I have recently been under a lot of physical and mental stress. i took 2 weeks off from training…okay well i did some cardio…but after my break i started a new (killer) workout routine, i started taking classes full time at the community college, and on top of that i work a good 20 hours a week.
i have been experiencing a LOT of tension in my back and neck, and 80% of the time i am sore just about every where else.
I hear that ZMA helps with recovery from exercise and stress. And also that it boosts T levels, which is nice.
Can anyone help me out and tell me about their experiences with ZMA?
My other question was that the directions say to take it on an empty stomach 30-60 min before bed. i like to have a casein shake before bed. what if i take the ZMA closer to 60 min before bed and the shake right before bed?
Both of these questions have been asked and responded to many times over the past several months, so you might want to try a search.
However, I’ll give you the consensus.
Most people report than ZMA helps them recover better at least in part because of improved sleep. I definitely feel more refreshed the morning after taking ZMA.
As for timing it with a high-protein pre-bed meal, simply take ZMA at least 30 minutes before said meal.
personally i noticed no discernible difference when i took ZMA to when i didn’t take it, didn’t improve my sleep quality, gave me no extra energy, nothing, i now reckon it’s a waste of money (despite being cheap). Although as HK24719 said there are many who will testify to it being a worthwhile product.
It’s a solid supp. Not miraculous, but good for next-morning freshness and alertness after a heavy session. I make sure to take it by 10.30 if its lights out at midnight. I feel it more then
[quote]darraghoconaill wrote:
personally i noticed no discernible difference when i took ZMA to when i didn’t take it, didn’t improve my sleep quality, gave me no extra energy, nothing, i now reckon it’s a waste of money (despite being cheap). Although as HK24719 said there are many who will testify to it being a worthwhile product.[/quote]
How long did you take ZMA for tho? did you use it regularly or just off and on whenever?
it’s one of my staple supplements. helps induce a deeper sleep for me. it’s not going to show dramatic results like creatine for example, but every bit helps and at $15/month it’s well worth it.
I am one of the many who needs to take melatonin with ZMA in order to sleep-without the melatonin I was up most of the night. That said, my sleep has been better and deeper.
How long did you take ZMA for tho? did you use it regularly or just off and on whenever? [/quote]
i took it for as long as the bottle lasted (not too sure how long that actually is!), i also took it regularly every night and avoided taking it with calcium as prescribed.
[quote]darraghoconaill wrote:
i also took it regularly every night and avoided taking it with calcium as prescribed. [/quote]
That can be tricky business. Seeing as rice or pasta are a no-no around bedtime, most people get plenty of veggies with their protein. As it turns out, greens are excellent sources of calcium.
My personal experience on ZMA has been very positive. Besides the wicked dreams, it’s one of the most effective prevention against cold I’ve tried. Dunno about the quality of sleep as I have no way to monitor that, but it’s definitely doing plenty of good things to my body. It’s one of my staples.
[quote]lixy wrote:
darraghoconaill wrote:
i also took it regularly every night and avoided taking it with calcium as prescribed.
That can be tricky business. Seeing as rice or pasta are a no-no around bedtime, most people get plenty of veggies with their protein. As it turns out, greens are excellent sources of calcium.
My personal experience on ZMA has been very positive. Besides the wicked dreams, it’s one of the most effective prevention against cold I’ve tried. Dunno about the quality of sleep as I have no way to monitor that, but it’s definitely doing plenty of good things to my body. It’s one of my staples.[/quote]
You get crazy dreams too?
As a ZMA note, I get great sleep, recover faster and felt way more amped up. I would take it 1.5 hours after dinner, and 1.5 hours before my Metabolic Drive before bed shake.
For the first week every dream resulted in a war, fight, etc.
OP, I have had phenomenal success with taking zinc and magnesium supplements. Some react more then others to them. I feel like my testosterone noticeably raised.
I have taken ZMA for many years when I have trouble sleeping. Normally, I only require 5-6 hours sleep but, when I do take ZMA it feels as though I have slept 10-12 hours. I awake very refreshed and ready to go but, I do experience weird dreams not bad dreams but, when taking ZMA, I have these very intense, vivid dreams, the colors are fantastic more so than regular dreams. Not only that but, when I take ZMA, I see faces in my dreams where for the most part I do not in regular dreams. Also, my ZMA dreams seem to take me to different parts of the world. Weird.
ZMA should be taken before bedtime and taken without any calcium products, because it seems to lessen the effects of ZMA. Regarding sleepiness, there ZMA products that are what they call â¿¿daytimeâ¿¿ ZMA, (of course to be taken during the day) probably a lesser amount of the ingredients that would be in the normal â¿¿nighttimeâ¿¿ ZMA. Anyway, itâ¿¿s a good product and don’t be afraid to use it.
I mainly like the ZMA because, as others have mentioned, it really does help in the prevention of colds or flus, for me anyway.
I do have some good dream action as well, but I feel rested in the morning. Staying healthy during the winter is key for me.
I have had some very positive experiences with it. My sleep is much deeper and I have improved recovery.
That being said…I sometimes experience odd dreams with it. Nothing bad, just vivid. I think it is because ZMA affects the dopamine levels in the brain, which would tend to rev things up a bit in the dream department…or at least that’s my theory.
I tried a bottle, wasn’t really my thing. Made my dreams so vivid I would just ‘ease’ into waking up, when really it was still the middle of the night lol. Or I’d get up after only 5 hours sleep and feel really lively, but obv crash later as that’s not really enough.
Basically it made it harder for me ot sleep as dreams became so vivid. So I don’t take it v often. If I feel rundown or whatever, I might have a dose in the morning or once a week etc.