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Ribose, heart energy and atrial fibrillation -- Update
Posted by Jackie
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Ribose, heart energy and atrial fibrillation -- Update July 18, 2007 04:40AM |
Registered: 8 years ago Posts: 18,890 |
Jacob Teitelbaum, MD, is a physician who was struck down early in life with CFS/Fibromyalgia. (See his bio at the end of this post.)
Because Ive had FM and some CFS since 1994, Ive read his first book, followed his protocols, improved greatly and have kept in touch with his progress in this field. Most recently, I was reading one of his informative updates, and my eyes perked up at a comment that ribose had helped a patient with atrial fibrillation. You may recall my post on the use of ribose for muscle and heart energy production. (Link at the end of the post.)
I wrote to him and he most kindly and generously responded with a clip from a chapter in his fourth edition of From Fatigue to Fantastic to be published this fall. Im sharing the details of his response to me.
He said that while he is not aware of any specific research on Ribose and atrial fibrillation, there have been anecdotal experiences observed by a number of physicians who have had patients arrhythmia resolve. He comments in the chapter clip:
"Interestingly, one of our study patients had an abnormal heart rhythm called atrial fibrillation. Ribose is outstanding in the treatment of heart disease as well, because it restores energy production in the heart muscle. Because of this, it was not surprising that this mans atrial fibrillation also went away on the ribose and he was able to stop his heart medications as well! Because of its importance and the research showing marked heart muscle dysfunction (because of low energy) in CFS, lets look at Ribose and the heart in more detail."
Dr. Teitelbaum observes that by improving cardiac energy production, one decreases heart work and improves blood flow and efficiency, decreasing the risk/tendency to arrhythmias. He commented there is more research on ribose and CHF, use in heart bypass surgery, etc, showing marked cardiac benefits and laying a foundation for understanding how D-Ribose could help in arrhythmias. He put me in touch with one of the researchers at Bioenergy and I learned from that correspondence that this area is on their lengthy must do list, but is not yet active. The researcher said they would welcome all anecdotal reports from afibbers who are using ribose; so if you are, please send your comments to me so I can collect and pass along which may help spur them on to do research in this area.
Since Ive had the breakthrough arrhythmias, Im increasing my daily ribose dosing and will start to keep track my own changes or improvements. It certainly helps with other muscle energy and strength so it must also benefit my heart muscle.
From the chapter excerpt Dr. Teitelbaum sent, following are some interesting points he makes regarding heart energy.
"Decades of research have shown that ribose has a profound effect on heart function in patients with congestive heart failure, coronary artery disease, and cardiomyopathy (a weakened heart muscle). Like the muscles in patients with fibromyalgia, sick hearts are energy starved. This energy deprivation keeps the heart from relaxing between heartbeats, making it impossible for the heart to completely fill with blood.
(It surprisingly takes more energy for the heart muscle to relax than contract). Because the heart does not fill completely, less blood is pumped to the body with each heartbeat. The heart then gets stiff and it strains to contract. Ultimately, the heart becomes enlarged, a condition known as hypertrophy, and it is unable to pump normally."
He goes on to compare the heart muscle with one of the bicep in weight training. With time, weight training increases the muscle size and makes it harder which is desirable. When the heart becomes stiff, though, it is forced to contract against more and more pressure which also makes the heart grow and unlike the bicep, this can be a deadly consequence.
He says unlike the biceps muscle, hearts must remain supple so they can fill properly and empty fully with each contraction. When hearts cant pump normal volumes of blood, muscles of the arms, legs and brain become oxygen starved and result in pain, fatigue, brain fog and depression.
The ultimate consequence of an enlarged and stiff heart unable to pump enough blood can be a heart attack. He says, the benefit of ribose is to restore the energy level in the heart to allow it to fully relax, fill, and empty completely to circulate blood to the outer reaches of the body.
In his correspondence, Dr. Teitelbaum recommended the following protocol for people with atrial fibrillation. (his words, his product recommendations)
"By improving cardiac energy production, one decreases heart work and improves blood flow and efficiency, decreasing the risk/tendency to arrhythmias. I recommend the following protocol:
1) Ribose 5 gms 3 x day made by BioEnergy -CorValen brand
2) Magnesium (which has been shown to decrease medication needs in AF by 50% in a study done decades ago-but too cheap to get the attention of physicians) plus B vitamins and malic acid. I would recommend the "Energy Revitalization System" powder by Enzymatic Therapy to make this simple (see www.vitality101.com for more info or www.enzy.com )
3) CoEnzyme Q 10 at 200-400 mg/day. I'd recommend the Vitaline or Enzymatic Therapy brand
4) Acetyl-l Carnitine 1000 mg/day
Give it 6-12 weeks to see the effect.
