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The Wonderful D-Robose
I got this article in my newsletter today from Fibromyalgia and Fatigue Centers. I've started taking D-Ribose and do see an improvement in my energy, sleep, and muscle cramps. Enjoy!
You hope when you take something that’s supposed to do good things for you, it actually does good things for you. You really hope this when your ability to regain control of your life hangs in the balance. So I was more than mildly ecstatic when I learned this firsthand: many people with Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue discover D-Ribose does very good things for them.
One of the cornerstones of treatment at Fibromyalgia and Fatigue Centers is nutritional supplementation, and that’s not necessarily because you’re eating badly (though many of us do), but because a compromised system doesn’t always absorb and use nutrients efficiently.
Like many FFC patients, I came home from my first visit with a bag of bottles and boxes, and slowly started with lower doses, increasing and adding the next supplement every three days. If I had a negative reaction, I’d know which supplement was the culprit. So I didn’t get to D-Ribose until my second week.
D-Ribose is a simple sugar that occurs widely in nature. Bodybuilders often use it to help increase endurance and muscle energy. Research is also discovering it can help reduce fatigue and muscle pain in people with FM and CFS. Dr. Jacob Teitelbaum, Medical Director of FFC, conducted a study on the effects of D-Ribose and found that 66% of the people in the sample reported improvement in all their major symptoms: energy, sleep, mental clarity, pain intensity and overall well-being. That was from taking D-Ribose alone!
Why would this simple sugar benefit people with FM and CFS? Because D-Ribose helps rev up the Krebs Cycle.
The Krebs - or Citric Acid - Cycle is the process that converts food energy into cell energy. It’s a complex series of chemical reactions that occurs in the mitochondria of all plant and animal cells. Basically, the Krebs Cycle starts with glucose – sugar from the food you eat – and turns it into ATP (Adenosine triphosphate). ATP is like a chemical courier. It brings the energy produced in the Krebs Cycle to all the working parts of the cell.
So where does D-Ribose come in? A D-Ribose molecule is the backbone of every ATP molecule! But the body isn’t very good at producing D-Ribose. Worse still, many people with FM and CFS have a large percentage of damaged mitochondria, which means there are fewer places where the Krebs Cycle can happen. Taking D-Ribose is like pouring gas in your car. It refuels the Krebs Cycle so your mitochondria can make energy more efficiently!
I began with five grams of D-Ribose three times a day, always with food (which aids the absorption of D-Ribose in the small intestines). Perhaps because my FM is on the milder side of the spectrum, I began to notice a difference within days. The pain didn’t disappear completely, but it stopped stabbing. I didn’t limp nearly so often, some days not at all. The headaches that leave me in the bathroom for hours decreased in frequency. My ability to focus and to remember how I meant to finish the sentence I started improved.
After three weeks, as recommended, I dropped the dose to five grams twice a day and held there for the next four weeks. Things changed. I didn’t land back at square one. But I felt I was losing my new-found ‘competitive edge,’ particularly when it came to my focus and the worst of the persistent muscle pain I experience (my legs).
When I talk to other FFC patients, some tell me their systems seem to crave D-Ribose, and they notice a big difference when they cut back or stop taking it. Looks like I’m a member of that group. Happily, I’m now back to D-Ribose three times a day.
Everyone’s mileage varies. Treating FM and CFS is a process of identifying your underlying problems, adjusting supplements and medications to evaluate your response, and then tweaking the right balance for you. With all the changes I’ve made in the past two months, I’ve improved, and to date I credit D-Ribose with the most noticeable step in that improvement. So far, it’s just about as close to magic as I’ve ever come (though I’m anticipating more magic down the road)!
You hope when you take something that’s supposed to do good things for you, it actually does good things for you. You really hope this when your ability to regain control of your life hangs in the balance. So I was more than mildly ecstatic when I learned this firsthand: many people with Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue discover D-Ribose does very good things for them.
One of the cornerstones of treatment at Fibromyalgia and Fatigue Centers is nutritional supplementation, and that’s not necessarily because you’re eating badly (though many of us do), but because a compromised system doesn’t always absorb and use nutrients efficiently.
