ATP And Creatine ATP As The Energy Currency Of Life

ATP is often referred to as the energy currency of life. The cells use a form of energy called ATP to power almost all activities, such as muscle contraction, protein construction, transportation of substrates, communication with other cells and activating heat control mechanisms. Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP), an energy-bearing molecule found in all living cells. Formation of nucleic acids, transmission of nerve impulses, muscle contraction, and many other energy-consuming reactions of metabolism are made possible by the energy in ATP molecules. The energy in ATP is obtained from the breakdown of foods.

As stated before the three energy systems used by the body are the ATP-PC, anaerobic glycolysis and aerobic system. The ATP-PC and anaerobic glycolysis system (also known as lactic acid system) are anaerobicly based meaning that they don’t need a sufficient amount of oxygen to produce ATP. The aerobic system requires oxygen to produce ATP hence its name. All three system have fuels’ which produce energy. The ATP-PC uses phoso creatine and creatine phosphate, the lactic acid system uses glycogen and the aerobic system uses glycogen and triglycerides . Glycolysis refers to the breaking down of glycogen to from glucose which is used in ATP.

Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is a multifunctional nucleotide used in cells as a coenzyme. It is often called the "molecular unit of currency" of energy transfer. ATP transports chemical energy within cells for metabolism. It is produced by photo-phosphorylation and cellular respiration and used by enzymes and structural proteins in many cellular processes, including active transport, respiration, and cell division. One molecule of ATP contains three phosphate groups, and it is produced by ATP synthase from inorganic phosphate and adenosine diphosphate (ADP). ATP is used is many organisms and also in different ways. Below are a few ways in which ATP is used.

One of the most significant reactions in Glycolysis is reaction one which involves the phosphorylation of glucose to form glucose-6-phosphate. Through the transfer of the hydrolysis of ATP, this supplies energy for the reaction and makes it essentially irreversible, having a negative free energy change, which allows for a spontaneous reaction in cells. Although the preparatory phase is energy consuming and uses up 2 ATP, the pay off phase synthesizes 4 molecules of ATP, with the transfer of 4e- via 2 hydride ions to 2 molecules of NAD+. Therefore, a net gain of 2 ATP is achieved through the glycolytic pathway alone. Following the glycolytic pathway, due to the absence of oxygen, as oxygen cannot be supplied fast enough to undergo aerobic respiration, the athlete will instead, undergo lactic acid fermentation. Lactic acid fermentation involves pyruvate that is formed from the glycolytic pathway to be reduced to lactate, with the aid of the enzyme, lactate dehydrogenase, while the coenzyme Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide (NADH) is oxidised to NAD+. The product NAD+ then re-enters the glycolytic pathway in order to produce 2 ATP. This process of lactic acid fermentation produces 2 ATP for each cycle, and thus, rapidly supplies the body with a small amount of energy. However, with the buildup of lactic acid in the body, the athlete will eventually encounter the feeling of discomfort as this accumulation of lactate causes the body to

This energy is used to re-form the bonds between ADP and P to make ATP.

The ATP-PC aka Phosphogen system is for high power/ short duration only. It is entirely anaerobic and can last up to 10 seconds. (Think sprinting, powerlifting, etc.) No carbohydrate or fat is used in this process, as creatine phosphate is the only thing involved in resynthesizing ATP. Once the limited supply of creatine phosphate runs out, the body must then call on other systems to sustain an activity.

Cellular respiration is creating ATP from ADP and a phosphate inorganic using the energy which was released from breaking apart glucose. The equation that summarizes this process is (ADP + Pi) + C6H12O6 +6O2 → 6H2O + 6CO2 + heat + (ATP). ATP is made up of a sugar ribose, 3 phosphate groups, and adenine. ATP is the energy used to complete processes in the body. ATP also has a very high potential energy because of its phosphate groups. Potential energy has to do with energy due to location. For example, a person on a diving board has a higher potential energy than a person already in the water. This is because the girl on the diving board has more potential to fall or convert the potential energy into kinetic energy by using her location to power her fall. The ATP has higher potential energy because its phosphate groups have oxygen ions. The negatively charged oxygen ions repel each other and do not want to be near to one another. Because of this, if the third phosphate group was to break off of the ATP molecule, an amount of energy would be released, lowering the potential energy. This is why ATP has such a high energy and is used for so many processes. The ATP would become ADP with a phosphate group becoming inorganic and would release energy.

The Creatine supplement most commonly used is Creatine Monohydrate (C4H11N3O3). There are other derivatives of this supplement. Creatine Monohydrate has a variety of influences on athletes. Creatine’s occupation is to raise the rate at which ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate) is produced (Creatine Monohydrate Supplementation). When a muscle is used an ATP molecule goes through hydrolysis, the breaking of a chemical bond using H20. The muscle uses this breaking down of ATP to release energy. The ATP gives off an ADP (Adenosine Diphosphate) molecule. Due to the reliability of ATP breaking down with a water molecule, the amount of ATP available in the muscle cells is increased. At the same time ATP is being converted into ADP, ADP is being changed back to ATP inside the muscle. During the contraction of the muscle, the changing back of ADP to ATP is achieved by the Creatine already present in the cells. However, this rebuilding of ATP is not a direct result of the use of the Creatine in the cellular complex. Right upon the taking of Creatine Monohydrate, the total muscular capacity levels of phosphocreatine (PCr) and Creatine Monophosphate increase. This elevation of phosphocreatine “shifts the equilibrium towards the production of ATP,” allowing ATP to be generated at a much faster rate ( Muscle and Strength Magazine). This is the chemistry behind what Creatine does to your body and the reactions

(ATP must be generated continuously since muscles store only enough ATP for 1–3 secs of activity)

Anaerobic is the main training for athletes in strength and endurance sports. The ATP-PC (adenosine triphosphate phosphocreatine) and the lactic acid systems are the two main energy chains comprised for these events.

Oxidotive System: This is the primary source of ATP at rest and during moderate intensity exercises. The Oxidotive production of ATP occurs within the mitochondria of muscle cells. Increases of the size and amount of mitochondria will result in a greater quality of oxidotive enzymes.

ATP is universal form of free energy in all living organisms and is an energy coupling agent (Tymoczko et al. 2013. p. 250). When ATP is hydrolyzed to produce adenosine diphosphate (ADP) and orthophosphate (Pi), or to adenosine monophosphate (AMP) and Pi, free energy is liberated. This free energy can then be utilized for endergonic reactions that need an input of free energy in order to occur. The recycling of ATP/ADP is critical to for energy exchange in living organisms. Thermodynamically unfavorable reactions can be driven if they are coupled to ATP hydrolysis in a new reaction.

pyruvate (3 carbon sugar), 2 NADH and 4 ATP (2 net) per molecule of glucose. During

All three of your energy systems ultimately run on ATP: It’s the fuel source for all your physical functions, from eating to breathing to running hill sprints. Your glycolytic and oxidative systems (which we’ll cover shortly) make most of this ATP to order, cobbling it together from the food you eat and the air you breathe as need arises.

Glycolysis is the predominant energy system for intense exercise lasting up to 2 minutes and is the second-fastest way to resynthesize ATP (Lethem, 2014).