For more info on these nutrients and the heart, I refer you to a book called "The Sinatra Solution" by Steve Sinatra MD
In addition, I strongly encourage you to explore the role of Trigger Points (TrP's)/muscle reflex arcs in atrial fib. This concept was developed by the late Dr Janet Travell , White House physician for President's Kennedy and Johnson and Professor of Medicine. She would eliminate AF in seconds by releasing a specific tight muscle. She discusses this briefly in her book "The Trigger Point Manual". See a more detailed article below.
Love and Blessings
Jacob Teitelbaum MD"
My comment Ive checked out the ingredients in the Energy Revitalization Program (which he designed for Enzymatic Therapy). iherb carries it and if one isnt bothered by the whey content, it certainly looks complete.
On the reference to Dr. Travells Trigger Point Therapy and afib, this article references the extensive work on myofascial trigger points (MTrPs) for which Dr. Travel was so famous. Over decades of work and various treatment experiments, Dr. Travell found cardiac pain in the shoulder and arm could be relieved with several types of spray; procaine, ethyl chloride, Fluori-Methane. Much of the article deals with cardiac pain but the section Dr. Teitelbaum references on arrhythmia and, another, on the lack of ATP energy and calcium exiting the contractile elements of the sarcoplasmic reticulum are interesting to ponder since weve discussed that several years back and now it comes up again from another source. (read through this reference for a refresher on the this calcium and SR mechanism. (http://www.healthandage.com/html/min/nih/content/booklets/heart_and_ateries/p5.htm)
Quote from the article:
They also saw evidence that the spray could suppress cardiac arrhythmias. On several later occasions, I saw the conversion of atrial fibrillation to normal rhythm when vapocoolant spray was applied over the arrhythmia MTrP on the lower-right anterior chest wall; the same effect could be achieved by trigger point pressure release applied to that MTrP, as described in The Trigger Point Manual. For several reasons, it appears likely that many such unexpected influences, to and from MTrPs, depend on modulation of the autonomic nervous system, in addition to modulation of the sensory nervous system (referred pain).
During Janet's visits late in the 1970s, we often discussed the question of what causes MTrPs and began to formulate a hypothesis. In 1981, we published our progress to date. That hypothesis explained how the taut band muscle fibers contracted in the absence of propagated electrical activity, and why stretching the muscle could produce rapid resolution of the tenderness of the nodule and the tautness of the band.
The hypothesis focused on excessive calcium release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum as a cause of local muscle fiber contracture. The contracture, in turn, causes local ischemia that limits energy replacement and consumes more adenosine triphosphate (ATP), depleting the energy source. These events leave insufficient ATP for adequate return of calcium from the contractile elements to the sarcoplasmic reticulum by the calcium pump. Stretching the muscle reduces the overlap between actin and myosin, thereby reducing energy demand and breaking the cycle.
Read the complete article
[www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov]
Jackie
References:
(original ribose post) Energizing Heart & Muscle Cells with D-Ribose <[www.afibbers.org]>
Jacob Teitelbaum, MD, is a board-certified Internist and the Director of The Annapolis Center for Effective CFS/Fibromyalgia (FMS) Therapies where he sees CFS/Fibromyalgia/Chronic pain patients from all over the world (410-266-6958). Having suffered with and overcome these illnesses in 1975 when he was in medical school, he spent the next 28 years creating, researching, and teaching about effective therapies. He is the author of the best-selling From Fatigued to Fantastic!" Pain Free 1 2 3 and the newly released "Three Steps to Happiness! Healing through Joy". His web site can be found at: www.vitality101.com
As his treatment protocol for CFS/FMS continues to evolve, Dr. Teitelbaum is continually recognized as a leader in his field. Dr. Teitelbaum is senior author of the ground-breaking study showing that CFS/FMS patients can have a 91% improvement rate with an integrated treatment protocol. The April, 2002, issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Pain Management noted: "Teitelbaum's study is highly successful and makes Fibromyalgia a very treatable disorder. The study by Dr. Teitelbaum, et al., and years of clinical experience, makes this approach an excellent and powerfully effective part of the standard of practice for treatment of people who suffer from FMS [Fibromyalgia] and MPS [Pain] - both of which are common and devastating.
Because Ive had FM and some CFS since 1994, Ive read his first book, followed his protocols, improved greatly and have kept in touch with his progress in this field. Most recently, I was reading one of his informative updates, and my eyes perked up at a comment that ribose had helped a patient with atrial fibrillation. You may recall my post on the use of ribose for muscle and heart energy production. (Link at the end of the post.)
