ZMA

advise12345

Ive heard Zma is very useful when cutting in that it will protect muscle mass and lead to strength gains while losing fat.

What is peoples experience of it. Apparently there are some brands of ZMA that arent approved for use on safety grounds. Maximuscle claim their's is only one of a few approved brands.

Is it safe. Anybody know?

amazingemmet

Its a rip off, you'll get the same effect out of just taking zinc and magnesium on their own. Just pick ones that that end in an -ate ie zinc asparate and magnesium picolinate. Avoid magnesium oxide.

slicus ricus

advise12345 wrote: »

Maximuscle claim their's is only one of a few approved brands.

Maximuscle claim a lot of things :rolleyes:, most of which are just marketing bullsh!t claims that get people to pay more for a standard product.

advise12345 wrote: »

Ive heard Zma is very useful when cutting in that it will protect muscle mass and lead to strength gains while losing fat.

Never heard that tbh. ZMA is supposedly useful for raising your body's natural levels of testosterone. It was invented by Victor Conte, the same bloke who ran Balco IIRC. If it's maintaining muscle mass while cutting you're after, it's Branch chain amino acids (BCAAs) that are most effective.

advise12345 wrote: »

What is peoples experience of it. Apparently there are some brands of ZMA that arent approved for use on safety grounds.

Never heard of any qustionmarks over its safety either tbh. I took it for a few weeks a couple of years back and only noticed incremental differences tbh. As with any dietry supplement, unless your diet is very good, you're wasting your time and money IMO.

Mickk

amazingemmet wrote: »

Its a rip off, you'll get the same effect out of just taking zinc and magnesium on their own. Just pick ones that that end in an -ate ie zinc asparate and magnesium picolinate. Avoid magnesium oxide.

Most of the time zma is just as cheap as buying the two seperately. Capping and bottles are often as expensive as the raw ingredients.

I have been looking into zma a bit recently. There are two clinical studies out there, one proves that it can increase test levels by as much as 100%, the other proves it does not affect test at all...

It seems it's popularity is mainly because it's one sup where you do notice a difference. It's pretty widely agreed that it gives you a better sleep (never a bad thing) and also that you wake up pitching a tent more often. I think thats where the test levels thing comes from, the idea that if you are hornier then you must have higher test levels.

This might be flawed logic and a case of two different things having the same side effect. Semen contains a high concentration of zinc so maybe the morning glory is your bodies way of getting rid of the excess zinc you have ingested and nothing to do with higher test levels?

rubadub

Definitely had some hormonal effect on me. I got a few spots on my face, first time in almost 10 years!

spiral

i have taken it and definitely noticed much better sleep . I imagine it would only increase test levels if you had some sort of zinc deficiency in the first place.

hooplah

amazingemmet wrote: »

Its a rip off, you'll get the same effect out of just taking zinc and magnesium on their own. Just pick ones that that end in an -ate ie zinc asparate and magnesium picolinate. Avoid magnesium oxide.

are zinc asparate and magnesesium picolinate easily available?

King of Kings

i have to say I find zma pretty good , really restful sleep which in turn helps work, training etc...
but more than that I dunno what it's effects are specific to weight loss.

never heard of any type not being approved - that's just maximuscle marketing ****e

kumate_champ07

slicus ricus wrote: »

It was invented by Victor Conte

i think the word patented would be more appropriate, its a trademark. any company that wants to call there zinc and magnesium supplement 'zma' has to pay a fee to do so. all of the claims for the effectiveness of zma were initally based on supplementation of zinc and magnesium in seperate trials, im not sure if they spent money doing 'zma' trials after that. it does work, but its cheaper to buy zinc and magenesium by themselves. some athletes require 800mg of magnesium a day. citrate would be one of the best forms, its expensive here but cheap online from america. zinc picolinate isnt too expensive.

zinc and magenesium are very effective but dont have the 'wow' factor, they arent new discoveries. throw them together with some b6 and give it a fancy name and u got a product.

as far as i know zinc wont increase levels of testosterone drasticalyl, it will make sure u have optimum levels so basically it will give u the highest levels your body can produce normally. magnesium plays a big part in atp production, if your lifting weights or doing doing alot of cycling or the like its important to take in extra magnesium

Khannie

Things I noticed for certain: Deeper sleep. More vivid dreams.

