Ribose Versus Dextrose Supplementation, Association With Rowing Performance: A Double-Blind Study.
Dunne, Laura MD *; Worley, Sarah MS +; Macknin, Michael MD ++
[Report] Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine. 16(1):68-71, January 2006.

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Objective: It has been hypothesized that ribose supplementation rapidly replenishes adenosine triphosphate stores and thereby improves exercise performance. We compared the effects of ribose versus dextrose on rowing performance.

Design: Double-blind randomized trial.

Setting: Rowing team training area of large midwestern university.

Participants: Thirty-one women collegiate rowers.

Interventions: We studied the effects of ribose versus dextrose supplementation (10 g each in 8 oz water) for 8 weeks before and after practice and 2000-m time trials.

Outcome Measurements and Results: In the time trials, the dextrose group showed significantly more improvement at 8 weeks than the ribose group (median, 15.2 vs. 5.2 s; P = 0.031).

Conclusions: We doubt ribose impaired, and hypothesize dextrose enhanced, rowing performance. Further research is needed to define what role, if any, dextrose and ribose play as athletic supplements.

(C) 2006 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Inc.