Medical Food with Ribose, l-Carnitine, Acetyl l-Carnitine, Malic Acid & Magnesium

Medical Food with Ribose, l-Carnitine, Acetyl l-Carnitine, Malic Acid & Magnesium

RibosCardio™ has been designed to support serious energy needs of patients. The product has been formulated with CardioPerform™, a potent blend of L-carnitine (transports fuel into the heart to be burned as energy) and Acetyl L-carnitine (improves heart & brain health, protecting against oxidative damage), plus the patented form of D-Ribose, malic acid and magnesium gluconate to optimize energy production and synthesis.

Published research shows our patented form of D-ribose may be an effective adjunct in promoting cardiovascular, skeletal muscle, and neurological health. With heart patients, D-ribose has been found effective in restoring energy, improving ventilatory efficiency, oxygen uptake, stroke volume, diastolic function, physical performance, and quality of life. In neuromuscular disease, D-ribose helps to reduce pain, overcome fatigue, increase exercise tolerance, and help patients live more normal, active lives.

RibosCardio™'s magnesium gluconate and malic acid help your body use energy more efficiently. Your cells use magnesium in over 300 enzyme reactions, and it distributes energy evenly throughout the cell so it is available when and where it is needed. Malic Acid helps your mitochondria recycle the energy you have, maximizing cellular energy output.

D-Ribose Research Highlights
Cardiovascular Function: Scientific and clinical studies have repeatedly shown that our patented D-Ribose can restore energy and improve function in ischemic, hypoxic, and failing hearts. Oxygen deprivation causes hearts to use energy faster than it can be replaced through normal processes of tissue energy turnover. The result is a depletion of cellular energy reserves translating to a loss of heart function.

Mid-study results of an ongoing double blind, crossover trial with congestive heart failure patients were recently reported. Results showed conclusively that when patients were given ribose (15 grams per day for three weeks) they had improved diastolic heart function, increased physical function score and enhanced quality of life score. Echocardiographic studies of these patients showed that ribose administration enhanced relaxation of the left ventricle and improved the efficiency of filling from the left atrium. No such improvements were found during placebo administration (3).

RibosCardio™ increases cardiac energy to help fuel the heart. For patients, this can mean more energy and a higher quality of life.

Sports Nutrition: In skeletal muscle, high-intensity exercise can lead to a loss of up to 26% of cellular adenosine triphosphate, or ATP. One consequence of this energy drain is an increase in free radicals in affected muscle. Free radicals attack cell and mitochondrial membranes and can destroy the genetic material that helps muscle tissues synthesize proteins.

RibosCardio™ helps in three ways. First, if enough ribose is present in the cell or the circulating blood, energy compounds can be saved, or salvaged, before they wash out of the cell and are lost. Second, ribose accelerates energy synthesis, so if energy compounds are lost, they can be quickly replaced. Finally, by keeping the energy compounds in the cell, RibosCardio™ reduces free radical formation and preserves the energy the tissue needs to make proteins essential for maintaining muscle health and performance. This energy improvement has been shown to increased performance over time. A study published in the journal, Current Therapeutic Research, showed that male recreational bodybuilders experienced a significant improvement in both muscular endurance (20% increase over the four weeks versus a 12%for the placebo group) and muscular endurance (3.2% increase over the four weeks versus a 1.7% for the placebo group) following 28 days of our patented D-Ribose supplementation(1).

Fibromyalgia & Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: The muscle in patients with FMS and CFS is generally severely energy starved. This lack of energy leads to a number of physiological reactions within the muscle cell, ending in debilitating fatigue, muscle pain, soreness, and stiffness. By increasing the energy level in affected muscle, our patented D-Ribose helps patients overcome fatigue, and lessens the pain associated with their conditions.

Natural and Organic Products

Natural and Organic Products

You might expect a product labeled "pure, natural and organic" to be, well … pure, natural and organic. But you might be in for a surprise.

Unlike the food industry, there are no legal standards for organic or natural personal care products sold in the United States. This means that companies can, and often do, use these terms as marketing gimmicks. For example, the top-selling shampoo in the United States is Clairol Herbal Essences, which until recently claimed to offer users an "organic experience." However, there isn't much about this product that is either herbal or organic; it contains more than a dozen synthetic petrochemicals and has a moderate toxicity rating in Skin Deep.

Even top-selling brands in the natural products sector have been found to contain 1,4-dioxane, a synthetic chemical carcinogen.

New industry standards are emerging that may help consumers differentiate between the natural and not-so-natural products, but multiple standards with different meanings may not be helpful for consumers. For example, some require safety substantiation from a certifying body and others don't. The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics is advocating for a standard that means ingredients are both natural and safe for people.

What You Can Do

Encourage your favorite retailers and manufacturers of natural and organic products to clarify their use of the terms. Most importantly, be a critical consumer and remember that natural is a marketing term, not a legally binding description.

More Information

Science and health effects: 1,4-dioxane

Very few, if any, cosmetics or personal care products list 1,4-dioxane as an ingredient (i), even though an analysis by Campaign for Safe Cosmetics co-founder the Environmental Working Group suggests that it may be found in 22 percent of the more than 25,000 products in the Skin Deep database of cosmetics products (ii). That's because 1,4-dioxane is a frequent contaminant of common cosmetics ingredients (iii), but as a contaminant it is not listed among intentionally added ingredients.

Products That May Contain 1,4-dioxane

Because it is a contaminant produced during manufacturing, the FDA does not require 1,4-dioxane to be listed as an ingredient on product labels. Without labeling, there is no way to know for certain how many products contain 1,4-dioxane—and no guaranteed way for consumers to avoid it.

Most commonly, 1,4-dioxane is found in products that create suds, like shampoo, liquid soap and bubble bath. Environmental Working Group's analysis suggests that 97 percent of hair relaxers, 57 percent of baby soaps and 22 percent of all products in Skin Deep may be contaminated with 1,4-dioxane (iv). Independent lab tests co-released by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics in 2007 showed that popular brands of children's bubble bath and body wash contained 1,4-dioxane.

Besides sodium laureth sulfate, other common ingredients that may be contaminated by 1,4-dioxane include PEG compounds and chemicals that include the clauses "xynol," "ceteareth" and "oleth."

