The public has become very savvy about the advantages and disadvantages of energy products, particularly those containing high amounts of caffeine and/or sugar. Food and beverage manufacturers are increasingly looking to Bioenergy Ribose as either an additive or an alternative. D-Ribose answers consumer demand for a safe, natural source of sustained energy, with fewer crashes plus other added benefits such as reduced muscle soreness and faster muscle recovery time.
“The market for natural energy products continues to grow at a very healthy rate,” comments Michael Crabtree, CPT/CSCS, ISSN, CISSN, technical sales manager for Bioenergy Life Science. “We’re seeing an increased interest in Bioenergy Ribose because it is a safe and natural functional ingredient that works to help people feel better and more energetic.”
Crabtree adds that the benefit of products formulated with natural ingredients is really very simple. “Logically, the products formulated with natural ingredients, or that adhere to processes that more closely emulate those found in nature are better for consumers,” he says. “This brings D-Ribose to the forefront of sweetener technology. Carbohydrates that are produced naturally in the body, as opposed to the synthetic chemical sweeteners, and that also further their benefit by adding additional functional qualities are of great use to formulators looking to accomplish multiple things simultaneously.”
Recent research has shown that blends of energy products may give people the greatest benefits, because they help them to achieve energy equilibrium. Those studies that Bioenergy Life Science has competed are finding promising correlations between stimulants and natural functional ingredients. “The goal is not to remove stimulants from products,” says Crabtree, “but to balance their physiological effect. Ingredients such as Ribose act synergistically by enhancing an increase in cellular energy without contributing to undesirable effects including additional dehydration, or the ever-dreaded crash. The data shows that it is possible to create products that are balanced and therefore safer.”
Crabtree predicts that consumers may soon see “hybrid” products on store shelves: those that have both functional and supplemental benefits. “If multiple benefits are achieved through a single product it has an immediate market advantage. Examples might be an energy drink that is both satisfying and provides nutrient delivery, or a mint that both freshens breath and provides stimulation prior to exercise. They provide consumers with multi-faceted benefits without the need for multiple purchases.”