What Is ATP? Benefits, Side Effects, Usage, and More

You may not have heard much about ATP yet. It’s not widely found in products, but the few that feature it are typically geared toward reversing the signs of skin aging. Some products with ATP promise to tighten skin, improve tone and radiance, and refresh the complexion. Many product labels claim that ATP will “energize” the skin. Here’s more about what that may mean in terms of changes to your skin’s health and appearance.

Reduces Signs of Aging

Data shows that a cream containing adenosine (which is related to adenosine triphosphate) was effective in lessening the appearance of crow’s-feet, forehead lines, and frown lines in adults ages 45 to 65 in as little as three weeks. More recent research similarly found that topical adenosine, when applied twice per day for two months, lessened wrinkling around the eye area and improved skin density, elasticity, and hydration. (Keep in mind this study was extremely small and followed just 22 women, so more studies are needed.)

Lowers Inflammation

In addition to improving wrinkles, ATP may help “soothe inflammation, as well as have skin restoring properties,” says Rogers. This was shown in research that highlighted ATP’s role in skin repair and anti-inflammation. In addition, this could be beneficial for acne, says Dr. Frieling, who calls ATP very soothing, as it can target cells to reduce inflammation, which is one of the driving factors behind the development of acne.

‘Energizes’ Skin

“You can think of ATP as food for our cells,” says Rogers. This is where the idea that ATP can help ‘energize’ your skin comes in. Heidi Prather, MD, a board-certified dermatologist with Westlake Dermatology in Austin, Texas, explains that “as we age, our cells’ ability to turn over slows. We see that on the stratum corneum, which is the top layer of the epidermis that has dead skin cells.” While a young child has this luscious, supple skin, older skin loses its ability to slough off these dead skin cells, repair oxidative damage, and replenish collagen. “Fatigued skin is less supple, bouncy, and hydrated, and looks duller,” she says. One way to potentially turn that around is to upregulate the cells’ energy cycle through ATP — Dr. Prather says this is like stepping on the gas pedal. One important thing to keep in mind: “ATP can help cells do what they already do, but it won’t change or enhance their natural functioning,” adds Zeichner.

Overall, though, research remains extremely limited, each expert noted. “We don’t have strong clinical studies on ATP in skin-care products, and we need companies willing to invest in clinical research that demonstrates that ATP is topically absorbed into skin and gets into the mitochondria to influence these mechanisms and produce the desired result,” says Dr. Prather. “Overall, ATP itself is solid in science, but finding products that truly target these cellular functions is key,” she says. In addition, it’s tough to say how topical ATP compares with other skin-care products geared toward the signs of aging, Zeichner says. Although topical ATP may be one ingredient in the wave of the future in skin care, the jury is still out, adds Frieling.