I have found ribose to do wonders for me since I first started taking it eight years ago. If I stop taking it, my energy level plummets. It's not a masking agent; ribose is essential for life. From Wikipedia:
Normally, the body makes enough ribose to be sufficient for its needs. However, this is apparently not the case in ME. For those who can tolerate it (which apparently is most people), ribose can be extremely helpful. As you can see from the above quote, a deficiency in ribose would adversely affect key elements of the body's energy and metabolism.
There are many reasons why some people's bodies may not be metabolizing ribose properly; just look at all the many things that can go wrong in ME. For one example, here's another quote from Wikipedia:
So, for example, if the body is not producing ribokinase properly, then many functions of ribose are lost. The same thing would happen if the body doesn't have enough phosphor to produce sufficient D-ribose-5-phosphate.
Although Teitelbaum is certainly much more of a businessman than the researchers we're used to dealing with, I have always found him to be ethical. He explicitly states that all profits from his book and supplement sales are donated to charity.
One thing to consider is that not all D-ribose is the same. Some brands taste very bitter, and this is probably a result of the manufacturing process. So some impurities may be present in these brands, and people may be reacting to those. I first started taking the Corvalen brand, which is a good brand, but then switched to the Healthy Origins brand when I found that it was much cheaper, also had no bitter taste, and worked just as well.
As most people do respond positively to D-ribose, I would recommend that people give it a try - it can make a huge difference. It does not cause PEM. Dr. Myhill also recommends it; she also notes that much of her protocol overlaps that of Teitelbaum's.
Ribose (β-D-ribofuranose) forms part of the backbone of RNA. It is related to deoxyribose, which is found in DNA. Phosphorylated derivatives of ribose such as ATP and NADH play central roles in metabolism. cAMP and cGMP, formed from ATP and GTP, serve as secondary messengers in some signalling pathways.
Normally, the body makes enough ribose to be sufficient for its needs. However, this is apparently not the case in ME. For those who can tolerate it (which apparently is most people), ribose can be extremely helpful. As you can see from the above quote, a deficiency in ribose would adversely affect key elements of the body's energy and metabolism.
There are many reasons why some people's bodies may not be metabolizing ribose properly; just look at all the many things that can go wrong in ME. For one example, here's another quote from Wikipedia:
In biology, D-ribose must be phosphorylated by the cell before it can be used. Ribokinase catalyzes this reaction by converting D-ribose to D-ribose 5-phosphate. Once converted, D-ribose-5-phosphate is available for the manufacturing of the amino acids tryptophan and histidine, or for use in the pentose phosphate pathway. The absorption of D-ribose is 88–100% in the small intestines (up to 200 mg/kg/h).[6]
So, for example, if the body is not producing ribokinase properly, then many functions of ribose are lost. The same thing would happen if the body doesn't have enough phosphor to produce sufficient D-ribose-5-phosphate.
I looked for some studies recently and all I could find in the literature was the one cited at the start of this thread, and thought that it was a very weak piece of research, conducted by someone who sells the stuff.
Although Teitelbaum is certainly much more of a businessman than the researchers we're used to dealing with, I have always found him to be ethical. He explicitly states that all profits from his book and supplement sales are donated to charity.
One thing to consider is that not all D-ribose is the same. Some brands taste very bitter, and this is probably a result of the manufacturing process. So some impurities may be present in these brands, and people may be reacting to those. I first started taking the Corvalen brand, which is a good brand, but then switched to the Healthy Origins brand when I found that it was much cheaper, also had no bitter taste, and worked just as well.
As most people do respond positively to D-ribose, I would recommend that people give it a try - it can make a huge difference. It does not cause PEM. Dr. Myhill also recommends it; she also notes that much of her protocol overlaps that of Teitelbaum's.
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