| ZMA ZMA is a scientifically designed anabolic
mineral formula. It contains Zinc Monomethionine Aspartate plus Magnesium Aspartate and
vitamin B-6, and is an all-natural product that has been clinically proven to
significantly increase anabolic hormone levels and muscle strength in trained athletes.
Don't get me started! There is a large
body of scientific evidence supportive of ZMA. Zinc and Magnesium are commonly
depleted from your body. Studies have shown that supplementing with 30mg of Zinc and 450mg
of Magnesium per day can elevate testosterone levels up to 30%!
The most talked about study is the
following. Lorrie Brilla, PhD, a sports performance researcher at Western Washington
University, recently reported that ZMA significantly increase free testosterone levels and
muscle strength in NCAA football players. These ZMA study results were presented by Dr.
Brilla on June 2, 1999, at the 46th Annual Meeting of the American College of Sports
Medicine in Seattle, WA, and were published in the official ACSM journal, Medicine and
Science in Sports and Exercise, Vol. 31, No. 5, May 1999.
Specifically, Brilla reported that "a
group of competitive NCAA football players who took ZMA nightly during an eight-week
spring training program had 2.5 times greater muscle strength gains than a placebo group.
(250% better results!) Pre and post leg strength measurements were made using a Biodex
isokinetic dynamometer." The strength of the ZMA group increased by 11.6% compared to
only a 4.6% increase in the placebo group.
Basically, this means that if you went up
10 pounds on your bench press in eight weeks without ZMA, you WOULD have went up 25 pounds
in that same period if you had been taking ZMA.
Brilla further explained, "The muscle
strength increases may have been mediated by the anabolic hormone increases in the ZMA
group. The ZMA group had 30% increases in free and total testosterone levels compared to
10 percent decreases in the placebo group... The ZMA group also had a slight increase
in insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) levels compared to a 20 percent decrease in
the placebo group. This study shows that anabolic hormone and muscle strength increases
can be induced in already strength-trained athletes by using a novel zinc-magnesium
preparation."
Many other studies have shown the same
results! No wonder bodybuilders around the world are seeing better gains than ever before.
No question about it, ZMA has the scientific research and real-world anecdotal evidence to
launch it to a level previously held only by creatine. And the NFL has taken notice!
Another benefit is better sleep. ZMA should
be taken 30 - 60 minutes before bed. Most people notice they can fall asleep deeper and
then sleep more deeply. Don't be surprised if you start having very vivid dreams while
taking ZMA!
Any bodybuilder looking to gain strength,
increase athletic performance, and muscle mass should consider taking ZMA. There have been
many studies showing that most athletes are deficient in zinc, magnesium, and vitamin B-6.
This is not a good thing for any athlete! The effect of zinc depletion on muscle function
was tested on eight male subjects. This study demonstrated that muscle endurance, or total
work capacity, declines rapidly with acute zinc depletion and the degree of the decline is
correlated with the reduction in plasma zinc concentration. Many other studies show that
after participating in regular intense exercise athletes' levels of zinc and magnesium
decreases deeply. |
