subject: ZMA - The Master Testosterone Booster? [print this page] ZMA - The Master Testosterone Booster? ZMA - The Master Testosterone Booster?
ZMA: Boost Your Natural Testosterone
Being a bodybuilder with a regular weight training routine, I often come across those supplements with funny names: ZMA, Tribulus to name but a few. One that has recently got more press is ZMA; so I did my due diligence of online research about it.
It turns out that ZMA stands for Zinc monomethionine aspartate and Magnesium Aspartate. What a mouthful! Victor Conte from SNAC developed it as a combination of zinc, magnesium and vitamin B6. Both Zinc and magnesium are essential minerals effecting body biochemical reactions. Their effectiveness on athletes and on bodybuilders in particular has been proven by clinical research. I'm not going to argue with scientists, so I gave it a try...
After a few weeks of using this supplement my sleep improved dramatically. Funnily enough, I also felt leaner. Is it only me or are we onto something? I asked myself. Further research taught me that magnesium improves sleep quality and releases growth hormone that in turn frees the body fat from fat cells. This helps your body fat turn into fuel and decreases your hunger. Quality sleep also helps your muscle to recover from intensive efforts. Following expert recommendation I took the supplement about an hour before going to bed. I also made sure to take it separately from food to improve its absorption and utilization.
My levels of the catabolic hormone cortisol decreased. As cortisol competes with testosterone and intensifies muscle breakdown, keeping it at a low level boosts up your testosterone. That enables your muscle to achieve maximum growth and strength. But don't just take my word for it! A Brazilian research showed an almost immediate decrease in blood cortisol levels by people who had been given a single doze of zinc. Another study conducted by Justus Liebig University (Germany) indicated low levels of cortisol amongst athletes who took a magnesium supplement.
Doing multiple sets of weight training after taking ZMA supplements has never been easier. In fact, a Turkish academic study from 2007 reported an increase in men's testosterone levels after four weeks of taking zinc supplements. Other studies showed similar effects on competitive wrestlers. One of the reasons that gives ZMA the edge is its fine dosage. It contains 30 mg of zinc, 450 mg of magnesium and 10.5 mg of vitamin B6. This dosage has been proven to improve the level of hormone and strength amongst athletes.
As I started consuming an adequate level of zinc my immune system got stronger and my appetite improved. I learned that lack of zinc and magnesium are quite common amongst athletes. Magnesium keeps your immune system as well as your nervous system healthy and builds your bone. As you grow your muscles your body needs more of those two minerals and ordinary diet can't normally meet those demands. That's where supplements come into play.
It has been a year since I started using zma supplements and I have never looked back...