I wrote to him and he most kindly and generously responded with a clip from a chapter in his fourth edition of From Fatigue to Fantastic to be published this fall. Im sharing the details of his response to me.
He said that while he is not aware of any specific research on Ribose and atrial fibrillation, there have been anecdotal experiences observed by a number of physicians who have had patients arrhythmia resolve. He comments in the chapter clip:
"Interestingly, one of our study patients had an abnormal heart rhythm called atrial fibrillation. Ribose is outstanding in the treatment of heart disease as well, because it restores energy production in the heart muscle. Because of this, it was not surprising that this mans atrial fibrillation also went away on the ribose and he was able to stop his heart medications as well! Because of its importance and the research showing marked heart muscle dysfunction (because of low energy) in CFS, lets look at Ribose and the heart in more detail."
Dr. Teitelbaum observes that by improving cardiac energy production, one decreases heart work and improves blood flow and efficiency, decreasing the risk/tendency to arrhythmias. He commented there is more research on ribose and CHF, use in heart bypass surgery, etc, showing marked cardiac benefits and laying a foundation for understanding how D-Ribose could help in arrhythmias. He put me in touch with one of the researchers at Bioenergy and I learned from that correspondence that this area is on their lengthy must do list, but is not yet active. The researcher said they would welcome all anecdotal reports from afibbers who are using ribose; so if you are, please send your comments to me so I can collect and pass along which may help spur them on to do research in this area.
Since Ive had the breakthrough arrhythmias, Im increasing my daily ribose dosing and will start to keep track my own changes or improvements. It certainly helps with other muscle energy and strength so it must also benefit my heart muscle.
From the chapter excerpt Dr. Teitelbaum sent, following are some interesting points he makes regarding heart energy.
"Decades of research have shown that ribose has a profound effect on heart function in patients with congestive heart failure, coronary artery disease, and cardiomyopathy (a weakened heart muscle). Like the muscles in patients with fibromyalgia, sick hearts are energy starved. This energy deprivation keeps the heart from relaxing between heartbeats, making it impossible for the heart to completely fill with blood.
(It surprisingly takes more energy for the heart muscle to relax than contract). Because the heart does not fill completely, less blood is pumped to the body with each heartbeat. The heart then gets stiff and it strains to contract. Ultimately, the heart becomes enlarged, a condition known as hypertrophy, and it is unable to pump normally."
He goes on to compare the heart muscle with one of the bicep in weight training. With time, weight training increases the muscle size and makes it harder which is desirable. When the heart becomes stiff, though, it is forced to contract against more and more pressure which also makes the heart grow and unlike the bicep, this can be a deadly consequence.
He says unlike the biceps muscle, hearts must remain supple so they can fill properly and empty fully with each contraction. When hearts cant pump normal volumes of blood, muscles of the arms, legs and brain become oxygen starved and result in pain, fatigue, brain fog and depression.
The ultimate consequence of an enlarged and stiff heart unable to pump enough blood can be a heart attack. He says, the benefit of ribose is to restore the energy level in the heart to allow it to fully relax, fill, and empty completely to circulate blood to the outer reaches of the body.
In his correspondence, Dr. Teitelbaum recommended the following protocol for people with atrial fibrillation. (his words, his product recommendations)
"By improving cardiac energy production, one decreases heart work and improves blood flow and efficiency, decreasing the risk/tendency to arrhythmias. I recommend the following protocol:
1) Ribose 5 gms 3 x day made by BioEnergy -CorValen brand
2) Magnesium (which has been shown to decrease medication needs in AF by 50% in a study done decades ago-but too cheap to get the attention of physicians) plus B vitamins and malic acid. I would recommend the "Energy Revitalization System" powder by Enzymatic Therapy to make this simple (see www.vitality101.com for more info or www.enzy.com )
3) CoEnzyme Q 10 at 200-400 mg/day. I'd recommend the Vitaline or Enzymatic Therapy brand
4) Acetyl-l Carnitine 1000 mg/day
Give it 6-12 weeks to see the effect.
For more info on these nutrients and the heart, I refer you to a book called "The Sinatra Solution" by Steve Sinatra MD
In addition, I strongly encourage you to explore the role of Trigger Points (TrP's)/muscle reflex arcs in atrial fib. This concept was developed by the late Dr Janet Travell , White House physician for President's Kennedy and Johnson and Professor of Medicine. She would eliminate AF in seconds by releasing a specific tight muscle. She discusses this briefly in her book "The Trigger Point Manual". See a more detailed article below.
