Any new ZMA studies out

[bunzo7]

does the magnesium in zma definitely HAS TO BE magnesium aspartate?

 

[Aas Gutú Adéli]

Swam an hour yesterday, took ZMA for the first time, right before bed
I was KTFO, great dream, too.

My GF was having neck pain, so she tried them too. She woke feeling great.

 

[shmoctagon]

I agree, it isn't magic, but it's extremely useful, if not essential--IMO.

The story behind ZMA isn't as transparent as some would think. It, by far, is one of the top supplements I recommend to all athletes and non-athletes alike that I do nutritional counseling for.

It was initially pitched as a "testosterone" supplement based on a very poorly conducted study on football players. Numerous studies thereafter failed to find any massive benefit---at least a quantifiable one.

The reason it IS useful it multiple-fold: Our diets are (generally speaking) devoid of any decent amounts of either magnesium or zinc. As athletes, we end up utilizing AND excreting what we have to a much larger degree than sedentary folks. Poliquin states that nearly every single athlete that he sees is deficient, and the zinc tally test is a done as a standard baseline.

Another reason for supplementation is that recovery cannot be overrated---training gains are based on consecutive training days, and if you are trashed from the previous day because your recovery sucks, well, so does your training, and so do your gains. Sleep is the key for optimal recovery, and there is no better supplement than ZMA for sleep. It's not just the deep tendon muscle relaxing effects of Mg; zinc enhances REM sleep, and B6 is essential in the conversion of 5-HTP to serotonin (5-HT).

To answer the OP's question: Nope, haven't seen anything new on ZMA, and we probably won't. Recovery is damn hard to quantify, but talk to any athlete that trains at high intensity on a regular basis that uses ZMA, and they'll more than likely put it as their top supplement.

thanks so much for the info!

 

[KILL KILL]

[QUOTE=Aas Gut

 

[Aas Gutú Adéli]

yeah man, it is pretty great. I haven't taken it in years though. I would advocate buying the zinc, magnesium, and B6 separately. It's 10 times cheaper than buying a regular bottle of ZMA from any supplement store.

i can do that
it's weird, after the first few times i stopped having crazy dreams or feeling that knocked out, i'll keep using it though

 

[Warmonger 99]

yeah man, it is pretty great. I haven't taken it in years though. I would advocate buying the zinc, magnesium, and B6 separately. It's 10 times cheaper than buying a regular bottle of ZMA from any supplement store.

[QUOTE=Aas Gut

 

[34st]

[QUOTE=Aas Gut

 

[MuayThai.Knee]

They say that the crazy dreams come from being zinc deficient then taking in zinc. After a while they stop.

Hmmm interesting... who is this "they"

 

[vincent80]

Hmmm interesting... who is this "they"

The "Illuminaries"... who do you think?

 

[Aas Gutú Adéli]

They say that the crazy dreams come from being zinc deficient then taking in zinc. After a while they stop.

that would explain it

 

[Henry Swanson]

I thought the crazy dreams were from the B6.

 

[dinpappa]

i have been taking ZMA forever, and never had theese "crazy dreams" and i dont know where this "fact" comes from. Never seen any thing to back it up

 

[Aas Gutú Adéli]

well my ZMA has valerian root in it
and sleep terrors are among the potential adverse effects listed for the root
so it could be related to that

 

[dat1978]

i have been taking ZMA forever, and never had theese "crazy dreams" and i dont know where this "fact" comes from. Never seen any thing to back it up

well, i know that when i take zma i definitely get stranger dreams than normal.

 

[ryuikarii]

what product from ZMA are you guys talking about?

 

[Aas Gutú Adéli]

i use ZMA from GMC

 

[ryuikarii]

So i get out of the gym around 7:30 each night, drink my protien shake then wait 45 mins to eat dinner. How long would i have to wait to take this stuff after I eat?

 

[dinpappa]

well, i know that when i take zma i definitely get stranger dreams than normal.

What do you mean stranger?

My point is, how can one nutrient alter dreams, especially to just "stranger" instead of random. "happier", "scarier" etc

And why is there no backing of this in studies?

As i said, taken it for years, never noticed a difference, the few dreams i remember is all strange, as they often are. But not more or less than before ZMA or periods without

 

[Aas Gutú Adéli]

So i get out of the gym around 7:30 each night, drink my protien shake then wait 45 mins to eat dinner. How long would i have to wait to take this stuff after I eat?

you should eat this stuff 30 minutes before bed, preferably on an empty stomach

 

[Aas Gutú Adéli]

What do you mean stranger?

well, it's just his anecdote

My point is, how can one nutrient alter dreams, especially to just "stranger" instead of random. "happier", "scarier" etc

ZMA isn't just one nutrient, but even then... "one nutrient" can change a lot

And why is there no backing of this in studies?

the GNC ZMA has valerian root
"vivid dreams" are a document side effect of valerian root

Valerian - What You Need to Know About Valerian
Vivid dreams from valerian - Drugs Forum
What are the most severe side effects for the Valerian Root?

hell, it can range up to night terrors as listed on the wikipedia page

As i said, taken it for years, never noticed a difference, the few dreams i remember is all strange, as they often are. But not more or less than before ZMA or periods without

well, it's just your anecdote



essentially the most important part of the ZMA supp is likely the actual muscle relaxants, but they add valerian root likely in part to make sure those paying money for it feel like it is doing more than it is, and another part as a sleep aid
imo