Effective treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia with D-ribose (Corvalen): a multicenter study

By J. Teitelbaum, MD; R. McGrew1; J. Jandrain1. 1Integrative Therapeutics Inc., Green Bay, WI; Co-sponsored by Integrative Therapeutics Inc. and Bioenergy Inc., Minneapolis, MN

Introduction: Chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia (CFS/FMS) are debilitating syndromes affecting 2 percent to 4 percent of the population. Although they are heterogeneous con- ditions associated with many triggers, including infections, autoimmune illnesses, hormonal dysfunctions, and other processes, they appear to have the common pathology of being associated with impaired energy metabolism.

As D-ribose (Corvalen) has been shown to increase cellular energy synthesis in heart and skeletal muscle and was shown to significantly improve clinical outcomes in CFS/FMS in an earlier pilot study, we conducted a larger, community based, multicenter trial to see if these findings could be generalized to a broader patient population. We hypothesized that giving D-Ribose would improve function in CFS/FMS patients.

D-ribose:

• A naturally occurring five carbon carbohydrate;
• Important in energy (ATP) produc- tion, DNA, and RNA function, and other intra-cellular processes;
• Clinically shown to regenerate ATP levels and improve diastolic function following ischemia/CHF; and
• Improves symptoms in patients with fibromyalgia/chronic fatigue syndrome.

Study objectives: The study objectives were to determine whether oral D- ribose (Corvalen) administration reduces subjective perceptions of fatigue and improves function in CFS/FMS patients.

Study method: Fifty-three health practitioners enrolled 257 patients who had been diagnosed with fibromyalgia and/or chronic fatigue syndrome. They were given D-ribose (Corvalen), a naturally occurring pentose carbohydrate, at a dose of 5-g TID for three weeks.

All patients were assessed at baseline (one week before treatment was begun) and after one, two, and three weeks of treatment using a visual analog scale (of one to seven points) rating energy, sleep, cognitive function, pain, and overall well-being.

Results: Two-hundred and three patients completed the three week treatment trial. The results showed statistically significant improvement in all five parameters after three weeks of D-ribose (Corvalen) treatment (p < .0001).

Improvement began in the first week of treatment. After three weeks, steady state was not achieved, suggesting that further improvement may occur with longer use. D-ribose was well-tolerated.

Summary:

• Oral D-ribose (Corvalen) was well-tolerated with no significant adverse effects.
• Visual analog scale ratings in sleep, cognitive function, and overall well- being all markedly improved.
• Improvement was continuing to increase at the end of the three weeks of treatment, suggesting that even greater improvement may occur with longer use.

Conclusion: In this multicenter study, D-ribose (Corvalen) resulted in markedly improved energy levels, sleep, mental clarity, pain relief, and well-being in patients suffering from fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome.

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This research was provided by Douglas Laboratories.

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