Where It Comes From

1,4-dioxane is generated through a process called ethoxylation, in which ethylene oxide, a known breast carcinogen, is added to other chemicals to make them less harsh. This process creates 1,4-dioxane. For example, sodium laurel sulfate, a chemical that is harsh on the skin, is often converted to the less-harsh chemical sodium laureth sulfate (the “eth” denotes ethoxylation), which can contaminate this ingredient with 1,4-dioxane.

Alternatives do exist, but many companies don't take advantage of them. Vacuum-stripping can remove 1,4-dioxane from an ethoxylated product, or manufacturers can skip ethoxylation entirely by using less-harsh ingredients to begin with (v). Organic standards do not allow ethoxylation at all. A study by the Organic Consumers Association (vi) shows that 1,4-dioxane is nonexistent in a variety of cosmetics produced and certified under the USDA National Organic Program, as well as other products.

Health Concerns

Research shows that 1,4-dioxane readily penetrates the skin (vii). 1,4-dioxane is considered a probable human carcinogen by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (viii) and listed as an animal carcinogen by the National Toxicology Program (ix). It is included on California’s Proposition 65 list of chemicals known or suspected by the state to cause cancer or birth defects (x). The California Environmental Protection Agency also lists 1,4-dioxane as a suspected kidney toxicant, neurotoxicant and respiratory toxicant.

It is highly unlikely that any one product containing 1,4-dioxane will cause harm on its own. However, repeated exposures from many different products add up. The same baby could be exposed to 1,4-dioxane from baby shampoo, bath bubbles and body wash in a single bath, as well as from other contaminated personal care products today, tomorrow and the next day. Repeated exposures to a single carcinogen, synergistic effects from exposures to multiple carcinogenic and mutagenic ingredients, and concerns about exposures at key points in development (such as pregnancy, infancy and puberty) are cause for concern even though little risk is evident from a single small exposure. Buy only natural, organic, non-toxic products.

The Health (and Beauty) Dangers of Common Soaps & Antibacterial Ingredients

The Health (and Beauty) Dangers of Common Soaps & Antibacterial Ingredients
Buy only natural, organic, non-toxic products.

If you are like most people, you believe that bar soap - the oldest cleanser around -is harmless. So you may be quite surprised to learn that today's popular commercial soaps contain synthetic compounds that are loaded with health risks.

These are some of the most common health symptoms that studies have linked to ingredients found in common commercial soaps and commercial personal care products:

• Sinus Problems


• Exacerbated Asthma Conditions


• Fatigue


• Dizziness


• Nausea


• Migraine Headaches


• "Unexplained" Sore Throats & Cough
  
• Rashes, Hives, Dermatitis, Eczema


• Irritations to mouth, eyes, skin, lungs


• Chest Tightness


• Shortness of Breath

You should know right away that the government does not regulate what "natural" means in soaps labeled natural, so commercial soaps can freely claim to be natural while still using the synthetic compounds discussed below - and they do. If you are already using a "natural" soap, or if you intend to seek a safe alternative, please keep this in mind.

Three Potentially Risky Synthetic Compounds

While there are a number of chemical concerns, there are three synthetic components in commercial soaps you need to be most concerned with:

1) Triclosan

2) Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS)

3) Fragrance

Most of the commercial bar soaps (and liquid and other forms) on the market today are composed of these and other chemicals.

Triclosan

The first antibacterial liquid hand soap exploded onto the market in 1995, claiming to be ten times more effective at eliminating disease carrying germs than regular liquid soap. In the eleven years since, antibacterial soaps have become a 16 billion dollar a year industry, adding shampoo, dishwashing detergent, toothpaste and various household cleaners to the "antibacterial" list.

Today, 75% of liquid soaps and over 30% of bar soaps in the US are antibacterial, all containing the synthetic chemical triclosan. Triclosan is the main ingredient in antibacterial products. The intention of triclosan is to prevent bacteria from reproducing, limiting the amount of bacteria on your skin, thereby decreasing illnesses.

Yet a study published in March 2004 found that people who used antibacterial soaps and cleaners developed cold and allergy symptoms as often as those who used regular soaps and cleaners, offering little more protection than ordinary soap against the most common germs.

Current research is showing us that if the widespread use of anti-bacterial soap continues in such an overused frenzy, we could be faced with super germs we can't get rid of.

What the Antibacterial Soap Makers Don't Tell Us

The triclosan in antibacterial soaps does NOT discriminate between good and bad bacteria. But we need good bacteria to survive, to help defend us against bad, harmful bacteria. Our immune systems are being left increasingly vulnerable with the use of antibacterial soaps. Children especially should be exposed to some bacteria in early childhood in order to strengthen their immune systems, but the primary marketing target of the commercial antibacterial soaps is parents with young children. Children who are not exposed to these common bacteria -- because they are being wiped out by antibacterial soap -- may be more prone to allergies and asthma.

Numerous studies have also found that the ongoing use of triclosan:

• Has been shown to kill your skin cells


• Dries your skin


• Can aggravate skin disorders such as eczema and psoriasis


• Does nothing to prevent most illnesses, since colds, flues and more are typically viral (and antibacterial only kills bacteria, not viruses)


• Dioxin, a highly carcinogenic may be formed during the manufacturing process of triclosan, making it a likely contaminant.


• Finally, triclosan has now been found in 3 out of 5 women's breast milk. It is also one of the most detected compounds in rivers, streams and other bodies of water, often in high concentrations, and is highly toxic to a number of different types of algae. This could have very destructive effects on aquatic ecosystems.

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate(SLS)
One of the most dangerous chemicals being added to virtually every personal care product you can imagine, including soap, shampoo, conditioner, and cosmetics, is Sodium Lauryl Sulfate(SLS). SLS is an anionic surfactant and the most commonly used chemical in car soaps, garage floor cleaners, engine degreasers and personal care products. Buy soaps free of sulfates.

SLS has been found to have many side effects:

• Eye, skin and mouth irritations


• Membrane alterations


• May be harmful for the brain, heart, spleen and liver


• Chronic irritant contact dermatitis


• Compromising the overall integrity of your skin barrier, rendering it open to exposure to bacteria


• May actually harm cell function


• Can corrode the hair follicle and cause hair loss


• Fragrance

95% of the chemicals used in fragrances are petroleum-based synthetic compounds. Most of these chemicals are not tested for safety. Manufacturers are only required to print "fragrance" on the label, nothing more.

