This a general thread on the subject of nucleotides as supplements and dietary components.
Nucleotides and Nucleosides, which are slightly altered, and related molecules are the subject here, and we may inclode the sugar ribose as well as its part of RNA.
To those who are not familiar with them, nucleosides are ntrogen containing molecules similar to amino acids in that they form the building blocks of many molecules in the life, but they may be found in simple molecules, on their own, or as more complex polymers.
It seems they may have beneficial effects as supplements.
Humans have an estimated 10, 000 taste receptors and 5 major taste sensations, which includes sweet, bitter and 'umami' which to me sounds vaguely sexual! This is the one that MSG hits and is the savoury ' brothy' receptor. Guanosine, the G in genetic code, is a nucleoside that also hits the savoury receptors and is used commercially as a flavour enhancer along with MSG.
Inosine, which is produced in the body from the nucleotide Adenosine, is also a stimulator of this sensation, and is also available as sodium inosinate as a food flavour enhancer. Keen spotters ammongst you may recall that inosine was the substance that had the best brain-regenerating effects following injury ever seen in animal studies, when it induced long distance rewiring in the brain. The potential seems great therefore, however, supplemental inosine does not reasdily pass into blood and brain, so it so far has to be injected directly.
AMP, adenosine mono-phosphate is part of the energy production system in the body. AMP is a 'bitter blocker' having very strong effects on elinating unpleasant astringent flavours. It is present in breast milk and it is hypothesised that this is a 'bitter blocker' that helps infants find the calcium rich milk more appetising. AMP is according to WIKI approved now as a bitter-blocker in America. This could make many fruits and natural substances much more appealing additives (i.e. pomegranates as sweetners).
This could be the biggest deal in the food sector for a long time, since normally fat, sugar and salt are used to hide undesirable ingredients and these flavours therefore directly drive the food processing industry in this direction, towards more calories and less micro-nutrients. Bitter-blockers, and a humble nucleotide, could be the most important weapon against this.
Nucleotides used as supplements are not well researched, but what is known seems favourable; boost on lifespan, immune cell and digestive benefits.
Ribose, which has many biological roles, although a sugar, is also a general fatigue fighter and health promotoer. These substances may together have potent health promoting effects.
Uridine, the U in genetic material, altered naturally to make Urisine, a nucleoside, is found in neurons and when combined with choline and DHA, was recently found to have profound brain growth enhancing effects in laboratory animals. Nucleotides too, could have similar synnergies.
Since many cells are reliant on their exogenous medium for nutrition, whilst under extreme growth stress - i.e. gut cells, and immune cells, and neurons, these seem to particularly benefit from enriching that medium with basic cell building blocks, whereas, less strained cells, in more sedentary roles, or which are dividing and growing / moving less vigourously, are probably more able to meet their demand endogenously by synthesising the various components themselves. Additionally, stress and disease may increase the demand for external sources of cell nutrients.
This is certainly what I think, and it is becomming clearer that in order for the cell to benefit from exogenous normally non-essential molecules, that all the key rate limiting components are needed at the same time. This is why food, biochemically complex and extremely bioactive, in a diverse diet, is associated with no toxicity and good health, whereas individual nutrients often have an associated toxicity profile.
With the nucletides, I am intrigued as to the possibility of obtaining nucleotide rich food sources as ingredients - as free nucleotides rather than buond RNA and DNA, or enriched RNA food supples, to see what promise they may hold in formulas and nutrient enriched foods.
For example, RNA enriched yeast powders are available.
Urisine is found in sugar extracts and one commercial supplement is available. Choline is easy to add to foods, and other nutrients and antioxidants can be easily added as food additives.
Going back to our taste perception, why do these components work so well? The answer is probably that they are healthsome, and we evolved to sense them through breast milks. Foods that may seek to be eaten, may employ these amino-acid and nucleotide tricks to make them more flavoursome. For example, glutamate is used by tomatoes as a natural flavour enhancer. These substances are cell building blocks and it makes sense that our taste buds look for them. In this way, macro-nutrients and bulk calories may not be the only influencer on the evolution of taste sensations, as previously thought. For example, umami is basically a sense for the complex nutritional value of a food, looking at its actual content rather than pure calorie contribution, being stimulated by nucleic acids and nucleotides.
And of course, its not only sugars that stimulate sweetness - but the amino acids glycine, glutamine and serine are extremely sweet agents.
With the nucvleotides there are other considerations, such as uptake and bioavailability with are not the same for each type, nor for polymers versus free nucleotides or nucleosides. IF a nucleotides is not readily taken into plasma and brain, it may however be possible to alter endogenous production favourably.
Anyway, some food toxicology data on flavour enhancers; http://www.inchem.org/documents/jecfa/jecmono/v32je06.htm
I'm looking at general data on health effects of nucleotides; here's a start
Nucleotides and IBS http://www.nutritionj.com/content/5/1/16
Adenosine and heart health, use as drug http://www.ashp.org/mngrphs/ahfs/a304010.htm
Adenosine, ATP, neurotransmission, aneathesia http://bja.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/94/5/556
"Based on the evidence from both animal and clinical studies performed during the last 20 years, ATP could provide a valuable addition to the therapeutic options in anaesthesia and intensive care medicine. In particular, its use in pain management, modulation of haemodynamics and treatment of shock seems promising. Further research is required, particularly on the issue of ATP–MgCl2, to clarify the exact role of ATP, magnesium and the combined compound.
"
patent http://www.freepatentsonline.com/5008251.html
list of RNA claims; http://www.vitaminexpress.com/encyclopedia.php/topic/RNA.php