In addition to age, exercise, and illness, fructose intake may be a variable which leads to a slowdown in adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production, according to a new scientific review published by the Royal Society of London’s Philosophical Transactions. “Unlike other nutrients, fructose reduces the active energy in the cell, while blocking its regeneration from fat stores,” the authors noted.
 
ATP is a nucleic acid which provides energy to all cells in the body, enabling muscle contraction, nerve firing, and heartbeat. While ATP replenishment is an endogenous process, ATP levels can drop due to a number of variables.
 
“As we age, or if we suffer from various diseases or metabolic deficiencies, the cellular mechanics of ATP turnover can be disrupted,” said Michael Crabtree, ND, director of scientific affairs at Bioenergy Life Science (BLS). BLS is known for manufacturing Bioenergy Ribose, a structural component of ATP evidenced to increase ATP production rates.
 
“Most body tissues cannot make enough ribose to quickly restore energy levels once they have been depleted,” Crabtree said. “This delay slows cell and tissue energy recovery. For example, studies have shown that it can take more than three days for depleted skeletal muscle energy levels to return to normal following strenuous exercise. In these situations, supplements that promote ATP turnover can be impactful.”
 
Counteracting Fructose
 
According to the review, fructose inhibits AMPK, a key enzyme responsible for energy balance and metabolism. “AMPK is what’s called a precursor to the ATP production process,” Crabtree said. “If AMPK is not functioning properly, cells won’t know they’re under stress and need more energy. The body won’t make more mitochondria, ATP levels may drop, and so will energy.”
 
By incorporating ribose into diets, especially in foods that contain fructose, it may mitigate the negative effects of fructose on ATP production, Crabtree said. D-ribose is made endogenously when the body converts glucose, a simple sugar, into ribose.
 
“In addition to being clinically proven to increase ATP levels, preliminary research shows that Bioenergy Ribose effectively activates AMPK,” Crabtree said. “By formulating with Bioenergy Ribose in foods, beverages and dietary supplements that contain fructose, we can potentially neutralize the harmful effects of fructose. This would support metabolic health by helping maintain a healthy weight, manage blood sugar levels and improve overall energy levels.”
 
Crabtree noted that Bioenergy Ribose has been involved in dozens of double-blind, placebo-controlled human clinical studies over the course of more than three decades, which provide evidence that the ingredient can raise ATP levels.
 
Bioenergy Ribose is available in a portfolio of ingredients suitable for food and beverage applications. Beyond the original ingredient, it is also available in a formulation called RiboActiv, which is the efficacious dose for activating AMPK along with other benefits, and SweetR, a low-calorie sweetener complex.