Sugar Supplement Fuels the Failing Heart

D-ribose, a simple, five-carbon sugar, has been shown to improve functional capacity, quality of life, and everyday activities for patients afflicted with congestive heart failure (CHF).
D-Ribose, unlike glucose, is a 5-carbon monosaccharide (pentose sugar) important for DNA, RNA, and most importantly, adenosine tri-phosphate (ATP), the energy currency of the cells. ATP is crucial in maintaining the integrity and function of every cell, which is necessary for day-to-day health. By helping to replenish ATP supply, ribose increases cardiac energy reserves that become depressed during ischemia or hypoxia associated with coronary artery disease (CAD) or CHF by improving diastolic function.
Bioenergy Ribose is a dietary additive for energy enhancement. About 2-5 gm are generally adequate for added energy. To maximize athletic performance, assist CHF patients, or to keep energy pools high during strenuous activity, slightly larger doses may be required. Bioenergy Ribose, a product of Bioenergy Life Science (Minneapolis, MN, USA), is a mildly sweet, completely soluble food supplement. It mixes easily with juice, milk, or other cold foods.
"The number of heart failure patients continues to grow every year. By replenishing ATP to an energy-deficient heart we can significantly improve a patient's quality of life,” said John St. Cyr, M.D., Ph.D., medical director of Bioenergy Life Science. "We've learned recently that patients with heart disease may have a deficient supply of high energy compounds. Past studies have demonstrated that D-ribose supplementation enhances the return of ATP levels with an associated improvement in diastolic function.”

In the body, ribose is made from glucose (a simple six-carbon sugar) through a pathway called the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) or hexose monophosphate shunt (HMS). The physiologically functional form of ribose, called 5-phosphoribosyl-1-pyrophosphate (PRPP), regulates the metabolic pathway that synthesizes energy compounds in all living tissue.



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