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ATP Power Tips

ATP, or adenosine triphosphate, is the energy that bodies create from oxygen and nutrients in a process known as oxidation. The energy is used to contract muscles whether for working out, weight training or regular everyday activities such as standing up, walking up or down stairs or lifting objects. Muscles only contain a small amount of ATP, enough to support muscle contraction for a few seconds, and therefore the body must use readily available "ingredients" within the body to create more ATP.

  1. Oxygen and ATP

    • For ATP during prolonged muscle contractions, there are two ways the muscles replenish the energy: anaerobic and aerobic. Anaerobic means "without oxygen," and in this method the body accesses creatine phosphate or glycogen and glucose to replenish the ATP needed. Creatine phosphate (CP) is faster at producing ATP, and the stored CP is located in muscles. Glycogen and blood glucose are stored carbohydrates (sugars) that can produce ATP but inefficiently. Aerobic ("with oxygen") ATP production relies on readily available oxygen and is the most efficient method for the body to produce ATP for prolonged muscle work. This method for ATP production is slower, however, despite its superior efficiency to anaerobic methods.

    Fuel Sources for ATP

    • Macronutrients (carbs, protein and fat) produce the necessary ingredients within the body to sustain and support muscles during work, whether the work be daily activities or for fitness. Carbohydrates support the body's production of glycogen and blood glucose (sugars, basically). Carbohydrates stored for fuel within a body functioning at optimal levels can support moderate activity for about two hours. Fat is stored in the body as well, but often stored as adipose tissue and thus not readily available; body fat stores are efficient sources of energy during light or moderate activity. When carbohydrates are low in the body (glycogen and blood glucose) the body targets protein in the muscles for energy, which can cause a loss of muscle mass.

    Nutrient Timing to Save Muscles

    • Nutrient Timing, a nutrition system developed by Dr. John Ivy and Dr. Robert Portman, works to prevent muscle loss by increasing the efficiency of nutritional intake. This increase in efficiency is partly due to the content of nutrients (what you eat) and partly due to the timing of the nutrients (when you eat it). For example, consuming carbohydrate beverages during hard workouts can increase readily available carbohydrates for energy and prevent the body from taking protein (muscle) for energy, but combine that with a protein in the carbohydrate beverage (in a set ratio) and the beverage becomes more effective at preserving muscle as well as supporting muscle recovery after a workout.

    Set Muscles up for Success

    • An important aspect of the Nutrient Timing System is setting muscles up for success. Not only is pre-fueling necessary for muscle performance but re-fueling after workouts prepares muscles to recover faster and more efficiently. For example, after a hard workout muscles are often sore, which has been associated with the old saying, "No pain, no gain." A certain amount of damage to the muscles is necessary for growth potential (strength, size), but if muscles lack the tools necessary for optimal efficiency their potential is diminished. Recovery drinks consisting of four parts carbohydrates to one part protein taken immediately after a hard workout (within 30 minutes) have been found by Ivy and Portman's research to increase muscle recovery and potential, setting the muscles up for fast recovery and ready to give 100 percent in the next workout.

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