That alone makes it worth paying for IMO.

kumate_champ07

Khannie wrote: »

Things I noticed for certain: Deeper sleep. More vivid dreams.

That alone makes it worth paying for IMO.

i hate vivid dreams, have them all the time. last night was one of those end of the world dreams.
a couple of nites ago i was dreaming i was in a car in the city and then i decided it was time to wake up so i shook the guys in the cars hands and told them i had to wake up,
true story.

floggg

kumate_champ07 wrote: »

i hate vivid dreams, have them all the time. last night was one of those end of the world dreams.
a couple of nites ago i was dreaming i was in a car in the city and then i decided it was time to wake up so i shook the guys in the cars hands and told them i had to wake up,
true story.

Please, i can out crazy that in a 5 minute nap! I once dreamed is in a vicious drug fued with Tommy Hilfiger!

CivilServant

amazingemmet wrote: »

Its a rip off, you'll get the same effect out of just taking zinc and magnesium on their own. Just pick ones that that end in an -ate ie zinc asparate and magnesium picolinate. Avoid magnesium oxide.

What's the difference between asparate and picolinate?

Edwardius

CivilServant wrote: »

What's the difference between asparate and picolinate?

Think the "ate" is the ligand that binds to the metal ion.

I've been takin magnesium citrate for a while, it's dirt cheap and one of the few supps that I can notice anything from. Usually get less sore and have better sleep. Don't take too much if it though (you'll know when this happens). ZMA had a similar effect for about twice the price.

Punishment IRL

http://www.phd-supplements.com/store/p/2/1/Catalyst.html

Transform

advise12345 wrote: »

Ive heard Zma is very useful when cutting in that it will protect muscle mass and lead to strength gains while losing fat.

What is peoples experience of it. Apparently there are some brands of ZMA that arent approved for use on safety grounds. Maximuscle claim their's is only one of a few approved brands.

Is it safe. Anybody know?

total BS and would rate 20g of glutamine per day and 5-10g of fish oils as farrrr higher a priority

JJayoo

Damn i would get some just to help me sleep, I prob get on average 5 hours a night

Transform

JJayoo wrote: »

Damn i would get some just to help me sleep, I prob get on average 5 hours a night

maybe cut back on caffeine and learn to do some meditation or relaxation exercises

I find once i read before bed all is great

brianthebard

JJayoo wrote: »

Damn i would get some just to help me sleep, I prob get on average 5 hours a night

I have a big tub of zinc&mag I'll give you 10 or 20 to see if they help you sleep if you like.

JonnyF

brianthebard wrote: »

I have a big tub of zinc&mag I'll give you 10 or 20 to see if they help you sleep if you like.

i've read in a few different sources that you need to be taking a supplement like zma or even centrum or wellmans for almost 30 days before it starts to really impact your system.

back on topic i've taken zma for 2 or 3 months and definitely feel it works from a recovery point.

brianthebard

JonnyF wrote: »

i've read in a few different sources that you need to be taking a supplement like zma or even centrum or wellmans for almost 30 days before it starts to really impact your system.

Perhaps for some things but the effects of zinc and mag should be noticeable from the first night.

TommyKnocker

Hi All

Should ZMA or zinc and Magnesium supps be taken at night before bed or can they be taken at anytime during the day?


Best Regards,

M

chases0102

Recently bought ZMA.

Instructions indicate 3 tablets to be taken...presumably, these are all at once, and about 30 mins before bedtime (as per instructions)

Reason I ask is because 3 tablets at that hour of the day seems a bit odd!

