EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA); Scientific Opinion on the substantiation of health claims related to ribose and faster recovery from muscle fatigue after exercise (ID 4226) pursuant to Article 13(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006
In the EFSA Journal, 2011
Abstract
Following a request from the European Commission, the Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies was asked to provide a scientific opinion on a list of health claims pursuant to Article 13 of Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006. This opinion addresses the scientific substantiation of health claims in relation to ribose and faster recovery from muscle fatigue after exercise. The scientific substantiation is based on the information provided by the Member States in the consolidated list of Article 13 health claims and references that EFSA has received from Member States or directly from stakeholders. The food that is the subject of the health claim is ribose. The Panel considers that ribose is sufficiently characterised. The claimed effect is “maintenance of ATP levels, exercise performance, exercise recovery”. The target population is assumed to be adults performing strenuous exercise. In the context of the proposed wordings, conditions of use and references provided, the Panel assumes that the claimed effect refers to recovery from muscle fatigue after the performance of physical exercise. The Panel considers that faster recovery from muscle fatigue after exercise is a beneficial physiological effect. In weighing the evidence, the Panel took into account that the one human intervention study provided from which conclusions could be drawn for the scientific substantiation of the claim showed no effect of ribose, compared to placebo, on exercise performance during an exercise test conducted after intense intermittent training. On the basis of the data presented, the Panel concludes that a cause and effect relationship has not been established between the consumption of ribose and faster recovery from muscle fatigue after exercise.