Additionally, a product labeled "unscented" may contain a masking fragrance. A product must be marked "without perfume" to indicate no fragrance has been added.

Low-dose Exposures

Low-dose Exposures

Two decades of research indicate that very low-dose exposures to toxic chemicals can have profound health effects. This counters the long-held belief that “the dose makes the poison” – a rationale that underlies much chemical regulation, including the use of various chemicals in cosmetics (i). The inaccurate assumption that very small amounts of toxic chemicals are safe allows for the continued use of toxic chemicals in personal care products (ii). Buy only natural, organic, non-toxic products.

There are at least three key problems with this assumption. First, this assumes that low doses are truly safe, which may not be the case. Research on laboratory animals, cell cultures and wildlife suggests that in some cases low-dose exposures may have more profound effects than higher exposures (iii). Second, this assumption of safety at low doses overlooks the fact that many of the toxic chemicals that appear in cosmetics and personal care products tend to show up in several products an average person uses daily, and that many of these chemicals show up in other consumer products as well (iv). As a result, what seem like small exposures add up to larger doses.

Finally, a long-standing approach to chemical regulation looks at chemicals one at a time. However, daily life exposes individuals to a multitude of various ingredients. For instance, an Environmental Working Group report shows that women use 12 cosmetic products with 168 unique ingredients each day and men use 6 products with an average of 85 ingredients (v). These ingredients, in combination with exposures from other consumer products and pollutants in the air and water, add up to a phenomenal array of combined exposures, in effect adding up to hundreds of exposures every day (vi).

Research indicates that, in many cases, these exposures add up and work in combination to affect health in ways that may be more profound than single exposures. Taking in multiple chemicals can have an additive effect, whereby multiple small exposures add up to a lot (2+3=5), or a synergistic effect, whereby multiple exposures increase the toxic effects of one another (2+3=10) (vii). For instance, several studies have found that combinations of various chemicals with estrogenic properties may have additive (viii) or synergistic effects (ix).

In addition, the timing of exposure may moderate the effects of low doses, so that low doses at certain points in development – prenatally, during puberty, etc. – may have stronger or qualitatively different effects on health (x).

More Information

For more information about how small doses of chemicals impact our long-term health, visit The Endocrine Disruption Exchange.

i Gray, J (2008). State of the Evidence: The Connection between Breast Cancer and the Environment. San Francisco, CA: Breast Cancer Fund.

ii Environmental Working Group (2004). Exposures Add Up – Survey Results. Available online http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/research/exposures/php. Accessed August 19, 2008.

iii Gray, J (2008). State of the Evidence: The Connection between Breast Cancer and the Environment. San Francisco, CA: Breast Cancer Fund.

iv Environmental Working Group (2004). Exposures Add Up – Survey Results. Available online http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/research/exposures/php. Accessed August 19, 2008.

v Environmental Working Group (2004). Exposures Add Up – Survey Results. Available online http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/research/exposures/php. Accessed August 19, 2008.

vi Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (2003). Second National Report on Human Exposure to Environmental Chemicals. Available online at http://www.cdc.gov/exposurereport/. Accessed August 19, 2008.

vii Gray, J (2008). State of the Evidence: The Connection between Breast Cancer and the Environment. San Francisco, CA: Breast Cancer Fund.

viii Ramamoorthy K, Wang F, Chen IC, Safe S, Norris JD, McDonnell DP, Gaido KW, Bocchinfuso WP, Korach KS (1997). Potency of combined estrogenic pesticides. Science 275: 405-6.

Foster WG, Younglai EV, Boutross- Tadross O, Hughes CL, Wade MG (2004). Mammary gland morphology in Sprague-Dawley rats following treatment with an organochlorine mixture in utero and neonatal genistein. Toxicological Sciences 77: 91-100.

ix Xie L, Thrippleton K, Irwin MA, Siemering GS, Mekebri A, Crane D, Berry K, Schlenk D (2005). Evaluation of estrogenic activities of aquatic herbicides and surfactants using a rainbow trout vitellogenin assay. Toxicological Sciences 77: 91-100.

Kortenkamp A (2006). Breast cancer, oestrogens and environmental pollutants: a re-evaluation from a mixture perspective. International Journal of Andrology 29: 193-198.

x Gray, J (2008). State of the Evidence: The Connection between Breast Cancer and the Environment. San Francisco, CA: Breast Cancer Fund.

Measuring the Pollution in People

Toxic chemicals in personal care products have been proven to have an accumulative affect in our bodies. For those with chronic illnesses, that burden becomes even greater. It is so important to avoid toxic chemicals as much as possible and lighten the load. Buy only natural, organic non-toxic products.

Measuring the Pollution in People

A number of striking studies (i) have shown that the man-made chemicals in our environment and in consumer products—including cosmetics—make their way into our bodies. Many of the chemicals found in cosmetics are absorbed by the skin into the body, and can be detected in blood or urine.

The length of time chemicals remain in the body varies from chemical to chemical and ranges from hours to decades. For chemicals that are excreted quickly, the fact that we can so consistently measure them indicates continual exposures that may have long-term effects on health.

Body Burden and Biomonitoring

Body burden refers to the levels of man-made chemicals in an individual’s body, generally measured through blood or urine. Large-scale biomonitoring programs that assess the levels of chemicals in a population or subset of a population would greatly support the ability of researchers to explore the links between exposures and disease. A gap in determining the long-term effects of chemical exposures upon disease has long been a lack of knowledge about chemical exposures and the intake of environmental toxins into the body. Ongoing biomonitoring programs would fill this vital data gap.

The Pollution in People

The largest U.S. body burden study to date measured the levels of 148 chemicals in approximately 3,000 people of varying ages, ethnicities and geographical locations (ii). This study, by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, detected a common sunscreen ingredient, benzophenone-3 (BP-3) in 96.8 percent of individuals (iii), and triclosan, an antibacterial agent often used in antibacterial soaps, in 74.6 percent of individuals (iv). A CDC study found residues of four different phthalates in more than 75 percent of subjects (v). Phthalates are found in numerous cosmetics, often as a constituent ingredient of fragrances. A 2008 study of teen girls by the Environmental Working Group revealed 16 hormone-altering cosmetics chemicals in their young test subjects (vi).