Love and Blessings
Jacob Teitelbaum MD"
My comment Ive checked out the ingredients in the Energy Revitalization Program (which he designed for Enzymatic Therapy). iherb carries it and if one isnt bothered by the whey content, it certainly looks complete.
On the reference to Dr. Travells Trigger Point Therapy and afib, this article references the extensive work on myofascial trigger points (MTrPs) for which Dr. Travel was so famous. Over decades of work and various treatment experiments, Dr. Travell found cardiac pain in the shoulder and arm could be relieved with several types of spray; procaine, ethyl chloride, Fluori-Methane. Much of the article deals with cardiac pain but the section Dr. Teitelbaum references on arrhythmia and, another, on the lack of ATP energy and calcium exiting the contractile elements of the sarcoplasmic reticulum are interesting to ponder since weve discussed that several years back and now it comes up again from another source. (read through this reference for a refresher on the this calcium and SR mechanism. (http://www.healthandage.com/html/min/nih/content/booklets/heart_and_ateries/p5.htm)
Quote from the article:
They also saw evidence that the spray could suppress cardiac arrhythmias. On several later occasions, I saw the conversion of atrial fibrillation to normal rhythm when vapocoolant spray was applied over the arrhythmia MTrP on the lower-right anterior chest wall; the same effect could be achieved by trigger point pressure release applied to that MTrP, as described in The Trigger Point Manual. For several reasons, it appears likely that many such unexpected influences, to and from MTrPs, depend on modulation of the autonomic nervous system, in addition to modulation of the sensory nervous system (referred pain).
During Janet's visits late in the 1970s, we often discussed the question of what causes MTrPs and began to formulate a hypothesis. In 1981, we published our progress to date. That hypothesis explained how the taut band muscle fibers contracted in the absence of propagated electrical activity, and why stretching the muscle could produce rapid resolution of the tenderness of the nodule and the tautness of the band.
The hypothesis focused on excessive calcium release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum as a cause of local muscle fiber contracture. The contracture, in turn, causes local ischemia that limits energy replacement and consumes more adenosine triphosphate (ATP), depleting the energy source. These events leave insufficient ATP for adequate return of calcium from the contractile elements to the sarcoplasmic reticulum by the calcium pump. Stretching the muscle reduces the overlap between actin and myosin, thereby reducing energy demand and breaking the cycle.
Read the complete article
[www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov]
Jackie
References:
(original ribose post) Energizing Heart & Muscle Cells with D-Ribose <[www.afibbers.org]>
Jacob Teitelbaum, MD, is a board-certified Internist and the Director of The Annapolis Center for Effective CFS/Fibromyalgia (FMS) Therapies where he sees CFS/Fibromyalgia/Chronic pain patients from all over the world (410-266-6958). Having suffered with and overcome these illnesses in 1975 when he was in medical school, he spent the next 28 years creating, researching, and teaching about effective therapies. He is the author of the best-selling From Fatigued to Fantastic!" Pain Free 1 2 3 and the newly released "Three Steps to Happiness! Healing through Joy". His web site can be found at: www.vitality101.com
As his treatment protocol for CFS/FMS continues to evolve, Dr. Teitelbaum is continually recognized as a leader in his field. Dr. Teitelbaum is senior author of the ground-breaking study showing that CFS/FMS patients can have a 91% improvement rate with an integrated treatment protocol. The April, 2002, issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Pain Management noted: "Teitelbaum's study is highly successful and makes Fibromyalgia a very treatable disorder. The study by Dr. Teitelbaum, et al., and years of clinical experience, makes this approach an excellent and powerfully effective part of the standard of practice for treatment of people who suffer from FMS [Fibromyalgia] and MPS [Pain] - both of which are common and devastating.
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Louise
Re: Ribose, heart energy and atrial fibrillation -- Update July 18, 2007 05:50AM |
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Re: Ribose, heart energy and atrial fibrillation -- Update July 18, 2007 06:25AM |
Registered: 8 years ago Posts: 18,890 |
Louise - be sure to read the first article that I referenced as my original ribose post so you understand how to use the ribose. It is available through several sources. I've tried many but prefer the one from BioEnergy as it seemed to give me better results.
Just be sure to read the labels to make sure the patent information is listed since this is a powder that could easily be 'doctored' by unscrupulous manufactured. It's mildly sweet and it would be easy to add sucrose (sugar) instead of the 5-carbon sugar that ribose is.
The brand I'd use from iherb would be Jarrow; Vitacost (online has ribose) and you can google CorValen and come up with sources for that which is the product made by BioEnergy. Designs for Health also sells BioEnergy ribose and you can get that online through Rockwell Nutrition.
Be forwarned, it's expensive.
