D-ribose improved symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome and
fibromyalgia; glucosamine, chondroitin, and vitamin D helped
rebuild bone in osteoporosis, and rosehips decreased pain
and cut pain medication in osteoporosis, three new studies
reveal.
In a chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and
fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) study, doctors theorized that
the body does not have enough d-ribose, a simple sugar the
body makes from glucose that cells need to create energy.
Researchers recruited 41 participants with CFS or FMS who
took three 5-gram doses of d-ribose per day. After about 18
days, 66% of participants reported significantly better
energy, sleep, mental clarity, overall well-being and less
pain. There were no side effects.
In an osteoarthritis (OA) study, doctors noted that in
early OA, special cells that constantly coordinate to form
and break down bone, called osteoblasts and osteoclasts
respectively, fall out of balance. In the laboratory,
researchers incubated OA bone cells—from knee-replacement
surgery—with glucosamine sulfate (GS) and chondroitin
sulfate (CS), alone and together, and found that osteoblast/osteoclast
activity began to rebalance with CS alone and combined with
GS. Vitamin D3 enhanced these effects.
In a rosehip study, researchers recruited 94 participants
with OA of the knee or hip to take 5 grams of rosehips per
day or a placebo for three months, then switched treatment
and placebo for another three months. After three weeks of
taking rosehips, participants reported significantly less
pain and were able to take much less pain medication. After
three months of taking rosehips, participants reported
significantly more physical ability, less stiffness and less
overall severity of pain. The placebo groups reported no
significant changes.