The CDC tests of 148 chemicals represents a very small percentage of the over 80,000 chemicals manufactured and the approximately 10,000 chemicals used in cosmetic products. The next edition of the CDC report, anticipated in 2009, will include measurements of 250 chemicals, an increase that still doesn't approach the total number of chemicals in commerce. Nevertheless, this and other studies illustrate that chemicals we use in an array of consumer products make their way into our bodies (vii). This knowledge also furthers our understanding of the links between the chemicals we use, the absorption of these chemicals into our bodies, and the known and probable health effects of these chemicals.

i.Commonweal Biomonitoring Resource Center (2005). Taking It All In: Documenting Chemical Pollution in Californians through Biomonitoring. Available online at http://www.commonweal.org/programs/download/TIAI_1205.pdf. Accessed August 19, 2008.

Environmental Working Group (2006). Across Generations: Industrial Chemicals in Mothers and Daughters: The pollution we share and inherit. Available online at http://www.ewg.org/reports/generations/. Accessed August 19, 2008.

Environmental Working Group (2005). Body Burden: The Pollution in Newborns. Available online at: http://www.ewg.org/node/17686. Accessed August 19, 2008.

Environmental Working Group (2003). Body Burden: The Pollution in People. Available online at: http://archive.ewg.org/reports/bodyburden1/. Accessed August 19, 2008.

ii Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (2005). Third National Report on Human Exposure to Environmental Chemicals. Available online at http://www.cdc.gov/exposurereport/. Accessed December 23, 2008.

iii Calafat AM, Wong LY, Ye X, Reidy JA, Needham LL. Concentrations of the Sunscreen Agent, Benzophenone-3, in Residents of the United States: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2003-2004. Environ Health Perspect 116:893–897 (2008).

iv Calafat AM, Ye X, Wong LY, Reidy JA, Needham LL. Urinary Concentrations of Triclosan in the U.S. Population: 2003–2004. Environmental Health Perspectives, 116:303–307 (2008).

v Silva MJ, Barr DB, Reidy JA, Malek NA, Hodge CC, Caudill SP, Brock JW, Needham LL, Calafat AM. “Urinary Levels of Seven Phthalate Metabolites in the U.S. Population from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 1999-2000,” Environmental Health Perspectives, 112(3): 331-338 (2004).

vi Sutton, R (2008). Teen Girls' Body Burden of Hormone-Altering Cosmetics Chemicals. Available online at http://www.ewg.org/reports/teens. Accessed October 10, 2008.

vii Commonweal and Breast Cancer Fund (2005). Taking It All In: Documenting Chemical Pollution in Californians through Biomonitoring. Available online at http://www.commonweal.org/programs/download/TIAI_1205.pdf. Accessed August 19, 2008.

Environmental Working Group (2006). Across Generations: Industrial Chemicals in Mothers and Daughters: The pollution we share and inherit. Available online at http://www.ewg.org/reports/generations/. Accessed August 19, 2008.

Environmental Working Group (2005). Body Burden: The Pollution in Newborns. Available online at: http://www.ewg.org/node/17686. Accessed August 19, 2008.

Environmental Working Group (2003). Body Burden: The Pollution in People. Available online at: http://archive.ewg.org/reports/bodyburden1/. Accessed August 19, 2008.

Ribose (Corvalen) - An Exciting New Treatment for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia

Ribose (Corvalen) - An Exciting New Treatment for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia

Can you really treat chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia with sugar?

Corvalen (D-Ribose) Valen Labs) is an outstanding new nutrient (a special sugar-even OK for those who need to avoid sugar!) for those of you who want a powerful energy boost! In addition to its role in making DNA and RNA, those of you familiar with biochemistry remember Ribose as the key building block for making energy. In fact, the main energy molecules (like “Energy dollars”) in your body (ATP, FADH, etc.) are made of ribose plus B vitamins/phosphate. That makes these energy molecules similar to the paper that money is printed on- kind of like being able to print your own energy currency!

Corvalen has many uses, including treating heart muscle weakness (Congestive Heart Failure). We were so impressed with this product that our research center we recently completed a research study reported on in the national news services using it in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia. Two thirds of these desperately ill patients improved, with an average increase in quality of life of ~30 improvement in energy. This is very dramatic for a single treatment/nutrient! In our study, pain, sleep, and “brain fog’ also improved.

The next study we hope to do will be a “Gold –standard” placebo controlled study on Ribose/Corvalen in CFS/FMS to follow up our initial pilot study. If you would like to be part of the study e-mail lgleason@bioenergy.com. You might want to let us know soon-our last study filled within 24 hours of our announcing it in our newsletter!

D-Ribose - Jump-Starting Your Body's Energy Furnaces
Before we begin the SHINE protocol, however, let's jump-start our energy and set ourselves up for success.

As we will discuss throughout this book, CFS and fibromyalgia reflect an energy crisis in your body. Although it can have numerous causes, the energy crisis will then trigger a host of downstream effects, including hypothalamic dysfunction ("blowing a fuse") which causes multiple other problems including, muscle pain, insomnia, hormonal deficiencies, infections, poor liver detoxification, decreased heart function, and more. Although going after these many triggers and problems is very important, it is also critical to also go to the heart of the problem and treat your body's "energy furnaces". Because of this, we will begin our discussion of treatments with those that directly increase energy production.

Each cell in your body contains structures called mitochondria. The mitochondria are the tiny furnaces in each cell that produce energy by burning calories. Many problems, including Epstein Barr viral infections, can suppress your energy furnaces.3 In this chapter, I will discuss treatments that can help your mitochondrial furnaces work properly, and explain how you can use this information to feel better.

The role of energy production
We simply can't overcome fatigue if the cells and tissues in our bodies don't have enough energy. Medical research shows there are many conditions that drain energy from the body, leaving us fatigued and with frequent complications such as muscle pain, heart problems, and even depression.

