Studies have shown that ribose supplements can help reduce muscle pain and enhance quality of life for those suffering with fibromyalgia
A medical condition characterized by muscular or musculoskeletal pain is known asFibromyalgia. Fibromyalgia symptoms include deep muscle pain, painful tender points, and morning stiffness; sleep problems, fatigue, and anxiety.
There are no known causes of fibromyalgia as of now, however, studies have suggested that taking ribose supplements can improve energy, sleep, and sense of well-being while decreasing pain in people suffering from fibromyalgia.
Ribose is a naturally created sugar by the body and is the key structural component of the ATP (adenosine triphosphate) needed by the mitochondria to maintain cellular energy equilibrium.
Everyone loses energy in our muscles daily. Energy loss can be attributed to anything that we do. From eating to walking to exercising. But people with fibromyalgia tends to lose more energy compared to people without fibromyalgia.
This is where D-Ribose comes in handy. D-Ribose supplements can provide a significant energy source to the muscles and prevent the build-up of lactic acid for fibromyalgia patients.
It helps fibromyalgia patients improve their energy level while also reducing the different types of pains fibromyalgia causes.
What is D-ribose?
D-ribose is a kind of sugar that the body produces naturally and is found in all living cells. It is also called Beta-D-ribofuranose or Ribose. It helps produce energy in the form of ATP (adenosine triphosphate).
Studies have revealed that fibromyalgia patients lack ATP and since D-ribose helps in boosting ATP, it is recommended for use in fibromyalgia patients.
It is also used medically to increase muscle energy and to improve exercise performance.
D-ribose as a nutritional supplement is, therefore, useful because it is immediately available for the generation of new ATP.
Does D-Ribose help reduce fibromyalgia pains?
Various studies in the past have established that using d-ribose supplements does improve the symptoms of fibromyalgia including energy, sleep, mental clarity, pain intensity and well-being.
For example, according to a study published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine in 2006, D-Ribose significantly reduced clinical symptoms in patients suffering from fibromyalgia.
The study included Forty-one fibromyalgia patients who were given D-Ribose treatment with a dose of five grams a day, three times a day.
It was found that two-thirds of the patients reported improvement of their symptoms in the first 12 days of the course.
It was found that there was an average 45 percent improvement in energy and 30 percent improvement in the quality of life.
These patients also reported less muscle soreness and stiffness, better ability to overcome fatigue, as well as simply feeling better.
Patients reported less muscle soreness and stiffness, better ability to overcome fatigue, as well as simply feeling better.
According to another study published in The Open Pain Journal, D-Ribose has shown to increase cellular energy synthesis and significantly improve clinical outcomes in fibromyalgia patients.
A total of 257 patients were studied for this research. All of the patients were given D-Ribose for a period of three weeks. 203 patients completed the full course of D-Ribose and reported high improvements in all categories.
There was an increase of 61.3 percent in the energy category, 37 percent increase in overall well-being, 29.3 percent improvement in sleep, 30 percent improvement in mental clarity, 15.6 percent decrease in pain Improvement began in the first week of treatment, and continued to increase at the end of the three weeks of treatment.
The study concluded that D-ribose resulted in improved energy levels, sleep, mental clarity, pain relief, and well-being in patients suffering from fibromyalgia.
How much of D-Ribose should one take?
D-ribose supplements are typically found in powder form. There is still no standard dosage recommendation for D-Ribose supplements.
However, a person suffering from fibromyalgia should consult his or her doctor on the right amount of dosage.
According to the 2006 study published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, the participants were provided five grams of D-Ribose, three times a day and it should be taken for a least 12 days.
Side effect of D-Ribose supplements
Even though D-Ribose tends to be safe for most people, there are few side effects one should know about.
Some of the side effects caused by the use of D-Ribose include diarrhea, stomach discomfort or digestive problems, headache, nausea and low blood sugar.
Since it also causes low blood sugar it is not recommended for diabetic patients. It is important to note that while using D-Ribose supplements, patients should consult a doctor.
What does Ribose do?
With a number of studies being conducted, experts have found out that 
supplemental ribose:
- Refuels the ATP (adenosine triphosphate) back to its normal level.
- It also increasesthe energy recovery in skeletal muscle.
- Relieves fatigue, soreness and stiffness after intense exercise.
- It restores tissue energy level before and after exercise.
- It lessens fatigue and improves energy.
- It improves cardiac function as well as increase exercise tolerance.
- Ribose supplements also improve energy level, sleep, mental clarity, pain relief and wellness.
How does Ribose work?
Ribose is a natural sugar made in the body from glucose and is an essential component of ATP (adenosine triphosphate), the compound that stores and delivers energy in all cells.
ATP (Adenosine Tri Phosphate) is the source of all cellular energy. It is a combination ofAdenine, Ribose, and 3 phosphates.
The cells in our body need energy (ATP) to carry out its normal function. While the body works out too much, the oxygen level decreases, blood flow reduces and other similar conditions like stress will drastically affect the ATP (adenosine triphosphate).
And since ATP is used rapidly by the muscles in high-intensity workouts ribose are being recommended for energy enhancement and better exercise performance.
Ribose is the fuel that mitochondria use to produce adenosine tri-phosphate (ATP), which provides the body’s cellular energy.
For fibromyalgia patients, it is very important that they replenish their energy level. It is, therefore, important to understand ribose supplements and its use.