Like many FFC patients, I came home from my first visit with a bag of bottles and boxes, and slowly started with lower doses, increasing and adding the next supplement every three days. If I had a negative reaction, I’d know which supplement was the culprit. So I didn’t get to D-Ribose until my second week.
D-Ribose is a simple sugar that occurs widely in nature. Bodybuilders often use it to help increase endurance and muscle energy. Research is also discovering it can help reduce fatigue and muscle pain in people with FM and CFS. Dr. Jacob Teitelbaum, Medical Director of FFC, conducted a study on the effects of D-Ribose and found that 66% of the people in the sample reported improvement in all their major symptoms: energy, sleep, mental clarity, pain intensity and overall well-being. That was from taking D-Ribose alone!
Why would this simple sugar benefit people with FM and CFS? Because D-Ribose helps rev up the Krebs Cycle.
The Krebs - or Citric Acid - Cycle is the process that converts food energy into cell energy. It’s a complex series of chemical reactions that occurs in the mitochondria of all plant and animal cells. Basically, the Krebs Cycle starts with glucose – sugar from the food you eat – and turns it into ATP (Adenosine triphosphate). ATP is like a chemical courier. It brings the energy produced in the Krebs Cycle to all the working parts of the cell.
So where does D-Ribose come in? A D-Ribose molecule is the backbone of every ATP molecule! But the body isn’t very good at producing D-Ribose. Worse still, many people with FM and CFS have a large percentage of damaged mitochondria, which means there are fewer places where the Krebs Cycle can happen. Taking D-Ribose is like pouring gas in your car. It refuels the Krebs Cycle so your mitochondria can make energy more efficiently!
I began with five grams of D-Ribose three times a day, always with food (which aids the absorption of D-Ribose in the small intestines). Perhaps because my FM is on the milder side of the spectrum, I began to notice a difference within days. The pain didn’t disappear completely, but it stopped stabbing. I didn’t limp nearly so often, some days not at all. The headaches that leave me in the bathroom for hours decreased in frequency. My ability to focus and to remember how I meant to finish the sentence I started improved.
After three weeks, as recommended, I dropped the dose to five grams twice a day and held there for the next four weeks. Things changed. I didn’t land back at square one. But I felt I was losing my new-found ‘competitive edge,’ particularly when it came to my focus and the worst of the persistent muscle pain I experience (my legs).
When I talk to other FFC patients, some tell me their systems seem to crave D-Ribose, and they notice a big difference when they cut back or stop taking it. Looks like I’m a member of that group. Happily, I’m now back to D-Ribose three times a day.
Everyone’s mileage varies. Treating FM and CFS is a process of identifying your underlying problems, adjusting supplements and medications to evaluate your response, and then tweaking the right balance for you. With all the changes I’ve made in the past two months, I’ve improved, and to date I credit D-Ribose with the most noticeable step in that improvement. So far, it’s just about as close to magic as I’ve ever come (though I’m anticipating more magic down the road)!
yes, good detective work with the bloodsugar reactivity. the reason i'm hesitant about it is cause of my gut microbes being out of balance, and unfortunately the badguys thrive on sugar. not sure if that includes d-ribose - what the heck, it might actually even be good for the good bacteria - but i'm also still looking into it. sounds fabulous otherwise. (Trudie let us know how it's going?)
Donjoe341, thanks for letting me know. I don't have a problem with low blood sugar but sure have a host of other problems. I plan on talking with my primary on Monday so will ask her!! She is good. You were smart to research that further!!
I looked up D-Ribose further and it stated that it could cause hypoglycemia. I have tried other supplements like milk thistle and it caused a bad reaction because it to can cause low blood sugar. I plan on staying away from anything that can cause low blood sugar. I already have reactive hypoglycemia and I don't want the condition to become worse.
I don't know anymore, it seems like a vicious cycle of trying stuff and frankly, nothing has worked for me so far, OR, it is working and I would be so much worse without it. Hard to tell sometimes. Let me know how you do,
colleen
colleen
I am going to look into D-Ribose and Dr. Teitelbaum further. I have read that D-Ribose doesn't cause your insulin to spike. I need all the help I can get. It is so hard to eat anything without having a blood sugar reaction. Thanks for the info.
