Try This Morning Combo for Steady, All-Day Energy

Earlier this year I told you about a powerful combination of two excellent supplements that taken in combination can dramatically improve your daily energy. Those two supplements were Clinical Essentials™ (an excellent multivitamin tablet) and the Smart Energy System™ (my own branded offering that pairs D-Ribose with specially formulated energy capsules). I also pointed out that the Clinical Essentials multivitamin tablets were the next best thing to the very popular Energy Revitalization System vitamin powder that went out of production some time ago, and that I would change my recommendation to switch to the vitamin powder as soon as we got that back.

Well, as most of you know by now, the vitamin powder has returned. And since it is quite simply the very best multivitamin in the world, I'm happily updating my earlier recommendation to substitute our newly returned vitamin powder for the Clinical Essentials. So, if you want a combination of two nutritional supplements that just might double your daily energy, here's the "new and improved" magic morning combo:

1. Fatigued to Fantastic™ Energy Revitalization Drink Mix. This is not only the best multivitamin you'll ever take but the formula is even better than before! It still contains over 30 key nutrients at optimal dosing in one great tasting fruit-flavored drink But I've now removed a few ingredients that some people had difficulty tolerating and upgraded many of the other nutrients to more effective forms that are more easily absorbed (see "The Vitamin Powder Is Back!" for more on this).
2. Smart Energy System™. This is a two-bottle set that combines S.H.I.N.E.® D-Ribose, a substance made naturally in our body that is critical for the creation of cellular energy, with Smart Energy Capsules, a unique supplement that provides five awesome energy-supporting herbs. A study we conducted showed that the Smart Energy System increased stamina an average of 81%, while also improving sleep, energy, cognition, and physical discomfort.

These are easy to take together. Each morning, simply mix 1/2-1 scoop of the vitamin powder and a small scoop of ribose into a glass of water (or other beverage), and take two Smart Energy Capsules. With that simple effort, you'll have consumed the equivalent nutritional benefit of having taken dozens of vitamin, mineral and herbal pills!

(P.S. — If you want to hit what I call the "energy trifecta," add 1/2-2 tablets of HRG80™ Red Ginseng chewable tablets to that morning routine. You can get all three of these supplements together at a discount if you get "Dr. T’s Ultimate Energy Kit.")

HRG80™ Red Ginseng Chewables

Our recently published research showed the remarkable benefits of the unique HRG80 Red Ginseng chewable tablets. These increased energy in 60% of severely exhausted people by an average of 67%. And it can be helpful for anybody. I personally just chew one half of a good tasting tablet whenever I feel like I want an energy boost.

It's also critical for anybody who wants more energy to be on a high-potency multivitamin, loaded with B complex vitamins and magnesium. For now, I recommend the Fatigued to Fantastic™ Energy Revitalization Drink Mix.

Smart Energy System

Here are the six energy powerhouses that it contains:

1. Ribose
2. KSM 66 Ashwagandha
3. Rhodiola
4. Schisandra
5. Green tea extract and
6. Licorice extract

Each of these turbocharge energy. Combined, they are nothing short of amazing.

Here is what our recent study showed, giving this mix to people who had an at least 50% decreased function. It shows you why we are so excited!

The following table shows the results of our study of the Smart Energy System in people who had at least 50% loss of function.

Additional Reading for Those Interested in Technical Detail

For those who would like even more detail, below is a discussion of each of the six key components.

D-Ribose: The Natural Body Energizer

To understand energy production, it helps to look at critical "energy molecules" such as ATP (adenosine triphosphate). These represent the energy currency in your body and are like the paper that money is printed on. You can have all the fuel (calories) you want, but if it cannot be converted to these molecules, it is useless—and simply gets turned into fat.

B vitamins are a key component of many of these molecules. We find that these are helpful, but a key component is missing. In looking at the biochemistry of these energy molecules, we saw that they were also made of two other key components—adenine and ribose. Adenine (which is also called vitamin B4) is plentiful in the body. So we turned our attention to ribose, which is made in our bodies in a slow, laborious process. We found that ribose is low in energy-deficient states, making it hard to get your energy furnaces working again without it.

This was a eureka moment when things came together. Not having ribose would be like trying to build a fire without kindling—nothing would happen. We wondered if giving ribose to people with severe exhaustion, one of the worst energy deficiencies in the world, would jump-start their energy furnaces. The results amazed us.

I am the lead author on two published studies, which included almost three hundred people with severe exhaustion at fifty-four different clinics. Ribose was given at a dose of 5 grams three times a day for three weeks. People reported their energy increased an average of about 61 percent by three weeks. In addition, mental clarity, sleep, and overall well-being improved significantly, while pain levels dropped.

Ribose is available over the counter and is one of the few natural products that started with physicians and then moved into health-food stores.

Let’s look at ribose in more detail to see what it does.