Of course athletes who participate in high-intensity, endurance type exercise often face the fatigue and muscle pain associated with energy depletion. Typically, a few days of rest will allow an athlete's muscles to recharge with energy. For the rest of us, however, the physiological factors that drain hearts and muscles of energy are not as easily overcome. It is amazing how a special simple sugar, called D-ribose, can help the body restore energy, giving hearts and muscles the power they need to fully recharge, so they can recover from fatigue and chronic muscle pain.

As we age, our bodies go through many changes that affect our ability to efficiently metabolize energy. For some, these changes occur more rapidly and are more pronounced, while for others the impact is seemingly absent. People with fibromyalgia and CFS have almost 20 percent less energy in their muscles than normal, and this lack of energy causes poor exercise tolerance and lack of endurance-making it hard to perform even the most basic of life's daily activities.4,5

The metabolic changes that occur in our bodies over time or with the onset of disease are varied. Many are found to have thickening of the walls of capillaries that feed blood to muscles. These thickened capillary walls make it harder for oxygen to move from the blood to the muscle tissue, reducing the oxygen tension of the muscle and slowing the rate of energy synthesis. 6,7
In others, the mitochondrial energy furnaces are found to be defective and cannot keep up with the energy demand of cells and tissues as they work through daily activities. 8-10 Still for others, cells and tissues are deficient in certain nutrients that are needed to process food into energy, leaving the tissues energy starved. 11-13 And in the most difficult conditions, the muscle itself is affected, leaking vital cellular constituents that include energy compounds and the fuels needed to restore energy levels in affected tissues.14

No matter the cause, the impact of energy depletion is to propel a downward spiral of fatigue, muscle pain, soreness and stiffness that will not stop until the energy in the affected tissue can be restored. As energy is used faster than it can be restored, muscles become more painful, stiff, and fatigued. This causes even more energy to be used as the muscle struggles to recover, causing even more fatigue, soreness and stiffness,15-17 and the cycle continues. If the conditions leading to energy depletion are not arrested in time, the fatigue can become overwhelming and debilitating-as occurs in CFS/FMS.

The Consequences of Mitochondrial Dysfunction
A large number of clinical findings common in CFS/FMS can be explained by mitochondrial furnace malfunction Hypothalamic suppression. Particularly severe changes in the hypothalamus have been seen in mitochondrial dysfunction syndromes.18 Brain fog. Mitochondrial dysfunction can cause decreases in levels of neurotransmitters in the brain, specifically low dopamine and acetylcholine, and possibly low serotonin.

Sensitivities and allergies. Decreased ability of the liver to eliminate toxins and medications could contribute to sensitivities to both medications and environmental factors.
Post-exertion fatigue. Low energy production and accumulation of excessive amounts of lactic acid in muscles would inhibit recovery after exercise.

• Poor digestion. Mitochondrial dysfunction would also cause related to the bowel problems that plague so many people with chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia.

Weak immune system. With problems in the mitochondria, you would expect to see poor white blood cell function and therefore a decreased ability to fight infection.

Heart dysfunction. Based on research by Dr. Paul Cheney, mitochondrial dysfunction may weaken the heart muscle, requiring increased anti-oxidant levels through supplementation.

Kidney function. Poor kidney function resulting from mitochondrial dysfunction may cause a defect in the filtration and detoxification process.

Thus, mitochondrial dysfunction might well be the root cause of-or at least a contributing factor to-the hypothalamic, immune, neurotransmitter, nutritional, detoxification, sleep and other disorders seen in CFS/FMS.

Improving Mitochondrial Function
If mitochondrial dysfunction is an underlying or contributing cause to CFS/FMS, the next question is whether anything can be done to make those cellular energy furnaces work better. A number of natural treatments are available to do just that. Let us now look at some of the treatments that can improve mitochondrial energy production. Let's begin with D-Ribose, the key to energy production.

D-Ribose-The Natural Body Energizer
In looking at energy production, it helps to look at the "energy molecules" such as ATP, NADH, and FADH. These represent the energy currency in your body, and are like the paper that money is printed on. You can have all the fuel you want, but if it cannot be converted to these molecules, it is useless!

For years, I talked about the importance of B vitamins, which are a key component of these molecules. These helped to a degree, but it was clear that a key component was missing. In looking at the biochemistry of these energy molecules, they are also made of 2 other key components-adenine and ribose. Adenine is plentiful in the body and supplementing with adenine did not help CFS. We then turned our attention to Ribose. Ribose is made in your body in a slow, laborious process and cannot be found in food. We knew that CFS/FMS causes your body to dump other key energy molecules like acetyl-l-carnitine. We then found that the body did the same with Ribose, making it hard to get your furnaces working again even after the other problems were treated.

This was like one of those "Eureka!" moments where things came together. Not having Ribose would be like trying to build a fire without kindling-nothing would happen. We wondered if giving Ribose to people with CFS would jump-start their energy furnaces. The answer was a resounding yes!

Our recently published study (see the study abstract in Appendix B) showed an average 44.7- remarkable results from a single nutrient! 19 The only significant side effects were that 2 people felt too energized and hyper/anxious on the ribose. This is simply dealt with by lowering the dose and/or taking it with food.

Several of the patients participating in the study have contacted me regarding the relief they found with ribose therapy. Most importantly, they speak to the profound joy they feel when they are able to begin living normal, active lives after sometimes years of fatigue, pain, and suffering. Here is a sample of what one patient, Julie (Minnesota), an elementary teacher, wrote: "I had so much pain and fatigue I thought I was going to have to quit teaching. When I take [ribose], I feel like a huge weight is being lifted from my chest, and I'm ready to take on those kids again!" The relief patients feel with ribose therapy is heartwarming, and goes directly to the dramatic impact ribose has on increasing energy, overcoming fatigue, enhancing exercise tolerance, and raising the patient's quality of life.

To further validate these findings, we are currently conducting a much larger placebo controlled study, and hope to have the results published in the coming year. Interestingly, one of our study patients had an abnormal heart rhythm called atrial fibrillation. Ribose is outstanding in the treatment of heart disease as well, because it restores energy production in the heart muscle. Because of this, it was not surprising that this man's atrial fibrillation also went away on the ribose and he was able to stop his heart medications as well! Because of its importance and the research showing marked heart muscle dysfunction (because of low energy) in CFS, let's look at

Ribose and the heart in more detail.

