[kelikallinn]

Originally Posted by anti_clwntwn

lol...I know it may not work, but it is marketed as a something used to increase strength and/or muscle mass. I doubt the ts (we'd have to ask him) is using zma to get a better nights sleep or boost his immune system.

Actually that will just be fine, i dont get much sleep and my immune system is crap ;)

[Guards]

I've found ZMA actually puts me down and will keep me groggy as shit all day if I don't get at least 7 hours of sleep. I've had to be careful with it, because it will interrupt my training by sapping my energy levels and making me sleep through gym hours.

[joshetc]

I think it is kind of semantical to say ZMA doesn't boost testosterone, only keeps it from being depleted in athletes. If you're an athlete with depleted testosterone, then start taking ZMA, your average testosterone levels will increase.

Obviously they are completely different, but if you are zinc deficient you will see benefit from taking ZMA. If you aren't zinc deficient, you're better off just buying magnesium for dirt cheap from the drug store.

Magnesium and valerian root (which is in a lot of ZMA blends) are very relaxing. After I run out of ZMA, I'll be switching to taking only those as it is about half the cost of a ZMA stack.

I've found ZMA actually puts me down and will keep me groggy as shit all day if I don't get at least 7 hours of sleep. I've had to be careful with it, because it will interrupt my training by sapping my energy levels and making me sleep through gym hours.

I actually sort of got that feeling at first. Earlier in the day gym sessions after a night of sleep on ZMA would make me just perform worse. I didn't really notice any other side effects. It also went away after a few weeks of taking it.

[ronin0352]

Originally Posted by Guards

I've found ZMA actually puts me down and will keep me groggy as shit all day if I don't get at least 7 hours of sleep. I've had to be careful with it, because it will interrupt my training by sapping my energy levels and making me sleep through gym hours.

Really? That's interesting, but I guess just proves that different substances affect us all differently. I very rarely get over 5 hours of sleep, and I've found that GABA/ZMA before bed helps me get better sleep for that short time and leaves me feeling much more refreshed in the morning. I used to have to set at least 2 alarms and put the clock across the room so I had to get up to turn it off. Now, I wake up 2 minutes before the alarm half the time and get up to turn it off before it has a chance to disturb my g/f and baby.

[King Kabuki]

I think it is kind of semantical to say ZMA doesn't boost testosterone, only keeps it from being depleted in athletes. If you're an athlete with depleted testosterone, then start taking ZMA, your average testosterone levels will increase.

I don't think it works that way, and I've not seen literature that this is the case. If you have any, I'd love to take a look at it. From memory what I've seen is it prevents depletion, not reverses depletion.

[joshetc]

Originally Posted by King Kabuki

I don't think it works that way, and I've not seen literature that this is the case. If you have any, I'd love to take a look at it. From memory what I've seen is it prevents depletion, not reverses depletion.

So once an inadequate diet depletes testosterone, fixing the diet wont make it come back? I just think in an average, healthy person with a healthy diet that ZMA wont make much of a difference on testosterone. I think in a possibly less smart or serious athlete with a poor diet, that ZMA essentially boosts their testosterone. If zinc is required for testosterone, and you add zinc that the person previously never had. It would be similar to a vegetarian with a bad liver going on a high cholesterol diet.

[King Kabuki]

So once an inadequate diet depletes testosterone, fixing the diet wont make it come back? I just think in an average, healthy person with a healthy diet that ZMA wont make much of a difference on testosterone. I think in a possibly less smart or serious athlete with a poor diet, that ZMA essentially boosts their testosterone. If zinc is required for testosterone, and you add zinc that the person previously never had. It would be similar to a vegetarian with a bad liver going on a high cholesterol diet.

I know it sounds right on paper, just not sure it pans out like that in the real world, know what I mean? It'd have to be something I'd have to research. Perhaps my initial wariness is for the terminology "boost testosterone", because it alludes to certain things. Also, I don't think it does it to a significant degree that it'd bring back test levels that were badly depleted.

Then there's the issue that it's not always faulty diet as causation. The study I read about zinc maintaining test levels, the reason for depletion thereof was the strenuous activity itself, not a lack of nutrients specifically. Rigorous athletics deplete test levels to some degree. The subjects were 19 year-old Wrestlers.

[Guards]

Originally Posted by King Kabuki

It'd have to be something I'd have to research.

Sadly, I think articles like this: Bodybuilding.com - ZMA Information and Product Listing! ZMA FAQ! are viewed as accurate and reliable science by most people.

Originally Posted by Bodybuilding.com

Studies have shown that supplementing with 30mg of Zinc and 450mg of Magnesium per day can elevate testosterone levels up to 30%!

Which is to say, that information can certainly be biased and stated to make this SEEM true, it's not quite the case when you follow a real scientific study. Bodybuilding.com is a business, and in the business of turning profit. Bodybuilders and beginners to the supplement world alike both cream themselves at "+30% Test", so it sounds great. Until you read something from a non-biased trial.