The Results of Our Study on Ribose

In our study, 203 patients completed the three-week treatment trial. D-Ribose treatment led to both statistically (p < .0001) and clinically highly important average improvements in all categories:

• 61.3 percent increase in energy
• 37 percent increase in overall well being
• 29.3 percent improvement in sleep
• 30 percent improvement in mental clarity
• 15.6 percent decrease in pain

D-Ribose Accelerates Energy Recovery

D-Ribose (which is what I am referring to when I say ribose) is a simple five-carbon sugar that is found naturally in our bodies. But ribose is not like other toxic sugars, such as table sugar (sucrose), corn sugar (glucose), and fructose (fruit sugars). When we consume ribose, the body recognizes that it is different from other sugars and preserves it for the vital work of actually making the energy molecules that power the heart, muscles, brain, and every other tissue in the body—making it healthy and helpful even for people who can’t tolerate sugar.

The amount of ATP we have in our tissues determines whether we will be fatigued or will have the energy we need to live vital, active lives. Ribose provides the key building block of ATP, and the presence of ribose in the cell stimulates the metabolic pathway our bodies use to make this vital compound. If the cell does not have enough ribose, it cannot make ATP. So, when cells and tissues become energy-starved, the availability of ribose is critical to energy recovery.

The Link Between Ribose, Energy and Fatigue

Two very interesting studies in animals showed how dramatic the effect of ribose could be on energy recovery in fatigued muscle. These studies were conducted by Dr. Ron Terjung, one of the top muscle physiologists in the United States. In their research, Dr. Terjung and his co-investigators found that ribose administration in fatigued muscle increased the rate of energy recovery by 340 to 430 percent.

Although this groundbreaking research was done in animals, it was instrumental in defining the biochemistry and physiology associated with the use of ribose in overcoming heart and muscle fatigue in humans. But most of us with CFS and FMS are neither top athletes nor research animals, so the question most of us wanted explained remained unanswered: “How will ribose affect me?”

Research in ribose and CFS/FMS began with a case study that was published in the prestigious journal Pharmacotherapy in 2004. This case study told the story of a veterinary surgeon diagnosed with fibromyalgia. For months, this dedicated doctor found herself becoming more and more fatigued, with pain becoming so profound that she was finally unable to stand during surgery. As a result, she was forced to all but give up the practice she loved.

Upon hearing that a clinical study on ribose in congestive heart failure was under way at the university where she worked, she asked if she could try the ribose to see if it might help her overcome the mind-numbing fatigue she experienced from her disease. After three weeks of ribose therapy, she was back in the operating room, practicing normally, with no muscle pain or stiffness, and without the fatigue that had kept her bedridden for many months.

Being a doctor, she was skeptical, not believing that a simple sugar could have such a dramatic effect on her condition. Within two weeks of stopping the ribose therapy, however, she was out of the operating room and back in bed. So, to again test the theory, she began ribose therapy a second time. The result was similar to her first experience, and she was back doing surgery in days. After yet a third round of stopping (with the return of symptoms) and starting the ribose therapy (with the reduction of symptoms), she was convinced, and she has been on ribose therapy since that time. This was the start of countless numbers of people around the world getting their life back with ribose.

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 man’s atrial fibrillation also went away with the ribose treatment, and he was able to stop his heart medications as well. It is common that people with even crippling heart disease feel dramatically better after six weeks on ribose. If you know anybody with heart disease (including heart failure, angina, and abnormal rhythms), have them use the recipe below. It can markedly improve heart function efficiency. After six weeks, they will often have their lives back.

I recommend using S.H.I.N.E. D-Ribose to optimize energy. This contains the Bioenergy form used in the study, as I have heard back from people that they sometimes don’t get the same results with generic forms. But the Bioenergy form was quite expensive, so I decided to bottle it, cut out the middleman, and cut the price in half. Each scoop contains 5 grams. For most people, a scoop each morning, or even twice a day, will give a dramatic energy boost within a month. For very severe fatigue, I begin with a 5-gram scoop three times a day for three to six weeks. (To make things easier, the new Smart Energy System includes 5 grams of the Bioenergy ribose per scoop, along with five other key energy boosters.) Then one scoop daily is often plenty.

But first a bit of background: I have a special interest in medical anthropology, feeling that there is so much we can learn from history. In fact, in medical school my nickname was "The Ghost." Why? I could often be found at two in the morning going through old journals from the medical school library.

My routine was to take four of the same journal, one from one hundred years ago, one from fifty years ago, one from twenty years ago, and a current one, then I would scan through them to give me a perspective of what was happening in medicine over time. As a medical student, I was amazed to read studies written by the professors my textbooks were named after.

Doing this also showed me very clearly when the pharmaceutical industry had its rise and appeared to suppress pretty much all other research except for surgery. This was quite an eye-opener for a young med student. Of course, now you may be starting see how I got my college nickname of “Rambling Jack.” So here’s where I am going with all of this: There are herbals that have been incredibly popular for literally millennium that have gone by the wayside.

Why?

Largely because mass farming and harvesting have bred plants that have lost most of their potency and effectiveness. So the products no longer work. But here’s a secret: There are a few forms of these herbs that do. And they can rock your world.