Ribose and the Fatigue Associated with Heart Disease
Decades of research have shown that ribose has a profound effect on heart function in patients with congestive heart failure, coronary artery disease, and cardiomyopathy (a weakened heart muscle). Like the muscles in patients with fibromyalgia, sick hearts are energy starved.24 This energy deprivation keeps the heart from relaxing between heartbeats, making it impossible for the heart to completely fill with blood 25 (it surprisingly takes more energy for the heart muscle to relax than contract). Because the heart does not fill completely, less blood is pumped to the body with each heartbeat. The heart then gets stiff and it strains to contract. Ultimately, the heart becomes enlarged, a condition known as hypertrophy, and it is unable to pump normally.
You can compare this to the effect of weight training on the muscles in the bicep of the upper arm. Over time, weight training against more and more weight makes the muscle larger and harder. Similarly, when the heart becomes stiff it is forced to contract against more and more pressure, making the heart muscle grow. While in the case of the bicep this may be a desirable outcome, in the heart it can be deadly. In contrast to the biceps muscle, hearts must remain supple so they can fill properly and empty fully with each contraction. If hearts cannot pump normal volumes of blood, muscles of the arms and legs and brain tissue become oxygen starved. The result is fatigue, pain on standing or walking, loss of interest in, or the ability to perform any physical activity, brain fog, and depression. In the end, the heart cannot pump enough blood to even supply itself with live-giving oxygen and a heart attack can be the result.

Using ribose to restore the energy level in the heart allows it to fully relax, fill, and empty completely to circulate blood to the outer reaches of the body.26 Circulating more blood means muscles in the arms and legs, and the tissues of the brain, get the oxygen they need to function normally. This result was made evident in several important studies in patients with congestive heart failure and angina.

In one study conducted at the University of Bonn in Germany, patients with congestive heart failure were treated with either 10-grams of ribose or a sugar placebo every day for three weeks.27 They were then tested for heart function, exercise tolerance (a measure of fatigue), and quality of life using a questionnaire designed for this purpose. In this study, ribose therapy had a significant effect on all measures of diastolic heart function, showing that increased energy in the heart allowed the heart to relax, fill, and pump more normally. Patients in the study were also much more tolerant to exercise when they were on ribose, and, through their responses to the questionnaire, showed they had a higher quality of life as a result.

Two additional studies went on to help explain how ribose therapy in congestive heart failure may affect fatigue and exercise tolerance.28,29 These studies showed that ribose treatment increased ventilatory and oxygen utilization efficiency, a medical way of saying that the patients were able to breathe better and use the oxygen they inhaled more efficiently. Improving the patient's ability to use oxygen means more oxygen is available to go into the blood and out to the tissues. Having more oxygen available allows the muscle to burn fuel more efficiently, helping it keep pace with its energy demand. The result is less fatigue, a greater ability to tolerate exercise, and a higher quality of life. An added benefit to improving ventilatory efficiency is that ventilatory efficiency is a dominant predictor of mortality in congestive heart failure. Increasing ventilatory efficiency with ribose therapy is, therefore, a direct correlate to prolonging life in this patient population.

There are very few nutritional therapies that can legitimately boast of having this profound of an effect on the tissues they target. None, other than ribose, can claim such an effect in cell or tissue energy metabolism. Ribose is a unique and powerful addition to our complement of metabolic therapies in that it is completely safe, proven by strong, well designed clinical and scientific evidence, natural, and fundamental to a vital metabolic process in the body.30-34 I have added a few more study references for those who would like more information about ribose. 35-56
Ribose regulates how much energy we have in our bodies, and for those suffering from fatigue, muscle soreness, stiffness, and a host of related medical complications, the relief found in energy restoration can be life changing. This is why I recommend that all CFS/FMS patients begin with D-Ribose 5 grams (1 scoop of Corvalen) 3 x day for 2-3 weeks then twice a day. It is critical to take the 3 scoops a day for the first few weeks to see the optimal effects. Although many of the treatments in this book take 6-12 weeks to start working, most people feel the difference by the end of a single 280 gm container. For the few who don't, retry it again once you are 12-16 weeks into the other treatments well discuss. You'll be glad you did!

Although Ribose is the most promising energy nutrient, others are also worth looking at as well. Most of these only need to be taken for 4-9 months; though some people choose to take them longer (I take my Ribose every day even though I feel great. It makes me feel even better!). You will know by how you feel on them.

Click here to listen to a lecture on D-Ribose by Dr. Teitelbaum.