Alf Veedersane

chases0102 wrote: »

Recently bought ZMA.

Instructions indicate 3 tablets to be taken...presumably, these are all at once, and about 30 mins before bedtime (as per instructions)

Reason I ask is because 3 tablets at that hour of the day seems a bit odd!

Because magnesiun can make some people sleepy.

chases0102

Cheers...so I'll take the three at one time, rather than stagger them through the day. Sound!

davmol

Not even ZMA could prevent my noisey neighbours fcuking with my sleep.Annoying fcukers.

Caliden

Just a heads up that whenever I took the recommended dosage of 3 I kept having creepy dreams/nightmares.

Brought it down to 2 and all was good.

PowerToWait

Caliden wrote: »

Just a heads up that whenever I took the recommended dosage of 3 I kept having creepy dreams/nightmares.

Brought it down to 2 and all was good.

I've said it before but the dreams with ZMA are off the charts. I don't mind it though. It's great to dream. Some people don't. Spiritually constipated.

JohnRock

I had some of the deepest and refreshing sleeps taking ZMA, not sure why

JJayoo

Dreams are weird

JJayoo

Dreams are weird

eire1

I tried taking the ZMB + GMC from 7 nutrition. I find the tablets are too big, constantly gag trying to swallow them.

arybvtcw0eolkf

eire1 wrote: »

I tried taking the ZMB + GMC from 7 nutrition. I find the tablets are too big, constantly gag trying to swallow them.

Break them in half, swallow with milk instead of water?.

D'Agger

Been trying ZMA for the last few weeks

Wouldn't say I've noticed any testosterone increase, had a few vivid dreams alright and picked up a spot or two that I put down to the change in weather but seeing a few people here mention they picked up spots for the first time in ages after it so it makes sense.

Gona keep taking it for a bit seeing as I'm doing a programme for the next 6-8 weeks anyway along with Glutamine, Fish oils, spirulina & multivits

Dtp1979

I didn't read all the posts, but does zma actually work apart from the deeper sleep?

CWF

D'Agger wrote: »

Been trying ZMA for the last few weeks

Wouldn't say I've noticed any testosterone increase, had a few vivid dreams alright and picked up a spot or two that I put down to the change in weather but seeing a few people here mention they picked up spots for the first time in ages after it so it makes sense.

Gona keep taking it for a bit seeing as I'm doing a programme for the next 6-8 weeks anyway along with Glutamine, Fish oils, spirulina & multivits

How would you notice a testosterone increase? Without getting a blood test?

arybvtcw0eolkf

CWF wrote: »

How would you notice a testosterone increase? Without getting a blood test?

Probably feeling a bit hornier, feeling recovered quicker and a feeling of well being ~ or a placebo

D'Agger

CWF wrote: »

How would you notice a testosterone increase? Without getting a blood test?

Greyson Ugly Accountant wrote: »

Probably feeling a bit hornier, feeling recovered quicker and a feeling of well being ~ or a placebo

^ This - mentioned on a testosterone related thread on The Gentlemens Club that last year I felt I was deficient and got bloods done (that came back normal thankfully) but it was down to feeling very lethargic, lack of sex drive (as in, below normal)

^ Diet had a large say in this, fixing my diet has helped but decided to take ZMA to see if I would notice anything. Worth noting that I do feel much better than this time last year say, but I would put this down to diet, ZMA may be helping but I've noticed nothing seismic TBQH barring some vivid dreams

eire1

Greyson Ugly Accountant wrote: »

Break them in half, swallow with milk instead of water?.

No dice, they're in a plastic type tablet with a powder inside. The powder does not mix with milk..... at all :eek: Rotten

CM24

I liked the vivid dreams and it helped me get to sleep easier, but I found it made it tougher to get out of bed in the mornings. It was like waking up from hibernation or something.