If you need help with tissue repair after strenuous workouts, our IV therapy Toronto lounge may recommend ATP for support.  

What exactly is ATP? First, you should know that adenosine is a neurotransmitter in the brain. It has a special function in the human body for sourcing cellular energy. Adenosine triphosphate, which is ATP, is a molecular compound of adenosine. 

Think of ATP as a provider of gasoline, but for your cells: ATP seizes energy from the breakdown of food; then this energy is available for other processes related to cellular functioning, including cell metabolism, brain function or physical movements. For example, your daily muscle movements can’t happen without ATP!

When used as a therapeutic key ingredient, it “…has demonstrated improved bioavailability and acute and chronic benefits to cardiovascular health, muscular performance, body composition, and recovery …,” confirms a Journal of Functional Foods review. 

With that, the Toronto Functional Medicine Centre outlines ATP’s beneficial effects on optimal health.

Health gains from ATP supplementation

Regular ATP supplementation could offer a wide range of positive effects on your heart, muscles, cognition and more. It may also aid in alleviating fatigue, while fostering body composition. In combination with a healthy lifestyle (i.e. exercise, balanced diet, etc.), this supplement might offer these advantages: 

• Could contribute to improving muscle health for your physical performance: In a study published in Nutrition & Metabolism, oral supplementation was found to help boost muscle mass and strength when combined with intense periodized resistance training.
• It may promote athletic recovery: Did you know that intense anaerobic workouts can reduce ATP levels? As per a study from the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, it takes a “considerable amount of time” to recover these levels. But supplementation could help lessen the process of recovery. “ATP supplementation provides insight into its potential to reduce fatigue, increase strength and power, improve body composition, maintain muscle health during stress, increase recovery and reduce pain,” confirms an article from the Journal of Functional Foods. 
• Could potentially enhance cardiovascular health: ATP has demonstrated effects on cardiovascular health, which means it plays a role in dilating/constricting the heart, as well as blood vessel reparation. In one study of 12 males – who were already healthy with resistance training experience – the supplement was ingested for 12 weeks. The results included a significant increase in blood flow.
• It may help minimize pain and fatigue related to fibromyalgia: According to a study in the Korean Institute for Functional Medicine, it was revealed that ATP injections could offer improvement to the quality of life of fibromyalgia patients. After ATP injections were administered to patients in their late 40s to late 50s, they ended up experiencing a reduction in pain and sleep issues.

Where to seek help 

Do you want to add ATP to your health regime? Learn how by consulting with a functional medicine practitioner, who can introduce you to the supplemental precursors of ATP with your health goals in mind. You may be advised to eat foods rich in certain nutrients, such as copper, omega-3 fatty acids, D-ribose, PQQ (pyrroloquinoline quinone) or CoQ10, as they’re vital nutrients used in the production of ATP. 

Also, you may be counseled to take oral supplements containing ATP precursors (capsule or powder form) and/or ATP intravenous therapy (vitamin IV therapy). Oral ATP supplements are usually poorly absorbed in the human body; if you suffer from malabsorption from chronic health conditions (i.e. Celiac disease), IV therapy drips may be advised. IV treatments automatically avoid the digestive tract because a nutritional formula enters your bloodstream only. 

At our clinic, health advice and intravenous drips are tailored for patients in line with the integrative functional medicine outlook. Along with regular physical activity and a healthy diet, IV vitamin infusions could offer wellness improvements. If you’re ready to commit to new health strategies for optimal functioning, please contact us today.  

How to become a patient at the Toronto Functional Medicine Centre

No two patients are alike at our clinic! We recognize that each patient has distinctive qualities, and that symptoms may manifest differently between individuals. To provide you with a personalized service of health care, we consider your genetics/biology, lifestyle and environmental conditions to address your health concerns, such as blood pressure levels, oxidative stress, immune function, chronic fatigue syndrome, autoimmune conditions, depression symptoms, adrenal function, much-needed energy, substance withdrawal symptoms, and/or acute illness. 

You’ll be relieved to know that our intravenous therapy drips our freshly compounded without added preservatives. We blend IV treatments according to the principles of functional medicine, which allows us to cater to your specific needs (i.e. a nutritional deficiency).

