Ribose Intake as Food Integrator: Is It a Really Convenient Practice?

Reports concerning the beneficial effects of D-ribose administration in cardiovascular and muscle stressful conditions has led to suggestions for the use of ribose as an energizing food supplement for healthy people. However, this practice still presents too many critical issues, suggesting that caution is needed. In fact, there are many possible negative effects of this sugar that we believe are underestimated, if not neglected, by the literature supporting the presentation of the product to the market. Here, the risks deriving from the use of free ribose as ATP source, forcing ribose-5-phosphate to enter into the pentose phosphate pathway, is emphasized. On the basis of the remarkable glycation capacity of ribose, the easily predictable cytotoxic effect of the molecule is also highlighted.

Automated summary

The use of ribose as an energizing food supplement for healthy individuals has been suggested due to its reported beneficial effects in cardiovascular and muscle stressful conditions. However, caution is needed as there are several critical issues and potential negative effects associated with this practice. This article emphasizes the risks of using free ribose as an ATP source and highlights the cytotoxic effect of ribose due to its high glycation capacity.