Ribose is a simple, five-carbon sugar that is found naturally in our bodies. But ribose is not any other sugar. Other sugars are used by the body as fuel, where they are "burned" by the body to recycle energy. But because they are used excessively, they are toxic. However, the body treats ribose differently and preserves it for the vital work of actually making the energy molecule that powers our hearts, muscles, brains, and every other tissue in the body. Research has repeatedly shown that giving ribose to energy-deficient hearts and muscles stimulates energy recovery. A recent study showed that in people with chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia, ribose increased energy an average of 45% in just 3 weeks.