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39 pages

English

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Discusses the importance of ribose, a naturally occurring sugar produced in the body from glucose.

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Diets

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Publié par	Turner Publishing Company
Date de parution	01 juillet 2007
Nombre de lectures	0
EAN13	9781591205319
Langue	English

Informations légales : prix de location à la page 0,0248€. Cette information est donnée uniquement à titre indicatif conformément à la législation en vigueur.

Extrait

THE HEALTH
BENEFITS OF
RIBOSE
The All-Natural Energy Booster
PAUL ADDIS, Ph.D.
The information contained in this book is based upon the research and personal and professional experiences of the author. It is not intended as a substitute for consulting with your physician or other healthcare provider. Any attempt to diagnose and treat an illness should be done under the direction of a healthcare professional.
The publisher does not advocate the use of any particular healthcare protocol but believes the information in this book should be available to the public. The publisher and author are not responsible for any adverse effects or consequences resulting from the use of the suggestions, preparations, or procedures discussed in this book. Should the reader have any questions concerning the appropriateness of any procedures or preparation mentioned, the author and the publisher strongly suggest consulting a professional healthcare advisor.
Basic Health Publications, Inc.
28812 Top of the World Drive
Laguna Beach, CA 92651
949-715-7327 • www.basichealthpub.com
ISBN-10: 1-59120-170-5
ISBN-13: 978-1-59120-531-9
Copyright © 2007 by Paul Addis, Ph.D.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written consent of the copyright owner.
Editor: Roberta W. Waddell
Typesetting/Book design: Gary A. Rosenberg
Cover design: Mike Stromberg
Printed in the United States of America
10   9   8   7   6   5   4   3   2   1
Contents

Acknowledgments
1.  What Is Ribose?
2.  Metabolism—Converting Food into Energy and Using It
3.  How Metabolism Works in Skeletal Muscle, Heart Muscle, and the Brain
4.  How the Heart Works
5.  Coronary Heart Disease and Congestive Heart Failure
6.  How Ribose Helps You Maintain High Levels of Vital ATP
Conclusion
References
About the Author
To Evie, my wife of thirty-nine years, and the sweetest person I know .
Acknowledgments

Several colleagues devoted significant amounts of time and effort reviewing this book in manuscript form, making useful suggestions and helping with figures, and their help is hereby gratefully acknowledged. Clarence Johnson, Ph.D., and John St. Cyr, M.D., Ph.D., were very helpful with regard to the science of ribose and its benefits for humans. Mike Wright and Jackie Menne performed an excellent service on the figures. Mr. Wally Wilsey, President of Red Oak Management is appreciated for introducing me to the newer findings on ribose and human disease, and for advice on the manuscript. Terry Stewart also had some useful suggestions and his inputs are appreciated. John Foker, M.D., Ph.D., should be recognized because it was his work at the University of Minnesota that really stimulated the exciting findings on ribose that today are responsible for advancing human health in several important fields of medicine. Last but not least, I thank my editor, Roberta W. Waddell, for her tireless efforts to keep me focused on simplifying the complex scientific phenomena discussed in this book so the average non-scientist can understand it.
1. What Is Ribose?

R ibose is a naturally occurring sugar produced in the body from another sugar called glucose (or sometimes dextrose). As such, ribose shares many properties of glucose, and other sugars, such as fructose and galactose. However, ribose is made of only five carbon atoms compared to six carbons for the other three sugars. Six-carbon sugars are burned for energy, but ribose is not . There is very little ribose in the diet of man. And, although the body makes ribose from glucose, obtainable in the diet from table sugar and complex carbohydrates, the conversion of glucose into ribose is slow. The body, therefore, tries its best to conserve ribose, keeping it available to fill a critical role in countless functions of cells and tissues.
Life itself depends on a chemical-energy molecule called adenosine triphosphate (ATP). This compound provides all the energy needed to maintain cellular integrity and function, and ribose is the structural backbone of ATP. Ribose is essential for literally thousands of chemical reactions in the body, and is used as a regulator and an energizer for virtually all cell functions. It also provides a pivotal part of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), our genetic code, and an information library for the body. A simplified diagram of ATP, showing the ribose framework of the molecule, is presented in Figure 1.1 .
WHY THE SUDDEN INTEREST IN RIBOSE?
As a dietary supplement, ribose is receiving greatly increased attention because recent research has shown that it is crucial to many health issues, and that it is generally in short supply in the body. Ribose is extremely beneficial in treating or preventing three very consequential diseases: Chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, and heart problems, including congestive heart failure and ischemic heart disease. Ribose assists the body in maintaining a normal blood-sugar level (it is a useful tool in treating diabetes), and in controlling appetite and weight gain. Supplementing with ribose has been shown to augment your exercise program, in itself an important health-enhancer. Even bodybuilders and weightlifters find that ribose is supportive in their attempts to build great bodies. But perhaps the most remarkable benefit of ribose supplementation, one you can notice almost immediately, is the protection it gives your muscles when you push yourself too far in physical work. Your muscles will be protected from fatigue and, more important, from soreness caused by muscle exhaustion.

