Boosting Recovery With ATP Supplements
Fact or fiction?
By providing the unit of energy that your body uses to produce work, Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP) supplements claim to boost energy and recovery needs directly.
So should ATP be part of your recovery stack?
How does the science stack up to the claims?
In this blog, we dive into ATP supplements and compare them with the science-backed outcomes Resync Recovery is known for.
So you know what you need to in order to make an informed decision for yourself.
In This Article:
What is ATP?
What Lowers ATP Levels? What Raises ATP Levels?
Research on ATP Supplements: What Are They Good For?
ATP Supplements vs. Resync Recovery
Understanding ATP Supplements
History of ATP Research
Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP) has been the topic of research for nearly 100 years, going back to its discovery in 1929.
The real boom started when scientists discovered that the ratio of fresh ATP to used ADP (Adenosine Di-phosphate) is clearly linked to aging and disease.
The race to discover the basic biology of ATP turned into a quest for the fountain of youth. As research progressed, supplementing with ATP was found to be ineffective.
In their base form, ATP salts (ie. ATP sodium) are poorly absorbed and utilized, so scientists have worked to develop delivery methods that make the ATP you take work better for you.
ATP-Disodium is a novel ingredient that appears to provide better results than the more common single-sodium ATP supplements, and it has been the subject of most recent ATP research.
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What is ATP?
- ATP is often referred to as the "currency of the cell."
At its most basic definition, ATP is a molecule that stores and transports energy within cells to power almost all biological processes. - ATP is essentially a unit of energy used by your cells to buy work — think of it like cash: your cells work to store potential energy at ATP, then that energy is liberated on demand when your cells need to make something happen.
When the energy in ATP is used up, it transforms into Adenosine Diphosphate (ADP) and then again into Adenosine Monophosphate (AMP).
The balance between ATP levels and ADP or AMP is crucial for maintaining overall cellular health.
A high ATP/ADP ratio is synonymous with high energy levels and good health, while a low baseline ratio is linked to fatigue and disease.
What Lowers ATP Levels?
Two primary factors contribute to chronically low ATP levels:
Age - as we age, our body's ability to produce and maintain ATP diminishes.
Poor Health - similarly, poor health characterized by chronic diseases and metabolic disorders, can lead to lower ATP levels.
In the short term, intense physical exercise also depletes ATP stores — it’s that signal that tells your body to adapt and produce more ATP for next time. With adequate recovery, the body rebounds with higher ATP levels which enhances performance next time.
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Strategies to boost ATP levels have emerged over the decades, but are they truly effective for recovery, performance, and other health outcomes?
The most tried and true approaches involve optimizing your overall metabolism to help you keep high levels of ATP — there are no shortcuts to good health!
Exercising regularly and eating well are basic recommendations to get you most of the way there, but certain types of exercise and certain foods do the most when it comes to boosting ATP.
As discussed, even though exercise depletes ATP in the moment, consistent training accompanied by good recovery has been shown to improve ATP production over time. One study shows that exercising at 70% of one’s maximal power may be the sweet spot for promoting better ATP production. Other research by doctor Iñigo San Millán’s research group shows that slow-and-steady cardio - à la “Zone 2” - is an excellent way to improve your cell’s ability to recover and recycle ATP levels.
Certain supplements, such as nicotinamide riboside, can also shift the metabolic state to favor increased ATP and energy production. Specific ATP supplements, like ATP-sodium or disodium ATP, are designed to directly boost ATP levels. As for food, aside from a healthy diet, one of the best ways to target ATP is with dietary nitrate — the heavy-hitting blood-flow and recovery enhancer in all of Resync’s formulas.
Research on ATP Supplements
Performing your best depends on recovering your best, and the line between the two is often blurred. Where does supporting optimal training end and supporting your best recovery begin? The line is not always clear, and the case of ATP supplements is a great example.
ATP supplements are popular for their potential benefits like improved strength, durability, recovery, and even relief from lower back pain — they are prescribed in France for this latter issue! Some proponents even tout them as a "fountain of youth" for their seeming ability to reverse aspects of aging.
As usual, the hype doesn’t match with the research, though.
Is ATP effective? Yes. But what for, specifically?
One study looked at the effects of 12 weeks of supplementing with 400 mg of ATP-disodium daily, combined with resistance training. Compared to the group who just trained without the supplement, the group taking ATP saw better muscle mass, strength, and power output. These results are replicated in other research as well: ATP disodium reliably improves strength performance!