Ashwagandha (KSM-66)

Ashwagandha is the most popular herb in Ayurvedic medicine, the healing art that stems from India. But again, the way the herbs are farmed and processed often destroys their potency.

My friend Chris Kilham (see his website) is one of the world’s most respected herbalists. He travels all around the world hunting new herbs and making sure old ones are managed properly. He turned me onto the KSM-66 form of ashwagandha, and I am very thankful to him for this. This is the main form being used in research now, because they have taken measures to restore its old potency.

Here’s what the (mostly placebo-controlled) research using specifically the KSM-66 ashwagandha shows. This ashwagandha is remarkable when it comes to:

• Mood and stress relief. In a placebo-controlled study, depression, anxiety, and stress reduced significantly (p<0.001) by 77 percent, 76 percent, and 64 percent respectively after two months.
• Memory and cognition. Improved short-term memory and brain processing speed.
• Thyroid function. Free T3 levels went up 47 percent and free T4 level increased 23 percent, which may account for the weight loss.
• Muscle mass and endurance. Exercise ability and endurance measured by the maximum oxygen consumption (VO2max) in healthy athletic adults increased 12 percent and 14 percent respectively at Day 56 and Day 84. It also resulted in a 139 percent increase in muscle strength for the bench press, and increased muscle size increase of 8 percent, 17 percent, and 3 percent for thigh, arm, and chest respectively.
• Sleep. It helped people fall asleep more quickly and stay asleep more efficiently.
• Female sexual health. Scores for arousal, lubrication, orgasm, and satisfaction improved significantly by 62 percent, 59 percent, 82 percent, and 62 percent respectively
• Male libido. Testosterone levels increased 17 percent; sexual fantasy/functions, arousal, orgasm and sexual drive improved significantly by 4 percent, 18 percent, 6 percent, and 11 percent respectively. I guess it’s best for the man and woman to use it together, so they can keep up with each other. But careful if you’re not looking to have children yet, because . . .
• Male sperm count. Sperm count increased 167 percent; sperm motility increased 57 percent.

I think you’re starting to see why ashwagandha is the most popular Ayurvedic herb for the 1.3 billion people living in India.

Rhodiola

Rhodiola rosea, also called golden root, grows in arctic and mountain regions throughout Europe, Asia, and America. It has been an accepted medicine in Russia since 1969 for the treatment of fatigue and infectious, psychiatric, and neurologic conditions, and as a psychostimulant to increase memory, attention span, and productivity in healthy individuals.

Research shows pronounced anti-stress effects, enhanced physical work and exercise performance, increased muscle strength, and reduction in mental fatigue. It seems to work by supporting hypothalamic function as well as the brain transmitters serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine, and endorphin. All of these tend to be low in fibromyalgia, and many in the population in general.

I first became aware of the research when I stumbled across studies being done by the Russian space program. They found that Rhodiola markedly improved stamina in the cosmonauts. Many with day-to-day down-to-earth fatigue and even fibromyalgia have found the same thing.

Schisandra

Numerous studies, although many still in the animal study phase, show widespread benefits of the Schisandra plant. Especially important are its mitochondrial protection and insulin function.

Green Tea Extract (Camellia sinensis)

We’ve all heard about the health benefits of green tea. Many if not most of the benefits come from a component called epigallocatechin gallate (EGCg), which has very potent antioxidant properties. Use supplements that have at least 35 percent EGCg. Here are just a few of the studies:

• Exercise endurance. Fourteen men who consumed green tea extract for four weeks increased their running distance by 11 percent. It is especially potent at protecting against the free radicals caused by exercise.
• Insulin sensitivity. Reduced total cholesterol by 4 percent and LDL cholesterol by 4 percent; lowered blood pressure (only in people with high blood pressure).
• Younger skin. Taken by mouth or even topically, green tea extract seems to help prevent skin conditions like loss of skin elasticity, inflammation, and premature aging. Therefore, it is often added to cosmetics.

Glycyrrhizin (Licorice Extract)

Glycyrrhizin slows down the elimination of your body’s stress hormone, called cortisol. This can make it dramatically effective for helping adrenal fatigue.

My goal is to make optimal supplementation easy and very affordable. To help with this, optimal levels and forms of ribose, ashwagandha, Rhodiola, Schisandra, green tea extract, and glycyrrhizin (licorice) can all be found combined in a simple but very powerful mix called Dr. Teitelbaum's Smart Energy System. Taking one scoop and two capsules in the morning, with an optional second dose at lunch, can change your life.

Though it doesn't contain everything in the Smart Energy System and Energy Revitalization System vitamin powder, the Clinical Essentials Multivitamin plus Adaptra® (a mix of Rhodiola and ashwagandha) are also superb for those who don't like supplement drinks.

For most of you, simply taking the morning drink and two capsules, combining the Clinical Essentials Tablets now (and if you like the powders switching to the Energy Revitalization System in a few months) and Smart Energy System will leave you healthy energy feeling turbocharged all day.

Many people will more than double their energy after just one month—in under one minute a day. Enjoy!