D-Ribose

Recommendation: CAUTION: Best to use ONLY for short periods, first assessing overall situation to weigh benefits versus risks. Work with your Medical team when disease present.

The following insight and new information is in direct contrast to the recommendations of many nutritionists, and even Dr Steven Sinatra, a cardiologist. YES, the immediate benefits for heart patients may outweigh these longer term glycation risks. If family history of cancer, DO NOT USE RIBOSE, or vitamin B1 without medical monitoring. ref   Plus, neurodegenerative tissue damage is rapidly becoming a major health issue. ref This is just one of glycations major spheres of influence. 

D-Ribose is a 5 sided specialty sugar that is a limiting factor in the amount of energy available for muscle action. D-Ribose is slowly built back up in muscle cells after it is used up by exercise. D-Ribose is used by athletes to enhance recovery and also Seniors to prevent fatigue. Some nutrients, far too many, have a Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde complex. In theory they have great benefits but also a dark side. D-Ribose is just such a nutrient.

While Ribose supports a very necessary energy building process and a critical nucleic RNA messenger response, there is another side to consider. Do not supplement without knowing these facts. The references listed below give a good idea why too much sugar is harmful in explaining the action for AGEs formation, (Advanced Glycation End Products). Here is definition of Glycation. ref   The Precautionary approach for long term health is to prevent, limit, and/or slow down the formation of AGEs and Glycation effects. Thus, a DO NOT USE RIBOSE unless under Medical care approach may be prudent. Cataract formation appears to be a readily observable glycation influenced event. ref  Curcumin helps prevent or slows down cataract formation in diabetic rats. ref   ref

CAUTION:  Do not take D-ribose if you are younger than 60, and then only if monitored by a medical practitioner knowing expected length of life, and assessment of risk/benefit which includes analysis of overall lifetime dietary sugars, animal proteins and fats, and family history for cancers and dementia. These might indicate damage already present from AGEs. Wow, now that is a real bombshell. 

Why? Research out of China reveals that D-ribose participates in forming AGEs faster than any other form of sugar. AGEs are indicated in many degenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's. ref  Plus, cancer cells use more ribose than normal cells to grow faster. Thus, the under 60 should especially use with caution. Every little bit builds up and at some point, it may be too late to correct or mitigate these influences.  ref

EVERYTHING IS ALWAYS A MATTER OF DEGREES. IF OVERALL SUGAR IN DIET IS LOW, RIBOSE USE WOULD HAVE LESS OF AN EFFECT. But, the typical American diet is fat too high in sugars and oxidizing stress that adding D-Ribose could push glycation activities into overdrive. ref If cancer not present, Ribose could help prevent, but if there is a family history, best to stay away. 

Testing safety of Ribose might not have lasted long enough for AGEs to be detected, or even associated. Yes, most references used animal studies and more research in humans is vitally needed. Benefits have to be balanced against risks, and using age as a factor for how long it takes AGEs to form and Ribose to influence health. Or at what amount Ribose would impact AGEs formation compared to overall sugar amounts in diet. Short term use may be more appropriate. Here is the research for the DO NOT USE recommendation for RIBOSE.  ref  ref  ref

One nutrient of value to help slow down or prevent AGEs formation, Carnosine. ref

Here is a study looking at the amount of AGEs already formed in different foods, often influenced by cooking methods and temperatures, and their effects on inflammatory markers after consumption by diabetics. ref  Look at the changes on some of these inflammation markers. This is a very revealing important small study on the impact of diet and cooking methods on health. Foods with high AGEs already formed, increase the amount of AGEs the body produces.

Ribose and Cancer

It is of interest to note that ribose can play a positive role with potassium in cancer cells. At just the right concentration, ribose may carry potassium into cancer cells which slows the division rate of these cells. D-ribose also participates in Krebs pathway to supply energy to healthy cells, but cancer cells must hinder this uptake by healthy cells and hijack more for themselves to produce DNA and RNA necessary for rapid tumor cellular growth. Vitamin B1 aids this process. ref More to discover here. Cancer cells are quite devious. They produce enzymes to bypass the respiration (oxidized glucose) energy process that slowly makes new ribose to favor the anabolic process that builds ribose faster. Cancer cells grab more glucose for this process. Thus one more damage from high sugar and simple carbohydrate diets.