Written by Grant Tinsley, Ph.D., CSCS,*D, CISSN — Updated on February 14, 2019
D-ribose is a critically important sugar molecule.
It’s part of your DNA — the genetic material that contains information for all the proteins produced in your body — and also makes up part of your cells’ primary energy source, adenosine triphosphate (ATP).
Though your body naturally produces ribose, some believe that D-ribose supplements can improve health or exercise performance.
Here are 5 emerging benefits of D-ribose supplements.
1. May Help Recovery of Energy Stores in Your Cells
D-ribose is a component of the structure of ATP, the main energy source for your cells.
For this reason, research has examined whether ATP supplements can help improve energy stores in muscle cells.
One study had participants complete an intense exercise program consisting of 15 all-out cycling sprints twice per day for one week.
After the program, participants took approximately 17 grams of D-ribose or a placebo three times per day for three days.
Researchers assessed ATP levels in the muscle over these three days and then performed an exercise test consisting of cycling sprints.
The study found that after three days of supplementing, ATP was recovered to normal levels in the D-ribose group, but not in those taking the placebo.
However, during the exercise test, there was no difference in performance between the D-ribose and placebo groups.
As a result, the significance of the improved ATP recovery with D-ribose supplements is not entirely clear (1).
2. May Improve Heart Function in People With Heart Disease
Evidence suggests that D-ribose may improve energy production in heart muscle, as it’s essential for ATP production (2, 3).
Several studies have examined whether D-ribose supplements improve heart function in people with heart disease.
One study found that 60 grams per day of D-ribose improved the heart’s ability to tolerate low blood flow during exercise in people with coronary artery disease (4).
Another study found that 15 grams daily of the supplement enhanced the function of some of the chambers of the heart and improved quality of life in those with the same disease (5).
Overall, studies demonstrate the potential of D-ribose for improving heart metabolism and function in people with heart disease (3, 6, 7).
3. May Improve Symptoms of Certain Pain Disorders
Due to the association between some pain disorders and problems with energy metabolism, certain studies focus on whether D-ribose supplements can reduce pain (8).
In one study in 41 people with fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue syndrome, improvements in subjective pain intensity, well-being, energy, mental clarity, and sleep were reported after receiving 15 grams of D-ribose daily for 17–35 days (8).
However, a noteworthy limitation of this study is that it did not include a placebo group and participants knew ahead of time that they were receiving D-ribose.
Consequently, the improvements could have been due to a placebo effect (9).
One other case study reported similar pain-reducing benefits of D-ribose supplements in a woman with fibromyalgia, but research in this area remains limited (10).
While some results are positive, the existing research on D-ribose supplements in pain disorders is insufficient to draw any definite conclusions. Additional high-quality research is needed.