Prior to your first vitamin drip treatment, an initial consultation (30-45 minutes) is conducted to understand your medical history, health goals, and discuss lab testing (i.e. blood tests). Once your health status is confirmed, we can create your IV drip. A combination of ingredients may contain essential nutrients such as vitamin C (ascorbic acid), a medley of amino acids, folic acid, vitamin E, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD IV therapy), ATP, major antioxidants, and other beneficial ingredients such as taurine. 

How can vitamin IV therapy from Toronto impact your wellness? Start boosting your mental clarity with new health strategies. Click here to request your complete diagnostic session from our clinic today. 

Disclaimer: The information in this article is designed for educational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for informed medical advice or care. This information should not be used to diagnose or treat any health problems or illnesses without consulting a doctor. Consult with a health care practitioner before relying on any information in this article or on this website.

References:

Verkhratsky, O. Krishtal, Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP) as a Neurotransmitter, Editor(s): Larry R. Squire, Encyclopedia of Neuroscience, Academic Press, 2009, Pages 115-123, ISBN 9780080450469,https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-008045046-9.01245-6.

Arts IC, Coolen EJ, Bours MJ, Huyghebaert N, Stuart MA, Bast A, Dagnelie PC. Adenosine 5′-triphosphate (ATP) supplements are not orally bioavailable: a randomized, placebo-controlled cross-over trial in healthy humans. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2012 Apr 17;9(1):16. doi: 10.1186/1550-2783-9-16. PMID: 22510240; PMCID: PMC3441280.

Baljit S. Khakh, Geoffrey Burnstock, “The Double Life of ATP in Humans”, Scientific American, SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN, a Division of Springer Nature America, Inc., Dec 1, 2009, viewed on February 12, 2023. 

Barclay CJ. Energetics of contraction. Compr Physiol. 2015 Apr;5(2):961-95. doi: 10.1002/cphy.c140038. PMID: 25880520.

Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. “adenosine triphosphate”. Encyclopedia Britannica, 19 Oct. 2022, https://www.britannica.com/science/adenosine-triphosphate. Accessed 9 February 2023.

Cho, Mi-Ra & Park, Jin-Kyoung & Cho, A-Ra & Choi, Won-Jun & Lee, Yong-Jae. (2018). Effect of intravenous adenosine triphosphate injection on chronic pain and fatigue in female patients with fibromyalgia. Korean Institute for Functional Medicine. 1. 39-43. 10.32581/jkifm.2018.1.39.

Dos Santos Nunes de Moura HP, Jäger R, Purpura M, Rathmacher JA, Fuller JC Jr, Rossi FE. Dose Response of Acute ATP Supplementation on Strength Training Performance. Front Sports Act Living. 2021 Dec 8;3:780459. doi: 10.3389/fspor.2021.780459. PMID: 34957398; PMCID: PMC8692774.

Dunn J, Grider MH. Physiology, Adenosine Triphosphate. [Updated 2022 Feb 17]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2022 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK553175/

Ezeoke CC, Morley JE. Pathophysiology of anorexia in the cancer cachexia syndrome. J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle. 2015 Dec;6(4):287-302. doi: 10.1002/jcsm.12059. Epub 2015 Oct 27. PMID: 26675762; PMCID: PMC4670736.

Jäger, Ralf, et al. “Health and ergogenic potential of oral adenosine-5′-triphosphate (ATP) supplementation.” Journal of Functional Foods 78 (2021): 104357.

Liu YJ, Chen J, Li X, Zhou X, Hu YM, Chu SF, Peng Y, Chen NH. Research progress on adenosine in central nervous system diseases. CNS Neurosci Ther. 2019 Sep;25(9):899-910. doi: 10.1111/cns.13190. Epub 2019 Jul 23. PMID: 31334608; PMCID: PMC6698970.

Seifert JG, Brumet A, St Cyr JA. The influence of D-ribose ingestion and fitness level on performance and recovery. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2017 Dec 20;14:47. doi: 10.1186/s12970-017-0205-8. PMID: 29296106; PMCID: PMC5738882.

Wilson JM, Joy JM, Lowery RP, Roberts MD, Lockwood CM, Manninen AH, Fuller JC, De Souza EO, Baier SM, Wilson SM, Rathmacher JA. Effects of oral adenosine-5′-triphosphate supplementation on athletic performance, skeletal muscle hypertrophy and recovery in resistance-trained men. Nutr Metab (Lond). 2013 Sep 22;10(1):57. doi: 10.1186/1743-7075-10-57. PMID: 24330670; PMCID: PMC3849389.