* I have been using another brand of ribose powder for years. I also use a lot of NOW Foods products and generally find them to be good stuff, so I decided to try the NOW brand ribose powder. It is absolutely terrible in comparison. It smells - STINKS, literally - like nail polish remover.

According to other reviews I found online, this is a problem with certain batches of NOW ribose powder. The powder I got today (Aug 23, 2013) is printed with:

LOT# 1586680 1642

BEST BY 04/2015 2137

* I started using Ribose about a month ago. I feel it helps with recovery after the workout. Before I started using the supplement, I felt a little drained the next morning. I don't feel that way any more.

As for the product, I made the mistake of buying ta differnet brand before I did my research. I thought I was getting a good deal on the 'sale price' of $18 for 100 grams. Roughly equals .18 cents a gram.

I found the NOW product on Netrition for far less. I bought the 1 pound container for about $38. Roughly equals .08 cents per gram.

For the same amount, you would pay roughly $81 for other brands. In these times, I try to same every penny I can. Hope this helps.

* This is another good Now product. I use this ribose as a substitute for sugar or artificial sweeteners in my protein shakes, chocolate concoctions, etc. To me the taste is nice and sweet and natural with no bitterness. Also, it seems to give me a nice energy boost if taken before workouts, especially for sprinting.

* I heard about Ribose through Dr. Oz. He suggested it for energy. Being that I barely had the energy to get through the day, I thought I'd give it a shot. I was very surprised at how well it works. On days I am dragging and I can't figure out why until I realize that I forgot to add it to my morning routine. I even started adding it to my afternoon water to help me get through that afternoon slump. Last night I had so many errands to do and no drive to do them, so I added a little to my water, and was pleasantly surprised I was not only able to get through my errands, but exercise as well. It is not a TON of energy, just a little pick me up ...

* This product is expensive and the powder smells pretty bad. I dunno it you've ever been close to a sugar processing factory but it has that same strong stench. Once it's mixed in though, it tastes like sugar.

The research that Ribose promotes building muscle was found to be untrue. However, it might have some other benefits that I'm unaware of...