D-ribose may aid marathon performance and recovery, says Bioenergy Life Science

D-ribose supplier Bioenergy Life Science (BLS) welcomes two clinical trials in China indicating that the nutrient may support endurance, exercise performance, and post-exercise recovery in amateur marathon runners. While the findings of the trials are unpublished, BLS says they point to D-ribose’s potential in sports nutrition. 

Beijing Sport University conducted the studies, one in middle-aged and older marathon runners and another in younger runners.

Moreover, the company notes that the trials indicate the ingredient helped to reduce exercise-induced fatigue, support more efficient exercise performance, and maintain healthy cardiac function during strenuous exercise.

BLS highlights that the ingredient has been on the market for more than 30 years and is backed by decades of positive user experiences and a body of research.

According to the company, it has evolved from a niche bodybuilder supplement to a mainstream ingredient across sports, endurance, cardiovascular health, and wellness markets. It notes that the majority of target consumers are athletes and health enthusiasts.

“D-ribose was commercialized for sports performance after research, including multiple studies by Bioenergy Life Science, identified its role in speeding up restoration of depleted cellular ATP pools post-exercise,” says BLS general manager Michael Crabtree, ND.

“It is a credible, well-studied, safe, and effective ingredient that should be at the forefront for brands, researchers, dietitians, trainers, and consumers,” says Crabtree. 

First study in middle-aged and elderly men

The first study was a randomized, double-blind, multi-dose controlled trial that investigated the use of D-ribose to boost cardiac function and sports performance in 40 male amateur marathon runners aged 45–65.

The trials recorded reductions in multiple biomarkers associated with exercise-induced cardiac and muscle stress.The eight-week study involved a low (6 g/day), medium (12 g/day), and high (18 g/day) doses of D-ribose, followed by a subsequent half-marathon simulation test.

According to BLS’ summary of the findings, the supplemented groups exhibited reductions in multiple biomarkers associated with exercise-induced cardiac and muscle stress. Their three-minute post-exercise heart rate recovery was comparable with pre-intervention baselines.

Moreover, the high-dose group demonstrated significantly shortened completion time. The medium-dose group showed a significantly decreased average heart rate during exercise as well as a shortened completion time.

Second study in young runners

The second study involving younger amateur marathon runners similarly investigated whether D-ribose improves cardiac function and sports performance in this age group.

This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial enlisted 10 male and 10 female young amateur marathon runners. Summarized by BLS, the findings show that single-dose supplementation (12 g at 30 minutes before exercise) and a split-dose supplementation (6 g at 30 minutes pre-exercise and 6 g at the 12 km mark) of D-ribose reduced stress-related biomarkers. 

Similarly, the trial found a reduction in multiple biomarkers associated with exercise-induced cardiac and muscle stress. Moreover, with the split-dose supplementation, it revealed that three-minute post-exercise heart rate recovery improved by 9.4% in males and 6.5% in females.

BLS notes the findings also detail that single-dose supplementation shortened completion time in males by 5%, and in females by 6%. Meanwhile, the split-dose supplementation reduced completion time by 5.4% in males.

“BLS understands this ingredient’s benefits for athletes of all ages and experience levels,” says Crabtree. “It’s encouraging to see this area of research expanding and building on what BLS has established for decades.”

BLS markets its Bioenergy Ribose as the only D-ribose that is generally recognized as safe in the US and authorized as a Novel Food by the European Food Safety Authority. Additionally, it is Non-GMO Project Verified and BRC Certified.