Creatine Store - Sports Nutrition and Fitness Products

What is ZMA?

ZMA or Zinc Monomethionine Aspartate (it's full title) is one of the most rapidly growing sports supplements on the market today. ZMA combined with magnesium aspartate, as found in many major brands, is claimed by supplement companies to increase free testosterone levels by up to 43% without the use of pro-hormones which can have side effects that can adversely effect your body`s natural hormonal balance.

<< Back to top

Is there any recent evidence to prove the success of this relatively new supplement?

Indeed there is and the results were in favour of the ZMA /magnesium aspartate ingestion. In 1998 a study undertaken by Dr. Lorrie Brilla of Western Washington University in the United States was presented to the American College of Sports Medicine. A group of college American football players were studied and assigned to a placebo or ZMA and magnesium aspartate supplement for 8 weeks. The ZMA and magnesium supplements increased the free testosterone levels of the athletes by 43% more than the test subjects who ingested the placebo. In addition, this group showed increases in muscle strength at a massive 250% more than the placebo group.

The main theory behind the successful use of ZMA is centred around the needs of an athlete. Both Zinc and Magnesium deficiencies are common amongst the general population, however, these deficiencies are even more prevalent in athletes. Research highlights that rigorous exercise and stress can result in significantly increased losses of Zinc and Magnesium. Supplementing with a ZMA combination will replace these minerals that may be lost due to training or heavy weight lifting.

<< Back to top