These other energy boosters are discussed at length in the "web site notes" section and include:
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3-Vernon DC, et al. Preliminary evidence of mitochondrial dysfunction associated with post-infective fatigue after acute infection with Epstein Barr Virus. BMC Infectious Diseases/ 2006, 6; 15 doi:10.1186/1471-2334-6-15, 31 January 2006.http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2334/6/15/abstract
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9. Park JH, P Phothimat, CT Oates, M Hernanz-Schulman, NJ Olson. Use of P-31 magnetic resonance spectroscopy to detect metabolic abnormalities in muscles of patients with fibromyalgia. Arthritis and Rheumatology 1998;41(3):406-413.
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17. Krapf MW, S Muller, P Mennet, T Stratz, W Samborski, W Muller. Recording muscle spasms in the erector spinae using in vivo 31P magnetic resonance spectroscopy in patients with chronic lumbalgia and generalized tendomyopathies. Z Rheumatology 1992;51(5):229-237.
18. P.O. Behan, "Post-Viral Fatigue Syndrome Research," in The Clinical and Scientific Basis of Myalgic Encephalitis and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, ed. Byron Hyde, Jay Goldstein, and Paul Levine (Ottawa, Ontario, Canada: Nightingale Research Foundation, 1992), p. 238.
19. Teitelbaum JE, JA St.Cyr, C Johnson. The use of D-ribose in chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia: a pilot study. J Alternative and Complementary Medicine 2006;12(9):857-862.
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22. Brault JJ, Terjung RL. Purine salvage to adenine nucleotides in different skeletal muscle fiber types. Journal of Applied Physiology 2001; 91: 231-238.
23. Gebhart B, JA Jorgenson. Benefit of ribose in a patient with fibromyalgia. Pharmacotherapy 2004;24(11):1146-1648
24. 22. Ingwall JS. ATP and the Heart. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Boston, Massachusetts.
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26. Zimmer HG, Ibel H, Suchner U. Ribose Intervention in the Cardiac Pentose Phosphate Pathway is Not Species-Specific. Science 1984; 223: 712-714.
27. Omran H, S Illien, D MacCarter, JA St. Cyr, B Luderitz. D-Ribose improves diastolic function and quality of life in congestive heart failure patients: A prospective feasibility study. European Journal of Heart Failure 2003; 5:615-619.
28. Vijay N, D MacCarter, M Washam, J St.Cyr. Ventilatory efficiency improves with d-ribose in congestive Heart Failure patients. Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology 2005;38(5):820.
29. Carter O, D MacCarter, S Mannebach, J Biskupiak, G Stoddard, EM Gilbert, MA Munger. D-Ribose improves peak exercise capacity and ventilatory efficiency in heart failure patients. Journal of the American College of Cardiology 2005;45(3 Suppl A):185A.
30. Griffiths JC, JF Borzelleca, J St.Cyr. Lack of oral embryo toxicity/ teratogenicity with D-ribose in Wistar rats. Journal of Food and Chemical Toxicology 2007;45(3):388-395.
31. Griffiths JC, JF Borzelleca, J St. Cyr. Sub-chronic (13-week) oral toxicity study with D-ribose in Wistar rats. Journal of Food and Chemical Toxicology 2007:45(1):144-152.
32. Gross M, Dormann B, Zollner N. Ribose administration during exercise: effects on substrates and products of energy metabolism in healthy subjects and a patient with myoadenylate deaminase deficiency. Klin Wochenschr 1991; 69: 151-155.
33. Wagner DR, Gresser U, Zollner N. Effects of oral ribose on muscle metabolism during bicycle ergometer in AMPD-deficient patients. Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism 1991; 35: 297-302.
34. Gross M, S Reiter, N Zollner. Metabolism of D-ribose administered to healthy persons and to patients with myoadenylate deaminase deficiency. Klin Wochenschr 1989; 67: 1205-1213.
35. Guymer EK, KJ Clauw. Treatment of fatigue in fibromyalgia. Rheum Dis Clin North Am 2002;28(2):67-78.
36. Rooks DS, CB Silverman, FG Kantrowitz. The effects of progressive strength training and aerobic exercise on muscle strength and cardiovascular fitness in women with fibromyalgia: a pilot study. Arthritis Rheum 2002;47(1):22-28.
37. Geenen R, JW Jacobs, JW Bijlsma. Evaluation and management of endocrine dysfunction in fibromyalgia. Rheum Dis Clin North Am 2002;28(2):389-404.
38. Schachter CL, AJ Busch, PM Peloso, MS Shepard. Effects of short versus long bouts of aerobic exercise in sedentary women with fibromyalgia: a randomized controlled trial. Phys Ther 2003;83(4):340-358.
39. Williamson DL, PM Gallagher, MP Goddard, SW Trappe. Effects of ribose supplementation on adenine nucleotide concentration in skeletal muscle following high-intensity exercise. Med Sci Sport Exc 2001; 33(5 suppl).
40. Zollner N, Reiter S, Gross M, Pongratz D, Reimers CD, Gerbitz K, Paetzke I, Deufel T, Hubner G. Myoadenylate deaminase deficiency: successful symptomatic therapy by high dose oral administration of ribose. Klin Wochenschr 1986; 64: 1281-1290.
41. Patton BM. Beneficial effect of D-ribose in patients with myoadenylate deaminase deficiency. Lancet May 1982; 1701.
42. Salerno C, D'Eufermia P, Finocchiaro R, Celli M, Spalice A, Crifo C, Giardini O. Effect of D-ribose on purine synthesis and neurological symptoms in a patient with adenylsuccinase deficiency. Biochim Biophys Acta 1999; 1453: 135-140.
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44. Pauly D, C Pepine. D-Ribose as a supplement for cardiac energy metabolism. J Cardiovasc Pharmacol Ther 2000;5(4):249-258.
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46. Pauly DF, CJ Pepine. Ischemic heart disease: Metabolic approaches to management. Clin Cardiol 2004;27(8):439-441.
47. Dodd SL, CA Johnson, K Fernholz, JA St.Cyr. The role of ribose in human skeletal muscle metabolism. Med Hypoth 2004;62(5):819-824.
48. Zarzeczny R, JJ Brault, KA Abraham, CR Hancock, RL Terjung. Influence of ribose on adenine salvage after intense muscle contractions. J Appl Physiol 2001;91:1775-1781.
49. Wallen JW, MP Belanger, C Wittnich. Preischemic administration of ribose to delay the onset of irreversible ischemic injury and improve function: studies in normal and hypertrophied hearts. Can J Physiol Pharmacol 2003;81:40-47.
50. Wilson R, D MacCarter, J St. Cyr. D-Ribose enhances the identification of hibernating myocardium. Heart Drug 2003:3:61-62.
51. Van Gammeren D, D Faulk, J Antonio. The effects of four weeks of ribose supplementation on body composition and exercise performance in healthy, young male recreational bodybuilders: A double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Curr Ther Res 2002;63(8):486-495.
52. Sharma R, M Munger, S Litwin, O Vardeny, D MacCarter, JA St. Cyr. D-Ribose improves Doppler TEI myocardial performance index and maximal exercise capacity in stage C heart failure. J Mol Cell Cardiol 2005;38(5):853.
53. Pliml W, T von Arnim, A Stablein, H Hofmann, HG Zimmer, E Erdmann. Effects of ribose on exercise-induced ischaemia in stable coronary artery disease. Lancet 1992;340:507-510.
54. Perkowski D, S Wagner, A Marcus, J St. Cyr. D-Ribose improves cardiac indices in patients undergoing "off" pump coronary arterial revascularization. J Surg Res 2007;173(2):295.
55. Muller C, H Zimmer, M Gross, U Gresser, I Brotsack, M Wehling, W Pliml. Effect of ribose on cardiac adenine nucleotides in a donor model for heart transplantation. Eur J Med Res 1998;3:554-558.
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What is the difference between CORvalen and CorvalenM?

