There is a supplement that has been shown to help regenerate damaged heart cells and rejuvenate cells throughout the body. The supplement is actually the sugar, ribose. Ribose is different from most sugars that you are familiar with. If you look at the molecular structure of most sugars, you’ll see that they are all a chain of carbon atoms. The most common sugars, including glucose, sucrose and fructose, have a six-carbon chain in their nucleus.

When your body metabolizes these sugars, the six-carbon chain causes your body to produce insulin.

Ribose, on the other hand, has only a five-carbon chain in its nucleus. Your body handles this type of carbon chain in a completely different way. It doesn’t raise your blood sugar levels or cause your body to produce insulin.

It’s been known for over 16 years that ribose helps cells that aren’t getting enough oxygen. If your heart doesn’t have enough oxygen (i.e., it’s ischemic) in certain areas, those areas might go into “hibernation” to protect their limited energy capacity. The cells will still be viable, but they just won’t pump.

In a 1991 study, researchers found that ribose can quickly get those cells pumping again. This is especially important to anyone who undergoes bypass surgery.

If you do have to undergo bypass surgery, make sure you have plenty of ribose on hand. A recent study conducted by an orthodox cardiac surgeon shows why. Dr. D. Perkowski of Laguna Hills, California, studied 143 people who had previous bypass surgery.

He used patients he treated in the past as controls. Then he compared the heart function of new incoming bypass patients (who were taking ribose) with the controls (who weren’t).

Dr. Perkowski measured their heart condition using the cardiac index, which measures the pumping ability of the heart in a minute. He found that the new patients taking the ribose had a 43% improvement in cardiac index – triple the improvement of the controls who were not taking the supplement. Plus, the ribose didn’t cause any adverse reactions.

But even if you don’t need heart surgery – even if you don’t have a heart condition – ribose is worth taking. A Lancet study in 1992 showed how taking ribose for only three days can significantly improve exercise tolerance.

The Lancet study followed 20 men and found that those taking ribose could exercise much harder before their EKG showed ischemia (oxygen debt). Better exercise tolerance means you’re getting more oxygen burned in your cells.

Ribose is easily and quickly absorbed in your intestines. In fact, your body absorbs about 95% of it. It will pour into your bloodstream, where it’s carried to the tissues that need it.