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Athletes - Reduce Fatigue and Increase Power Using D-Ribose

D-Ribose (ribose) is a naturally occurring sugar within the human body that is essential for life and present in every human cell. Body tissue, in particular muscles, require D-Ribose in order to manufacture energy. D-Ribose has the appearance and tast of powdered sugar. As a sports supplement its use is ever increasing, especially with endurance and strength athletes such as cyclists, runners, bodybuilders and weightlifters. This is due to its perceived benefits which include a reduction in muscle fatigue and an increase in strength and stamina.

The immediacy at which ribose is absorbed into the cells of the body and converted into energy is one of its significant benefits. Cells naturally make ribose from sugar. However, the problem lies with the incredibly slow rate at which the body does this when it comes to intense activity. It is then that energy is used up much faster than it can be replenished, therefore promoting muscle fatigue. This is why athletes often feel sore and tired after intense training.

Recovering energy molecules is sped up, and fatigue and soreness are decreased, according to Studies by Burke 1999 on D-Ribose. Dosing with Ribose prior to and after strenuous physical exertion gives muscles top quality fuel that is made readily available to the muscular system. Ribose enhances the reaction that leads to muscule and cell repair, rebuilding and regeneration.

Ribose is considered especially beneficial before, during and after intense exercising under anaerobic conditions, like sessions of resistance exercises or sprints. Ribose promotes the recovery of the fundamental muscle building blocks. If these building blocks aren't captured they are rinsed from the cell and lost to the bloodstream. The natural process is slow and often the reason why recovery and soreness can take days. Ribose supplementation is thought to provide the speed up factor for this process.

A study by Antonio, Falk and Van Gammeren 2001, measured the performance of male body builders over a four week period. The men were split into 2 groups with 10 in each test group. Ribose was given prior to and after workouts to one group and the others received a placebo. The results showed the ribose users demonstrated a major increase in the number of repetitions of bench presses to muscular fatigue and failure and an increase in optimum strength.

The optimum time for the use of ribose is still a speculative one. Yet advocates for the supplement believe that a dose, about 5g, prior to workout, then another 5g after workout is the best formula. They also lean toward the notion that the very active athlete, whose session goes over a lengthy period of time, should break the 10g dosage into three lots and include one at the midway stage of their workout.

The 10g dosage of Ribose, taken in 2 lots of 5g, which is more often than not the recommended amount, can cause some light headedness if taken on an empty stomach. Ribose is best administered with sports drinks, food or a fruit juice. It is also not wise to take if you are a new mum that is feeding her baby or if you are pregnant.

The human heart is a greater benefiter from Ribose. It plays a key role in cell retoration as the heart is filled with energy rich and oxygen rich blood in between heart beats. This is the time that your heart gets a well earned rest. Many consider the heart to take its break when we are sleeping! Not so. Its rest is that tiny window in between expansion and contraction. This is the cell restoration time and the time that ribose plays its vital part.

The human body synthesizes many chemicals called "nucleotides" for the creation of energy transporters and chemical energy. When you are under fatigue, exercising intensly, or recovering from heart attack or heart surgery or organ transplant surgery, the muscle systems in the body (including your heart) will have lower levels of these nucleotides. Your body goes through numerous steps to take the food we eat and the air we breathe and turn it into energy for our cells. Chemical reactions involving numerous steps are not unusual in order to synthesise adenosine triphosphate (ATP) -- the body's primary energy-carrying molecule. Ribose forms part of the backbone of ATP, therefore assisting muscular recovery.

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Colin Johnson has been an elite sports coach focusing on the technical side of a variety of sports. He recommends Ribose for muscle recovery and overcoming fatigue for the performance minded athlete. Colin can be found at to answer enquiries at admin@protein4health.com Don't reprint the same version as everyone else. Get your own unique content D-Ribose article here.

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