C-peptide during long-term D-ribose administration in man. Klin Wochenschr 1991;69:31-6.

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The information presented by TraceGains is for informational purposes only. It is based on scientific studies (human, animal, or in vitro), clinical experience, or traditional usage as cited in each article. The results reported may not necessarily occur in all individuals. For many of the conditions discussed, treatment with prescription or over the counter medication is also available. Consult your doctor, practitioner, and/or pharmacist for any health problem and before using any supplements or before making any changes in prescribed medications. Information expires December 2024.