Another study looked at ATP supplementation’s effect on blood flow after exercise. The findings show that ATP-disodium significantly increased blood flow, especially during and immediately after strength-based exercise. These results stand in line with multiple other studies that show ATP helps with recovering one’s maximal effort and stalling fatigue within an exercise session.
When it comes to recovery, it seems ATP’s role is limited.
Most studies do not show improvements in soreness after exercise or recovery time. One notable exception is in the unique case of an overreaching period of a training block. In a structured plan, the peak training phase puts more stress on your body than it’s able to handle in the moment, which leads to supercompensation and major gains after an effective recovery period. One study showed that people taking ATP during an overreaching phase saw significantly lower markers of muscle damage. So, only in the most extreme training regimens does ATP improve objective recovery markers.
Boost Your Recovery with the Right Supplements:
ATP vs. Resync Recovery
Different Points on the Same Pathway Achieves Different Outcomes.
ATP supplements and Resync Recovery both enhance blood flow, albeit through different mechanisms.
Resync Recovery’s plant-based nitrate blend aims to maximize nitric oxide, a signaling molecule that tells your blood vessels to open up and let oxygen flow. Dietary nitrates affect blood flow at the step that matters most — production of nitric oxide — and they do so in a way that’s not limited by your own body’s ability to make its own nitric oxide. And the most recent studies from 2023, show that nitric oxide within the red blood cell itself is the gatekeeper and key to the respiratory cycle. You can have a lot of oxygen in your blood but if your nitric oxide system is dysfunctional, you are not getting oxygen into the tissues - essential for recovery. Read blog on newest research and what to be excited about nitric oxide here.
ATP supplements work upstream on the same pathway, but they produce completely different results. ATP supplements don’t have as profound of an effect on blood flow because they are still limited by your own body’s ability to produce nitric oxide — and we know the natural ability to make nitric oxide goes down with age and with disease. ATP has definite effects on energy levels during exercise, but the effect does not seem to carry over into the day after recovery.
The Superiority of Resync Recovery
Resync Recovery offers a unique blend of plant-based blood flow enhancers, polyphenol antioxidants, and other bioactive ingredients like ginger and mango extract that synergize on multiple pathways to optimize blood flow throughout your body. This combination provides numerous recovery benefits beyond what ATP supplements can offer. Enhanced blood flow helps deliver nutrients (including oxygen) and remove waste from damaged tissues.
While ATP shines in repeated strength efforts, the ingredients in Resync Recovery are more useful in promoting recovery from exercise.
Key Takeaways
The True Role of ATP in Performance and Recovery
ATP supplements excel in improving strength during repeated bouts of maximal effort during training sessions or performances. They are also effective at reducing muscle damage during peak training periods, potentially allowing athletes to recover faster between periodized training blocks. This makes ATP supplements ideal for strength and power sports. But, despite the media coverage on ATP for recovery, their usefulness in recovery is limited since ATP primarily addresses one facet of one important pathway.
In contrast, Resync Recovery offers a comprehensive approach to recovery. The blend of blood flow enhancers not only supports efficient nutrient delivery and oxygenation but also promotes overall vascular health. The polyphenol antioxidants help fight the oxidative damage of intense exercise and the environmental insults we’re exposed to in daily life.
Resync Collagen adds to these the specific building blocks your body uses to recover faster, and the research proves it. This makes Resync Recovery the superior choice for individuals seeking a compete recovery solution. Later this year, Resync comes out with a full-body recovery formula that will support every layer of your body with just one scoop a day.
Conclusion
In the quest to optimize recovery and performance, understanding the evidence behind supplements is crucial. While ATP supplements offer specific benefits, they fall flat as a recovery-enhancer. Resync Recovery stands out as a better option for comprehensive recovery. By enhancing blood flow, supporting the inflammatory response from exercise, and promoting overall vascular health, Resync Recovery addresses multiple facets of the recovery process, making it an invaluable addition to any performance regimen.
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Resync is backed by research. We break down complex science into practical takeaways you can use today. When you have the right information, you are empowered to make the decision that’s right for you. If there’s something you want to know more about, let us know by leaving a comment, contacting us or getting in touch on social media!
Helping you lead a healthier life,The Resync Team
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Barbara Depta and registered dietitian Detrick Snyder, MPH, RDN.
