Turning things around with ZMA!
Did you know I supplement with ZMA? I’m not outing myself with anything weird or wacky, just want to share with y’all how this formula of zinc, magnesium aspartate and vitamin B6 has helped me tremendously the last several years. Yes, being a runner and general fitness enthusiast is a great way to stay healthy, but it can also take a toll when you’re not taking care of yourself – I know this firsthand. Increased levels of physical exercise can deplete the minerals, vitamins and nutrients that are essential for protein synthesis, muscle maintenance / building, and testosterone production. This is when I had a light bulb moment – no wonder I was feeling so run down, worn out and stuck in a performance rut.
I was already taking magnesium and vitamin B6 at the suggestion of my physician, but with little discernible effect. However, when I found the specific formulation of ZMA, I started noticing some improvements – and now, I’m afraid NOT to take it! Here are the main reasons why I like ZMA, and why you may be interested too – but of course, please consult with a trusted medical professional first.
Boost Testosterone: You may be surprised to find out that women produce testosterone too, although in much lower levels than men. A lack of adequate testosterone, regardless of gender, can make you feel tired and lethargic as you go about your daily schedule and (blush) not in the mood at night. Blood work at a doctor’s appointment a couple years ago showed I needed to boost up this hormone and, compared to some other options out there, I felt that ZMA supplementation would be an all-natural and gentle way to kick things up a bit without growing any hair on my chest! One study has shown that testosterone in men increases as much as 30% when taking ZMA.
Deepen Sleep: I have a troubled history with getting enough quality sleep. That’s bad on so many levels – not only do I feel grouchy in the morning, but I am often unable to execute my workouts as planned. Falling into deep REM sleep is vital for muscle recovery and proper testosterone production – all of this action happens at a higher rate while we are snoozing soundly. ZMA is taken about an hour before bed on an empty stomach and encourages a deeper, more productive sleep.
Achieve Strength Gains and Improve Performance: Studies have shown that ZMA supplementation has many benefits for athletes. As mentioned earlier, due to the taxing demands we put on our bodies, athletes lose more minerals and nutrients than the general population. These exercise stress caused deficiencies need to be continually replenished to stay healthy. When properly replenished and recovered, the body can continue to train and build strength at levels that yield performance improvements. A study on football players during 8 weeks of spring training revealed that those taking ZMA had 2.5 more gains in muscle strength than the placebo group. While I don’t exactly have a football player physique, I do count on nightly ZMA to help mend my muscles so that I can tackle the next day of running and working out!
Lean Body Composition: A nice side benefit of taking ZMA is that the little boost in testosterone helps me stay lean with a much higher percentage of muscle mass compared to body fat. Now, you can’t just take ZMA and think you will drop weight like crazy – it doesn’t work that way AT ALL! You definitely need to be mindful of your diet (I eat a higher protein, lower-carb diet) and genetic body type. I’m an ectomorph, which in terms of body building, has been described as someone with “thin limbs and stringy muscles” – lol, no worries about bulking up here!
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I take fish oil and a multi every day, but never thought about ZMA!
for me it is bananas. i really need extra potasium.
My must have is an apple almost every day. Good for you!
I’m not much of a supplement person but I eat at least one banana a day. It’s like the day doesn’t start off right without one!
I am a huge Sunwarror vanilla brown rice protein fan!
OH my gosh I literally just read about this stuff yesterday and was considering buying some, so thank you a ton for doing this! I really trust your opinion. My must have is a probiotic
Oh I love Swanson Vitamins! Would love to win!
I need dark greens every day.
I just recently started taking Magnesium by the suggestion of my physician but she didn’t mention the other two components. I will call today and see if the combo would make more sense than just the M alone!!! Thanks for sharing the tip. I’m looking into ZMA now!! Great acrobatic move by the way 😉
For me, calcium is a must have.
I MUST check this out! I’m all about L-glutamine right now!
I always have to have my protein powders!
Amazing! Never heard of it and it may be my missing link! Thank you for this blog post!!!
I use probiotics, multi vites, omega fish oil, turmeric and calcium with D
I take calcium daily.
magnesiumn
My must have are bananas and water 🙂
Vitamin B complex.
vmkids3 at msn dot com
bananas and vegan protein powder!
Vitamin C and Zinc are my must haves to keep me from getting sick.
I need to have Probiotics every day.
Protein is a must have for maintaining/building muscle.. I love the Quest bar protein bars
I need to take iron supplements daily
My daily multi-vitamin is a must! Also I have to have my protein shakes.
I love having spinach everyday! Thanks!
Garden of Life’s raw meal is a must have for my daily routine
I am a big fan of chia seeds and I have them in my smoothies.
Their vitamins are great but I have to buy the Swanson’s Whey Protein Powder to get my smoothies on!
Vitamin d
I always take my calcium and multi-vitamins.
I like to have bananas and multi-vitamins every day.
I would buy some Yogi tea !
My must have is a tie between magnesium and coconut oil!
Vitamin D!
A blend of Calcium, Magnesium, Zinc and VitaminD
i take and need Swanson Premium High Potency Vitamin D-3
I must have fish oil. Even the dentist recommends it!
vitamin D is a necessity for me, because my levels are low 🙁
calcium is a must have.
fish oil is a daily must for me
I just started using their Maximum Strength Quercetin – love it
For me, a must have vitamin supplement is calcium.
Garden of Life Raw Meal!
I like dried fruits for energy.
The most important vitamin that I take every day is Vitamin D3. I was having pain in both forearms and a lot less energy before discovering I was extremely deficient. Starting taking it daily on a doctor’s advise and I’m amazingly better now! It helps your immune system and bones, very important as we age!
The most important thing we do is to make sure we are eating plenty of whole unprocessed foods. I also take a multi vitamin and dha because I am breast feeding.
I eat a banana everyday.
My must have is coconut oil !!
I take magnesium and it makes me feel better.
My must have is Calcium. As I get older I realize just how little calcium I actually take so have been taking calcium supplements.
I have to have fish oil; it gives me the feeling of elation.
Vitamin D
To be honest I first discovered zinc when my boyfriend was taking it for sperm quality. I had hit a plateau with my times (I’m a sprinter) so I was desperate to try anything. He apparently was feeling much better after taking zinc (in combination with vitamin C) and made progress in the gym. After researching (http://healthead.com/zinc-vitamin-c-sperm-count/) I found out it raised testosterone a bit. I started taking it and in 1 week I managed to break my 3-month plateau. Placebo or not, worth a try.
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Yes, research shows that it may help athletes maintain higher testosterone levels during intense training periods. When properly replenished and recovered, the body can continue to train and build strength at levels that yield performance improvements.