If you suffer from depression, you may experience decreased energy levels, feelings of fatigue and lethargy and a need to sleep more frequently. While depression has many possible causes, some research has found that decreased production of your body's main source energy, adenosine triphosphate (ATP), may result in depressive symptoms. Dietary supplements like ribose may counter this problem. However, you should consult your doctor before using any nutritional supplement.
About Ribose
Ribose is a type of carbohydrate, a simple sugar used by your body to manufacture energy. It is present in a limited number of foods, but dietary sources do not provide recommended doses, according to Tufts Medical Center. Your body can usually manufacture enough ribose to meet its needs. Ribose is crucial for making ATP, which your body uses as fuel. Because patients with depression often have lowered levels of energy, some practitioners recommend ribose supplements to increase energy levels and combat fatigue. In his book "The Breakthrough Depression Solution," Dr. James Greenblatt states that he often recommends ribose in addition to other energy-generating supplements to depressed patients suffering from low energy levels.
Depression Facts
Depression is a serious mental disorder that is characterized by numerous complex symptoms. In addition to fatigue and low energy levels, you may also experience several of the following symptoms: lowered mood, irritability, appetite and sleep disturbances, lack of self-esteem and a loss of interest in activities you once enjoyed. The causes aren't entirely understood, however, brain chemical imbalances, genetics and certain chronic medical conditions can affect depressive symptoms. Although depressive symptoms can often be improved with a number of conventional treatments, including psychotherapy and medication, some research has shown that nutritional supplements like ribose can also help certain types of depressive symptoms, such as low energy, fatigue and decreased feelings of well-being, especially those caused by chronic conditions like fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome.
Clinical Evidence
A 2008 study published in the journal "Biopsychosocial Medicine" found that some depressed patients have a disturbance in their energy metabolism, possibly due to lowered levels of ATP production. In fact, only one of the study participants had ATP levels within the normal control range.
In an article published in the April/May 2008 issue of the journal "Integrative Medicine," Dr. Jacob Teitelbaum states that ribose supplementation can often be beneficial for patients suffering from conditions causing energy metabolism dysfunction, including depression, chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia--the latter two conditions whose symptoms also include depression. A study published in the 2006 issue of the "Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine" showed that ribose supplementation improved feelings of well-being, energy levels and fatigue in patients with chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia. However, there are no studies that have specifically evaluated the benefits of ribose for depression.
Considerations
While ribose may provide some benefit for depression, you should not use dietary supplements to self-treat your symptoms. Consult your doctor if you think you are depressed. Depression can worsen if left untreated. As with any dietary supplement, inform your doctor if you choose to use ribose.
References
- "The Breakthrough Depression Solution"; James Greenblatt, MD; 2011
- Tufts Medical Center: Ribose
- "Biopsychosocial Medicine"; Symptoms Of Somatization As Rapid Screening Tool For Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Depression; A. Gardner and R. Boles; 2008
- "Integrative Medicine"; Enhancing Mitochondrial Function With D-Ribose; J. Teitelbaum, MD; April/May 2008
- "Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine"; The Use of D-Ribose in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia: A Pilot Study; J. Teitelbaum, et al.; 2006
