Does ZMA Really Work as a Testosterone Booster?
ZMA and Testosterone – Everything You Need to Know
This article is going to answer the question – “Does ZMA Work as a Testosterone Booster?”
Zinc Monomethionine Aspartate, Magnesium Aspartate, and Vitamin B6, or ZMA for short, is one of the most popular mineral supplement for men.
It’s widely used by all kinds of athletes – from marathon runners to bodybuilders – where it’s often prescribed along with other sleep medication.
So, what’s a mineral supplement doing in the same basket as testosterone?
Well, it turns out ZMA is getting more and more popular as a testosterone boosting supplement, thanks to its health benefits and its availability.
Does ZMA Work as Testosterone Booster?
Despite its long and complicated name, ZMA is actually a pretty simple combination of two minerals and a vitamin – zinc, magnesium, and vitamin B6.
We’ve already written about all the ways vitamin B affects your testosterone levels here, so check it out if you want to know more about the benefits of vitamin B6.
The zinc in ZMA is actually a chelated zinc supplement, made from zinc salt and an added amino acid called aspartic acid.
Zinc is famous for its antioxidant properties and its ability to increase testosterone levels in men.
It’s also often used alongside other drugs that treat psychological disorders such as MDD (major depressive disorder) and ADHD.
Magnesium aspartate, the second mineral in ZMA supplements, is also a chelated mineral salt with an addition of aspartic acid.
Magnesium deficiency is a very common disorder – affecting an astounding 15% of the general population.
There are literally hundreds of peer-reviewed research articles that prove that magnesium supplementation can increase testosterone levels (you can look at some of the studies here, here, and here).
You can also check out my article on the numerous magnesium benefits for men.
Although real magnesium deficiency (hypomagnesemia) is rare, magnesium depletion can cause a myriad of health problems and complications – ranging from fatigue, tremors, and insomnia, all the way to delirium and heart failure.
Seeing all of the things that are directly affected by magnesium, it’s no wonder why it’s one of the most important minerals in the human body.
Having a well-balanced diet is usually enough to provide you with adequate amounts of magnesium.
However, you don’t need to be heavily depleted to feel the difference ZMA is going to make.
ZMA Benefits For Men
There are a few different mechanisms at play when it comes to how ZMA affects your body.
Let’s start with Vitamin B.
Vitamin B, especially vitamin B6, is crucial when it comes to regulating your body’s mineral absorption rate. Vitamin B6 aids in the production of hemoglobin – the protein in your red blood cells that contains iron and carries oxygen.
Oxygen-rich blood is the culprit of every healthy organism, so taking the recommended daily amount of this vitamin should be a priority.
Healthy red blood cells that are rich in iron and oxygen are more likely to absorb and distribute significant amounts of minerals. That includes both zinc and magnesium.
Zinc keeps your immune system up and running, and has many other health benefits for men.
This includes ensuring proper hydration, regulating appetite, improving cognition, maintaining healthy hormone levels and aiding in the development of secondary sexual characteristics.
Zinc is also linked with improving the production of protein within your body, thus decreasing the amount of recovery time necessary after heavy muscle straining.
When it comes to magnesium, the list goes on and on. Several high-profile studies have found a strong correlation between magnesium and increased sleep quality, making it the number one choice for treating insomnia and other sleep-related disorders (you can take a look at some of these studies here, here and here).
In fact, magnesium supplements are often used to treat many different psychological disorders.
To cite Medical News Today, “Magnesium plays an important role in over 300 enzymatic reactions within the body including the metabolism of food, synthesis of fatty acids and proteins, and the transmission of nerve impulses.”
Can ZMA Really Affect Testosterone Levels?
Seeing all the amazing health benefits these minerals can have, it’s easy to assume they’ll do wonders for your hormone levels.
And as the interest in ZMA supplements grows, more and more studies are being done to determine its effects on the human body.
Almost all of the studies have concluded that ZMA complex is highly beneficial both for athletes and non-athletes. However, the effect it has on testosterone levels is still up for debate.
A study done at Wayne State University in Detroit found that zinc might have a role in regulating serum testosterone levels in healthy adult men.
However, a similar study done at the German Sport University in Cologne concluded that ZMA complex has no significant effect on men who already consume a diet sufficient in Zinc.
So, taking into consideration everything we know about ZMA, what can we conclude?
Well, first of all, the benefits ZMA has for your overall health and well-being can’t be disputed.
The ingredient combination of Zinc, Magnesium and Vitamin B6 brings together 3 proven testosterone supports into one supplement.
The ZMA complex will have a myriad of positive benefits for men, including:
- Promoting the production of thyroid hormones
- Preventing nutritional deficiencies
- Renewing zinc losses after exercise
- Maintaining overall body hydration
- Enhancing the functioning of your immune system
- Improving your sleep quality
- Decreasing muscle recovery time between exercises
- Increasing the amount of protein synthesized in your body
So with that in mind: ZMA Does Work and Can Benefit Men
As for boosting your testosterone super fast – don’t get too optimistic about it
If you’re looking for a quick anabolic boost, we suggest you skip on ZMA and focus on another more potent supplement like pine pollen.
However, taking ZMA certainly won’t hurt, as it will provide you with some important vitamins that will help you build up your testosterone levels naturally.
It’s also likely to improve your sleep quality which is also very important for boosting testosterone production.
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