RIBOSE: The Next Creatine on the Supplement Scene?

Ribose has emerged as a competitor to creatine as a supplement to increase power and replenish high-energy compounds following intense exercise.

I'll toss you some more info:

• The body readily synthesizes and the diet provides small amounts of ribose through ripe fruits and vegetables.

• Metabolically, this 5-carbon sugar serves as an energy substrate for ATP re-synthesis. Because of this role in energy metabolism, ribose ingestion is promoted to quickly restore the body's limited amount of ATP.

• To maintain optimal ATP levels, recommended ribose doses range from 10g to 20 g/day. Clearly any compound that either increases ATP levels or facilitates its resynthesis would benefit short-term, high-power physical activities. 

NOTE: Only limited experimentation exists to assess the potential for ribose. 


CLOSING: SOME studies have shown promise that ribose supplementation leads to enhanced restoration of ATP levels following exercise, but this has seldom translated into increased athletic performance. (Dhanoa TS, Housner JA.)

(References: McArdle, W., Katch, F., & Katch, V., (2007). Exercise Phsyiology. 6th edition. Lippincott Williams and Wilkins.)

Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is a health tonic that can fix everything from:
Clearing up the skin (bye-bye acne)
dandruff
High cholesterol  
diabetes
Blood pressure and heart health
Cancer
Swelling in joints, inflammation, and other sports related injuries


But can it help you lose weight?

In the study, Japanese researchers fed three groups of mice a high-fat diet and either a high dose or low dose of apple vinegar. The control group was given no apple cider vinegar. After six weeks, the mice in both apple cider vinegar groups had gained 10% less bodyfat than the control group. Researchers also discovered a potential cause for this finding — changes to a gene that controls not only fat burning, but also metabolic rate. Essentially, acetic acid appears to help modulate bodyfat in two ways: by preventing fat gain and by reducing existing fat stores.

Shishehbor F, Mansoori A, Sarkaki AR, Jalali MT, Latifi SM. (2008). Apple cider vinegar attenuates lipid profile in normal and diabetic rats.Department of Nutrition, Para-Medical School, 1;11(23):2634-8.

Note: PLEASE be mindful, before you go diluting this stuff in your water and chugging like crazy, that this study was performed on mice... on the positive side, apple cider vinegar has been around for aeons and has a plethora of other health advantages!

Given that apple cider vinegar is a staple in most homes, you can try supplementing with it immediately. 

You can:

• cook with it
• make it a salad dressing
• use it in food preservatives
• making pickles
• drink it (diluted) NOTE:  2 teaspoons diluted in two cups of water once or twice daily. But be careful — because it is an acid, drinking it straight can ruin your tooth enamel, interfere with certain medication and cause gastrointestinal problems.

Cited Report:

"Apple Cider Vinegar: Acetic acid is the active ingredient that makes apple cider vine gar a worthwhile supplement for the carb watcher. When this is taken with carbs after a workout (the time that even a low-carber wants to get some carbs in), the amount of stored glycogen in the muscle increases. Acetic acid increases the activity of an enzyme that aids the formation of glycogen, and it's good because when you're eating very little carbs and your muscles are low in glycogen, you want to enhance glycogen storage as much as possible. That way you'll have some fuel for the next workout. Take 1-2 tablespoons or about 600-1,200 mg in tablet form immediately after your workouts."

Authors: Stoppani, J. (2004). Muscle & Fitness. Vol. 65 :7; p.234-238.