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Our Members Asked:
What are the health benefits of D-ribose and is it safe?
Answer:
D-ribose, also known as D-furanose, is a natural sugar with a sweet taste (although it is not commonly used as a sweetener in foods) that is converted by the body into adenosine triphosphate (ATP), a molecule that stores and releases energy in cells (Li, Exp Ther Med 2021). Because the amount of ATP in muscles is limited and must be replenished when used up during physical exercise, it has been speculated that D-ribose supplementation may help increase ATP and improve exercise performance.
Similarly, the heart has a relatively small pool of ATP, which can be depleted quickly (Doenst, Circ Res 2013). There is also evidence that the concentration of ATP in heart cells decreases significantly following myocardial ischemia (reduced blood flow to the heart) (Li, Exp Ther Med 2021). Consequently, D-ribose has been evaluated for improving heart function in people with heart failure, a condition linked with myocardial ischemia.
Sign in as a member for details, including health effects of D-ribose supplementation in trained and untrained athletes, as well as people with heart failure, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, and skin wrinkles. Also learn about safety concerns (including whether D-ribose may worsen cognitive function), cost, and possible concerns with storing D-ribose.
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7 Comments
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Related CL Answers (3)
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K M
January 09, 2025Have there been no more studies on using ribose for fibromyalgia and/or chronic fatigue syndrome in almost 20 years?
ConsumerLab.com
February 26, 2025Great question! We are not aware of more recent studies evaluating ribose for these conditions.
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Rustin18178
June 03, 2023Very interesting, thanks for reviewing it.
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raymond18176
May 28, 2023I knew a woman of a certain age....okay, she lived healthy and happy into her 96th year, who started taking D-ribose at 94 and was tickled at the added benefit of sporting black roots under a thick head of white hair!
ConsumerLab.com
June 07, 2023Thank you for sharing, although there does not appear to be any clinical evidence showing that D-ribose can reverse gray hair.
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Dorothy18174
May 26, 2023Personal comment. I have been taking 2.5 to 5g of d-ribose for 4 years. It has done nothing for fatigue, but it does fill out muscles and improve skin tone. It's effects show up very slowly.
ConsumerLab.com
June 07, 2023Thank you for sharing your experience. As noted in our article, some clinical evidence suggests that D-ribose may help improve exercise capacity in certain people: https://www.consumerlab.com/answers/what-are-the-health-benefits-of-ribose/ribose-health-benefits-and-safety/#exercise. However, it doesn't seem to improve the skin: https://www.consumerlab.com/answers/what-are-the-health-benefits-of-ribose/ribose-health-benefits-and-safety/#wrinkles.
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