I am interested in the supplement ZMA. I am not experienced with using supplements like this and I needed some advice. Here is my sitiuation.
17 years old
Doing a high amount of exercise every day 1-2 (not always high intensity hours at least.
I do get a very balanced diet (plus 3-4 reasonable meals a day, sometimes with snacks) but not always with the best timing.
I walk most places (off-road mostly) and have a high amount of activity in my life.
What I want to know is:
Will it be beneficial to me, after high amounts of exercise my libido and general man energy seems to feel low (if that makes sense?
Can I still have high-calcium products if I supplement it with natural sources of zinc, magnesium and vitamin B6?
will it be safe at my age?
What are the best products? I heard ZMA Hp 240 was quite good.
ZMA is essentially a zinc, magnesium, and B6 supplement. You take three caps at nighttime just before bed on an empty stomach and try not to take it with calcium. It won’t make you Superman while you sleep but your sleep will be more restful and it should aid in the training recovery process. Not everybody thinks that is is more than a sleep aid, however.
Because it’s a vitamin cocktail, teenagers should be fine taking normal doses. They’re all the same so if you’re not going to order the ZMA in this site’s store (great price), just find an affordable brand at your local nutrition store and don’t worry about the “bells and whistles” of more pricey ZMA supplements.
Personally if I were 17 I wouldn’t bother taking it unless you just have problems sleeping. Don’t just take stuff to take it. Then at your age I’d want to know why instead of taking a sleep aid.
I’d spend the money on protein supplement or a good multi-vitamin. Main think is to keep your diet good and eat enough calories and protein to keep your Testosterone levels high. At 17 they should be at good levels to build some muscle.
[quote]theBigEnglishman wrote:
It’s mainly for sleep I suffer from Chronic Insomnia, Possibly caused by ADHD[/quote]
Personally, I haven’t had any help falling asleep with ZMA, so I don’t think it’d be useful in treating insomnia. A doctor’s visit might be a better investment.
[quote]yerba wrote:
theBigEnglishman wrote:
It’s mainly for sleep I suffer from Chronic Insomnia, Possibly caused by ADHD
Personally, I haven’t had any help falling asleep with ZMA, so I don’t think it’d be useful in treating insomnia. A doctor’s visit might be a better investment. [/quote]
Yep. It doesn’t help me FALL asleep, but once I’m there it’s more sound without waking up 10 times a night like I used to. Really the only time I wake up in the middle of the night is because of the great side effect of night-time boners about 3 hours after falling asleep.
But you are 17 so it may not affect you that way. I’m 32 and when I’m not taking ZMA, I don’t have those nightly surprises. Well worth the price for those it can benefit. As far as you NEEDING it, it’s not very expensive so I would try a bottle and see if it works for you. If not Biotest does allow you to return the unused portion for a full refund for any product you have not purchased before.
[quote]theBigEnglishman wrote:
Would it be beneficial if I mostly get the required amount of Zinc,Magnesium and Vitamin b6[/quote]
I’ve read somewhere, maybe here but doubtful, that no, apparently the nutrients of ZMA are perfectly proportioned to maximize its benefits. Seriously given the cost of buying those supplements separately, you’d just save time and aggravation by buying ZMA itself.
[quote]BF Bullpup wrote:
theBigEnglishman wrote:
Would it be beneficial if I mostly get the required amount of Zinc,Magnesium and Vitamin b6
[quote]
I’ve read somewhere, maybe here but doubtful, that no, apparently the nutrients of ZMA are perfectly proportioned to maximize its benefits. Seriously given the cost of buying those supplements separately, you’d just save time and aggravation by buying ZMA itself.[/quote]
I actually meant from food. You know, the way most people get their Zinc,Magnesium and Vitamin b6. The natural way. I didn’t even realise that they were sold separately, but I certaily was’nt thinking of buying them. The natural way. Thanks for that anyway guys.
I wouldn’t waste your money on it. ZMA has some massive assumptions tied to its claims of increasing testosterone and IGF-1, the biggest one being that athletes have some sort of huge deficiency in zinc and magnesium caused by piss-poor diets or they’re somehow excreting these minerals through exercise.
I think it’s safe to say that if you’re willing to fork over the dough for ZMA then you’re probably paying attention to what you eat or at least taking a decent multivitamin. It doesn’t matter if it’s ZMA or another related supplement.
Supplementing with it will not raise anabolic hormone levels if there’s no shortage of these minerals to correct. And then of course there’s the premise that a deficit in these minerals does have an impact on T-levels.
That being said, as others have mentioned here ZMA can be a successful (albeit a pricey) sleep aid. This is why it’s recommended to be taken before bedtime. Getting a good night’s sleep plays a significant role in recuperation and hypertrophy so if you have a problem counting sheep then you may want to give ZMA a try. Personally, I’d go with another effective but much cheaper supplement such as melatonin as a sleep aid.
Cheers. I have tried Melatonin and it is effective (It is gven free in the U.K if you can prove that you need it). But I found that good sleep hygene can be very effective, sometimes. Would it make my sleep more anabolic