Jackie
Just be sure to read the labels to make sure the patent information is listed since this is a powder that could easily be 'doctored' by unscrupulous manufactured. It's mildly sweet and it would be easy to add sucrose (sugar) instead of the 5-carbon sugar that ribose is.
The brand I'd use from iherb would be Jarrow; Vitacost (online has ribose) and you can google CorValen and come up with sources for that which is the product made by BioEnergy. Designs for Health also sells BioEnergy ribose and you can get that online through Rockwell Nutrition.
Be forwarned, it's expensive.
Jackie
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GeorgeN
Re: Ribose, heart energy and atrial fibrillation -- Update July 18, 2007 07:26AM |
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Louise
Re: Ribose, heart energy and atrial fibrillation -- Update July 18, 2007 08:20AM |
Jackie and George--Thanks so much for your info. I am looking forward to following up on all this. I am going to talk to my chiropractor re implementing theTravell myofaschial trigger point ideas--she is very into that approach and will be interested. Wouldn't that be a blessing if found helpful? Again, thanks !
Louise
Louise
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GeorgeN
Re: Ribose, heart energy and atrial fibrillation -- Update July 18, 2007 06:23PM |
From "The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook: Your Self-Treatment Guide for Pain Relief, Second Edition by Clair Davies" p 136, 2004, he quotes Travell & Simons:
"The trigger point for a fluttery kind of heart arrhythmia is found between the ribs, a couple of inches to the right of the end of the breastbone. Pressing on this one is sharply painful, but the heart rhythm straightens out right away if the trigger point is to blame. Massage the arrhythmia trigger point with the fingertips. The trigger pint can be difficult to resolve if emkphysema engages you in a constant battle to expel your breath (Travell & Simons' Myofascial Pain and Dysfunction: The Trigger Point Manual (2-Volume Set) (Hardcover) by David G. Simons MD, Janet G. Travell MD, Lois S. Simons, Barbara D. Cummings, p 838, 1999)"
From looking at the figure, it looks like the point is about an inch below a man's nipple on his right breast. If you are female you'll have to translate this to your own anatomy. He does suggest that females lie on their backs to let gravity move their breast aside when working on this point.
Travell & Simons' book is directed at practitioners. Davies studied Travell & Simons, to treat himself, then undertook further study & became a pratitioner. His book is directed at self treatment, and David Simons, MD wrote the forward to his book.
My own experience with trigger points is that they will certainly feel sore. The instruction is to massage them 6-12 strokes at a time, several times a day. This worked well for some knee pain. If you have chronic joint or muscle pain, I'd certainly recommend investigating trigger point therapy further. I've no experience with the arrhythmia trigger point.
George
"The trigger point for a fluttery kind of heart arrhythmia is found between the ribs, a couple of inches to the right of the end of the breastbone. Pressing on this one is sharply painful, but the heart rhythm straightens out right away if the trigger point is to blame. Massage the arrhythmia trigger point with the fingertips. The trigger pint can be difficult to resolve if emkphysema engages you in a constant battle to expel your breath (Travell & Simons' Myofascial Pain and Dysfunction: The Trigger Point Manual (2-Volume Set) (Hardcover) by David G. Simons MD, Janet G. Travell MD, Lois S. Simons, Barbara D. Cummings, p 838, 1999)"
From looking at the figure, it looks like the point is about an inch below a man's nipple on his right breast. If you are female you'll have to translate this to your own anatomy. He does suggest that females lie on their backs to let gravity move their breast aside when working on this point.
Travell & Simons' book is directed at practitioners. Davies studied Travell & Simons, to treat himself, then undertook further study & became a pratitioner. His book is directed at self treatment, and David Simons, MD wrote the forward to his book.
My own experience with trigger points is that they will certainly feel sore. The instruction is to massage them 6-12 strokes at a time, several times a day. This worked well for some knee pain. If you have chronic joint or muscle pain, I'd certainly recommend investigating trigger point therapy further. I've no experience with the arrhythmia trigger point.
George
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Sharon Glass
Re: Ribose, heart energy and atrial fibrillation -- Update July 19, 2007 03:42AM |
George, I also believe in trigger point therapy. I have been to massage therapists over the years and they have found spots on my body that I didn't know were sore. After the massage, I would feel so good. I use my own trigger point massage from what I learned from massage professionals. I am happy to say that since I have been on a regular supplement regime and have stayed hydrated it has been months since I have found one sore spot on my body. That makes me very happy because I had a lot a year ago. I was constantly rubbing them out. I don't know if it is the magnesium, potassium, taurine more water or the other supplements, I just know something is working. Sharon
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