Figure 1.1. The structure of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the chemical (or usable) form of energy needed by cells and tissues has been superimposed over a graphic of an automobile for purposes of illustration. Ribose plays a crucial role as the central structural element of ATP, connecting adenine, the steering wheel that guides ATP to the proper place in the cell, to the triphosphate group, the gas tank. The energy is stored in the chemical bonds that hold the phosphate groups together. These are called high-energy phosphate bonds.
The roles of ribose in many other health-related areas are being actively studied at this time. One exciting area is that of brain metabolism and neurological disorders, such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. In terms of its energy metabolism, the brain has many features in common with the heart and muscle. It has been hypothesized that ribose could boost the energy of brain tissue. This could be significant because it has been shown that in Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, ATP levels are low and the reduced levels play a role in these and other neurological disorders.
Ribose possesses unique properties that enable it to trap building blocks of energy in cardiac (heart) and muscle cells, allowing for an improved recovery after a heart attack, a better avoidance of the incapacitating nature of congestive heart failure, an improvement in the conditions associated with fibromyalgia, and recovery from exhaustive physical exercise.
Another reason for the sudden interest in ribose is that the stressful lives many people now live deplete ribose in the body and it can’t be replaced fast enough, hence a need to supplement. Taking ribose will help you have more energy to work longer and better, think more clearly, and feel less pressured or depressed. All these benefits explain the rapidly increasing use of ribose, now found in more than seventy-five products. One teaspoon of ribose powder mixed into a glass of fruit juice is a typical dosage for better health maintenance.
RIBOSE—A SCARCE COMMODITY
There are no good natural sources of ribose in your diet and, until recently, there have been no good sources for supplemental ribose.
A simple fermentation is now used to convert glucose to ribose in a process that imitates the body. The body does make ribose from glucose but does so very slowly. Its production in the body appears sufficient for its normal needs in daily activities, but in today’s stressful times, including diseases and exercise, the body cannot make ribose fast enough. Ribose supplementation is not necessary for life, but it certainly enhances your health and wellness.
Ribose is an advantageous nutritional supplement for several reasons. It is a vital component of every cell, and life itself depends upon ribose. As a supplement, ribose is entirely safe, because it is an exact replica of the substance produced by the body. Also, the body recognizes the crucial role of ribose. The body does not burn it as fuel, but rather conserves it for other crucial physiological roles. Further, ribose supplementation is effective at relatively low levels, another margin of safety. There are no contraindications to supplementing with ribose. Taking ribose does not cause a spike in blood sugar so it is safe for people with diabetes, although people with type 1 diabetes who are taking ribose need to test their blood sugar to make sure it does not go too low. No difference exists between a person with diabetes and someone without, in terms of ribose metabolism, and if anything, supplemental ribose in the diet of a person with diabetes appears to aid in the control of sugar. There are no other chemicals, pharmaceutical drugs, or supplements that can substitute for ribose. Since the body does not store ribose efficiently, it is most effective taken as a daily supplement. A teaspoonful of the powder in your orange juice or on your cereal is all that is required, although larger doses may be suggested by a nutritionally-aware doctor for congestive heart failure, fibromyalgia, heart disease, or other conditions that may require continual energy enhancement.
WHAT ARE SOME STRESS CONDITIONS THAT REQUIRE RIBOSE?
In connection with the body, the