Let’s say you are having a protein shake after you train, maybe even adding some creatine, you workout hard, and you get ample sleep – you’re doing everything you can to support your workouts … right? Maybe not. A lesser-known supplement you may want to consider for further boosting performance: adenosine triphosphate, or ATP.
If those initials sound familiar, but you don't know why, let's pause for a short biology refresher: When we eat, our body breaks down any glucose in the food and turns it into ATP. Considered the body's “energy currency,” ATP is stored in our cells until it's needed for energy. Among other things, ATP is used to build new tissues and repair damaged ones, transmit nervous system signals, and fuel muscle contractions.
Taking a supplement to boost your ATP may improve your performance, particularly your strength and endurance. In two small trials[1], taking 400 milligrams a day led to reduced muscle fatigue and increased muscle mass, strength, and power compared to a placebo. Additionally, athletes who took ATP recovered from their workouts faster, meaning they could return to the gym and give it their all sooner, thus leading to greater overall gains more quickly.
In a third study[2], trained athletes took either 400 milligrams of ATP or a placebo daily for two weeks. Then they came into a lab and performed a series of sprints on a bike. Those who took ATP were able to continue cranking hard as the sprints went on.
But you can't take just any ATP supplement and expect to see these changes. Most ATP pills break down in the gut. When that happens, you don't get any workout benefit. Plus, normally when you boost ATP, reactive oxygen species (ROS) also increase. These cause oxidative stress and potentially damage tissue so the muscles can't contract as efficiently.
The good news: There is a workaround for this. Instead of supplementing with ATP, you can supplement with a natural product that stimulates your body to produce more ATP. ElevATP® is an antioxidant-rich blend of ancient peat and apple extract.
In clinical trials, ElevATP® has been shown to stimulate ATP production and increase ATP in both the blood and muscles, with greater gains in the muscles. More ATP means your body can more efficiently produce energy so your cells can do all the things they need to do. In turn, you can crush your workout or the competition on the field and feel less fatigued.
In one study, researchers took 25 healthy, resistance-trained men (they could squat and deadlift a mere 1.5 times their body weight and bench press their body weight) and put them on a 12-week training program. Every day, half the men took ElevATP® (which contains 150 milligrams of ATP) while the other half got a placebo. At the end of the three months, those taking ElevATP® experienced greater gains in muscle mass, strength, power, and vertical jump power. Even more interesting, the training protocol included two weeks of “overreach,” meaning you purposely train to cause a decline in your performance for a short time. Compared to the placebo group, the men taking ATP had fewer reductions in power and strength during the overreach weeks.
[1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3483284/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3849389/
[2] https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/07315724.2016.1246989
