One 8-week study in 27 football players showed taking a ZMA supplement daily significantly increased muscle strength, functional power, and testosterone and IGF-1 levels ( 11).

And while most of the research has been in animal studies 12, there’s some evidence that L-theanine can counteract the effects of caffeine—a plus especially on those days when you’ve taken more pre-workout than you intended. Both zinc and magnesium are also suggested to blunt cortisol, a catabolic hormone. German researchers found that triathletes taking a magnesium supplement for four weeks maintained healthy cortisol levels at rest and after a triathlon, as compared to athletes taking a placebo. And Brazilian researchers also reported that subjects supplementing with zinc maintained healthy cortisol balance. In fact, it found that supplementing with zinc lowered HbA1c — a marker for long-term blood sugar levels — to an extent similar to that of metformin, a popular diabetes drug ( 6, 25).

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These active ingredients form the bulk of the supplement. There are only two additional ingredients: the capsule itself and magnesium stearate, which is an anti-caking agent. This particular supplement doesn’t contain vitamin B, like most ZMA supplements do, but you can combine it with a separate B-complex vitamin or the brand’s Sleep Aid, which may help improve sleep quality, too.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. References That said, consuming more zinc, magnesium, and vitamin B6 may provide many other benefits, such as improved immunity, blood sugar control, and mood. This especially applies if you’re deficient in one or more of the aforementioned nutrients ( 5, 6, 7). Summary Oyster itself contains high quantities of zinc and magnesium, however, it also contains 59 trace minerals that act as co-enzymes in the body, helping to maximize zinc and magnesium utilization. Swolverine ZMT also has 300mg of ashwagandha, an herb that helps ease stress and anxiety, according to the Cleveland Clinic. This ingredient is also beneficial for recovery, as it can help reduce inflammation and normalize your cortisol levels (also ideal before bed).However, since we started taking Optimum Nutrition’s ZMA recently, we’ve noticed a big difference in the quality of our sleep and recovery times. If you are using my Vita JYM multivitamin, it is critical that you use ZMA. I omitted zinc and magnesium from Vita JYM to prevent their competition with other nutrients, and to allow for the maximal uptake and utilization of zinc through ZMA. Do's and Don'ts ZMA stands for zinc, magnesium, aspartate and is a supplement that contains zinc, magnesium, and vitamin B6. ZMA supplements are developed for athletes with the intention of improving physical performance.

Research suggests that magnesium helps activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for helping your body feel calm and relaxed ( 28, 29). As with some omega-3 supps, you may get a little whiff of the fish, according to our testers. “I get a slight seafood/fishy taste and smell when taking these. It’s ignorable, but present.” So, you may want to take these pills with some juice or other flavored drink. One study in approximately 8,900 adults found that those under the age of 65 with the lowest magnesium intake had a 22% higher risk of developing depression ( 34). The unique ingredient in this formula is definitely the D-aspartic acid or D-AA. This is an amino acid that may help boost testosterone levels. Although more conclusive research is needed, D-AA helps release testosterone in your body and therefore may be able to help increase your levels. ( 2) Again, though, more trials are definitely needed to confirm these claims.Optimum Nutrition ZMA is a supplement I often recommend to my clients who are having sleep issues. Here’s what you need to know about the best dose for you to take, along with all the evidence based benefits. What is the optimal ZMA dosage? I have experimented with it for about 3 years now. At first I took three capsules per evening, but recently discovered you only need to take two capsules every night. If you are looking to buy ZMA, this post will help you find the best deal.

Transparent Labs ZMO supplement provides clinically effective doses of zinc, magnesium, and oyster meat extract. Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine hydrochloride), zinc (zinc aspartate, zinc monomethionine, and zinc oxide), and magnesium (magnesium aspartate and magnesium oxide)These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any diseases. References The office of dietary supplements quoted above also state that the daily upper limit for zinc is 40mg, so ZMA is within these parameters, but bear in mind this limit includes zinc from your diet, not only supplementation. It appears that zinc is not only critical for thyroid function, but also for maintaining levels of the hormone leptin. This hormone is also important for keeping your metabolic rate high as well as keeping hunger down. Being deficient in zinc has been shown to significantly lower leptin levels. Support Immunity The big question that everyone want to know the answer to is “does ZMA really work?” of course, but there is no simple answer to this as it depends on why you are taking it, and the current levels of ZMA ingredients already present in your body. I certainly find it hard to say that everyone should take ZMA, especially considering some of the possible side effects.