I appreciate you posting and giving this information and it is certainly worthy of checking with my doctor ( I can only speak for myself); however, Dr. Teitelbaum is an expert in the field of Fibro/ME/CFS so I question your comment on the D-Ribose, which this post is about. As you did say, everyone is different and there are different causes of Fibro, so certainly it is worth checking. I for one, would just like to feel better, so I do research all reasons and solutions!
Hi everyone. I wanted to tell all of you that my Endocrinologist has me on medication for insulin resistance because she feels this is causing my fibromyalgia. The medication and diet (free of simple sugar) has helped me tremendously. I don't think all fibromyalgia is the same or caused by the same reason but you all need to be very careful if you plan to take DRibose. If I were to take this supplement it would cause me terrible pain in my muscles because my bodies insulin does not break down simple sugars. WizEnd1997 stated she thought fibromyalgia is at the cellular level and I believe that as well. That is what is happening to my body with the insulin resistance. It is more than just glucose that is affected when you have this condition. It effects your hormone and vitamin levels as well. If you suffer from a rapid heart rate or irregular heart rate, ups and downs with fatigue, headaches, feeling like you wake up with a hang over, dry mouth, muscle pain, muscles fatigue quickly, joint pain, brain fog, pain in the extremities, neck pain, bladder spasms, bladder infections, yeast infections, vaginal infections, abdominal pain, swelling of the body, difficulty sleeping, ovarian cysts, and many more, then you should consider getting a glucose/insulin tolerance test done. It is a simple test that most doctors don't check because they usually check insulin and glucose in regular blood work. They checked my glucose and insulin in regular blood work and they both always normal. Even when I would check my glucose on a glucose meeter it was always within normal range. The medication I am on helps my insulin receptors recognize my insulin again. With this medication, diet and mild exercise I feel much better. It doesn't hurt to have this checked. Good Luck to all.
I have started taking it too, in powder form, from the health food store. Your health food store should have had it, it is common. Athletes take it too - for energy. I can't say yet whether it is working for me or not, need to give it some time to be sure, but Dr. Teitlebaum in his book "From Fatigued to Fantastic" recommends it and even says you might get too much energy. What a blessing that would be!
yes, what brand you reckon? is it powder? and i was wondering similarly, as witzend: is the addition of the d-ribose sugar going to cause a draw in the body's resources? hopefully it does lend itself as a building block rather than a drain on the cell system. sounds promising. i went to health food store and they had no idea but i saw listing online. let us know how it's going!
What a well written piece. Thanks. Can you tell us more about any research regarding long-term benefits, concerns, etc? Does it wear out the mitochondria over time with this added charge? Does one have to boost their amount over a period of time? Does the body begin to experience a dependence on outside sources of this chemical? How long has a group who has taken this been followed?
And, then, is it by prescription or an OTC supplement?
I totally am am convinced Fibro is an energy malfunction at the cellular level. This is intriguing as a means of supporting the failings caused by the malfunction. Have you come across anything or anyone working on correcting the cause of the malfunction?
Really interested in hearing more pros-cons, studies, etc. or where to find them.
And, then, is it by prescription or an OTC supplement?
I totally am am convinced Fibro is an energy malfunction at the cellular level. This is intriguing as a means of supporting the failings caused by the malfunction. Have you come across anything or anyone working on correcting the cause of the malfunction?
Really interested in hearing more pros-cons, studies, etc. or where to find them.
thank you Trudie for posting this. It was an excellent article. I have started on it too and am praying that it helps!!
to vintagechicken (what a cute name), you will find that you will be doing lots of research, especially supplements but this is a great forum for information and questions!
to vintagechicken (what a cute name), you will find that you will be doing lots of research, especially supplements but this is a great forum for information and questions!
I'm new to the Fibro-World, so this is very interesting information!
Thank you so much for sharing this. I will definitely be researching more on D-Ribose.
It seems I'm researching lots of vitamins and nutrients, in an effort to combat Fibro/CFS!
Thanks again!
Thank you so much for sharing this. I will definitely be researching more on D-Ribose.
It seems I'm researching lots of vitamins and nutrients, in an effort to combat Fibro/CFS!
Thanks again!
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