What is the difference between CORvalen and CorvalenM? Both products recommend 5 grams per serving, and both have the same number of servings of D-ribose the principal active ingredient. In addition, CorvalenM contains magnesium and malate, both shown to improve muscle metabolism and relaxation.

How do I know which is best for me? As a general rule, CORvalen is recommended for heart patients and athletic applications. CorvalenM is used more for muscle aches, pain, soreness, and stiffness. But there are many exceptions with each. Ask yourself, Does my diet need additional magnesium? Magnesium is important for over 200 chemical reactions in the body. Some say the American diet contains less and less natural magnesium because more of our food is processed and we drink more bottled water and beverages than a couple of generations ago.

Conversely, too much magnesium leads to loose stools and diarrhea. You can pick up magnesium from several sources vitamin pills and other supplements.

What are the ingredients for each product? CORvalen is 100% D-ribose. Each serving contains 5g of D-ribose. CORvalen M contains D-ribose, malate and magnesium. For each serving of CORvalen M, there is 5g D-ribose, 240mg Malate (or malic acid) and 800mg magnesium gluconate (the same as 40mg elemental magnesium). CORvalen Chewable Wafers each contain 1.67 grams D-ribose. Other ingredients include inulin, cocoa bean powder, mannitol, modified cellulose, safflower oil, coconut powder, stearic acid, silicon dioxide and natural flavors.

What is ribose? D-Ribose is a simple, 5-carbon monosaccharide, or pentose sugar. It is used by all the cells of the body and is an essential compound in energy metabolism. Ribose is also the carbohydrate backbone of genetic material, DNA and RNA, certain vitamins and other important cellular compounds.

Who needs CORvalen? Ribose is an essential ingredient in stimulating natural energy production. Research has shown that ribose promotes cardiovascular health, reduces cardiac stress associated with strenuous activity and helps athletes extend their exercise tolerance and accelerates recovery. Ribose helps hearts and muscles maximize energy recovery. Whether you are a trained athlete, a weekend warrior or are concerned about your cardiovascular health, ribose may help give the energy boost your body needs.

How is ribose made in the body? Most compounds necessary for life are made in the body through a series of complicated pathways. Ribose is no different. In the body, ribose is made from glucose (a simple 6-carbon sugar) through a pathway called the Pentose Phosphate Pathway (PPP). Eventually, adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is produced. ATP is the primary energy molecule in your body’s cells. Though your body makes ribose and ATP naturally, it produces it slowly. As a result, your heart and muscle tissues use their energy faster than they can restore it and the energy pools become depleted.

How does the body derive cellular energy from ribose? The physiologically functional form of ribose, called 5-phosphoribosyl-1-pyrophosphate (PRPP), regulates the metabolic pathway that synthesizes energy compounds in all living tissue. If this compound is not available in sufficient quantity, energy synthesis slows.

How does taking supplemental CORvalen aid in increasing cellular energy? If the cellular energy pool is depleted by disease or exercise, it must be replaced. PRPP is required to turn on the metabolic pathway used by the body to replenish these energy pools. Supplemental ribose bypasses the slow and rate-limiting enzymes in the Pentose Phosphate Pathway, forms PRPP, and quickly begins the process of energy synthesis.

What will CORvalen do for someone concerned about cardiovascular health? Numerous medical studies have shown that energy levels in the heart can be dramatically lowered by exercise or decreased blood flow associated with certain cardiac diseases. Depleted cardiac energy pools may be associated with increased cardiac stress, altered cardiac function, fatigue and decreased exercise tolerance. Ribose is the key nutrient for quickly restoring cardiac energy stores.

What is the recommended daily dosage of CORvalen? Usual dosage: 5g serving twice daily, taken with meals. A third serving may be added with a midday meal as needed.

Alternative dosage: 5g just before and just after exercise or physical activity.

Serving measurement: 5g of CORvalen powder is a rounded teaspoonful. A single dose measuring scoop is provided with each jar.

CORvalen may be dissolved in 2 oz. or more of juice, tea, or coffee or sprinkled over foods of choice (such as hot oatmeal, yogurt, cold cereal). CorvalenM has a more citrus flavor so it is best in juice, water or yogurt. CORvalen and CorvalenM should NOT be mixed into carbonated beverages.

To maximize athletic performance, or to keep energy pools high during strenuous activity, slightly larger doses may be required. CORvalen (D-ribose) should be taken just before and just after exercise or activity. For extended exercise, an additional 1 to 2 grams per hour of exercise or activity may be helpful.

When can I expect to feel results/benefits from taking CORvalen? Individual response varies widely, but relief from fatigue is often felt within the first 10 days of consistent use.

What can I mix with CORvalen? CORvalen may be mixed with water, juice, coffee, tea or sprinkled on cereal or fruit. It has a mild pleasant sweet taste and is very flexible.

Are there any side effects associated with taking ribose? CORvalen may lower blood sugar for 60 to 90 minutes after ingestion. This may cause one to feel very hungry or lightheaded. This can be avoided by taking with meals or with some form of a carbohydrate such as a juice.

What will ribose do for someone who exercises on a regular basis? Scientific research shows that three or four workouts per week may not allow enough rest time between sessions for heart and muscle energy pools to return to normal levels. Taking CORvalen (D-ribose) shortens the time needed by heart and muscle tissue to replace energy that is lost through vigorous exercise. Keeping energy pools full helps to keep hearts and muscles in good physiological condition, increase power and endurance, and reduce fatigue. Recent research has also shown that ribose supplementation during exercise manages free radical formation and lowers cardiac stress associated with hypoxia.

Does CORvalen conflict with any medications? There are no known interactions with drugs or other supplements.

Does ribose work with creatine or other supplements? Ribose can increase the effect of creatine and other energy supplements by keeping the energy pool at full capacity. Creatine works by recycling energy that is already present in the tissue. Another supplement, carnitine, aids in fatty acid metabolism. A third, pyruvate, also helps to recycle energy. Only ribose performs this important metabolic function. Without adequate levels of energy to work with, no other supplement can be fully effective.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.