Jacob Teitelbaum*,1, Janelle Jandrain2 and Ryan McGrew3
The Open Pain Journal, 2012, 5, 32-37, 1Kona Research Center, 76-6326 Kaheiau St, Kailua Kona, Hawaii 96740, and Fibromyalgia and Fatigue Centers, Addison, Texas, USA; 2,3Schwabe North America, 3051 West Maple Loop Dr., Lehi, UT 84043, USA
Abstract: Objectives: Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia (CFS/FMS) are debilitating syndromes affecting ~2-4% of the population. Although they are heterogeneous conditions associated with many triggers, they appear to have the common pathology of being associated with impaired energy metabolism. As D-ribose has been shown to increase cellular energy synthesis, and was shown to significantly improve clinical outcomes in CFS/FMS in an earlier study, we hypothesized that giving D-ribose would improve function in CFS/FMS patients.
Design, Location, and Subjects: An open-label, unblinded study in which 53 US clinics enrolled 257 patients who had been given a diagnosis of CFS/FMS by a health practitioner. Interventions: All subjects were given D-ribose (Corvalen), a naturally occurring pentose carbohydrate, 5-g TID for 3 weeks. Outcome measures: All patients were assessed at baseline (1 week before treatment), and after 1,2, & 3 weeks using a Visual Analog Scale(1-7 points) rating energy, sleep, cognitive function, pain and overall well being.
Results: 203 patients completed the 3 week treatment trial. D-ribose treatment led to both statistically (p<.0001) and clinically highly important average improvements in all categories:
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- 61.3 % increase in energy
- 37% increase in overall well being
- 29.3% improvement in sleep
- 30% improvement in mental clarity
- 15.6% decrease in pain
Improvement began in the first week of treatment, and continued to increase at the end of the 3 weeks of treatment. The D-ribose was well tolerated. Conclusions: In this multicenter study, D-ribose resulted in markedly improved energy levels, sleep, mental clarity, pain relief, and wellbeing in patients suffering from fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome. clinicaltrials.gov NCT01108549.