D-Ribose and ubiquinol synergy can support heart failure management, study finds

17 Dec 2020 --- BLS is drawing attention to a study finding D-Ribose and ubiquinol, a form of CoQ10, may positively impact mitochondrial function and help manage heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). 

A clinical trial from the University of Kansas Medical Center, US, found that combining D-Ribose with ubiquinol can contribute to myocardial ATP generation, which consequently may help to preserve cardiac muscles’ ejection fraction. 

According to the American Heart Association, HFpEF – measuring how much blood the left ventricle pumps out with each contraction – can lead to hypertension, diabetes and metabolic syndrome.

“This third-party non-biased study further proves D-Ribose is still very much effective at treating the general population with this condition, especially combined with CoQ10,” Marianne McDonagh, vice president of sales at Bioenergy Life Sciences (BLS), tells NutritionInsight.

This news is already significant to the heart health category when interest in nutritional approaches to managing heart health is building amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mechanism of action
Published in The Annals of Medicine and Surgery Journal, the paper reviews the role of mitochondrial metabolism in relation to HFpEF pathophysiology.

5-phosphyl-ribose-1-pyrophosphate (PRPP) is an intermediate molecule in the production of ATP, which is highly dependent on G6PDH. 

The major symptoms of HFpEF are shortness of breath, fatigue and chest pain, limiting a patient’s mobility and activities.The researchers found that D-Ribose supplementation can bypass this rate-limiting enzymatic step in the formation of PRPP, increasing ATP production. 

Different pathologic myocardial conditions can further produce lower levels of ATP, thereby altering cardiac function. 

“Since these pathways are time-consuming and no foods are able to provide sufficient Ribose to restore levels quickly, D-Ribose supplements can replenish the cellular energy deficiency particularly in the myocardium,” reads the study.

Ubiquinol combo
D-Ribose’s short half-life also supports the absorption and utilization of other ingredients, such as ubiquinol. 

D-Ribose has a short 20-minute half-life, so it absorbs faster than ubiquinol, which has a 6.5 hour half-life.

A “half-life” is the time required for the concentration of an ingested substance to be reduced by one-half. For example, 10 g of Ribose in the bloodstream will be 5 g in around 20 minutes if no more D-Ribose were ingested. 

“This is key to understanding the relationship between Ribose and ubiquinol,” says Dr. Michael Crabtree, director of scientific affairs at BLS. “Ribose doesn’t get enough credit for optimizing the absorption of other ingredients in formulations.” 

“We believe D-Ribose is overlooked because of the view of bioenergetics by the overall population,” Crabtree tells NutritionInsight.

He notes that ATP is viewed as a “kind of battery,” although the electrical and metabolic properties of ATP and Ribose extend beyond ATP’s basic biochemical interpretation. 

“It’s important to understand that a cell in a low energy state is not permeable to certain polarized substances. A cell in a high energy resting state, which has high ATP/Ribose content, relaxes immediately after stimulation and can ‘accept’ substances more readily,” Crabtree further explains. 

Metabolism of carbohydrate with D-Ribose supplementation.Exploring additional uses
This paper’s results came to BLS as little surprise, says Crabtree. 

“We have been aware of the synergy between ubiquinol and D-Ribose for more than a decade due to the obvious parody of biochemical pathways and actions.”

McDonagh adds, however, that “with every study, we learn something about this life-changing molecule.” 

In terms of market expansion, the company anticipates that D-Ribose would benefit the sleep/depression sector, two areas currently being further explored. 

“We are also exploring the synergies of D-Ribose with other molecules and offering them in a customized nutritional blend to reach a greater customer base,” McDonagh reveals.

“Ribose is also considered a ‘low empty calorie’ carbohydrate that is vegan and keto-friendly, so we are exploring this market more aggressively to appeal to today’s consumers.”

NutritionInsight recently spoke with Crabtree on how BLS targets consumer groups “falling through the cracks” in sports nutrition.

By Anni Schleicher