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ZMA – Zinc Monomethionine Aspartate Supplement Profile
Zinc Monomethionine Aspartate, a supplement blend used primarily by athletes, gymnasts, and bodybuilders. Developed by convicted Victor Conte (founder of BALCO Laboratories in Burlingame, California). Victor Conte served time in prison in 2005 after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute designer steroids. Conte developed the banned steroid tetrahydrogestrinone (THG) with the help of bodybuilding chemist Patrick Arnold.
ZMA, not a banned steroid and promotes some beneficial effects on muscle building and strength.
What is ZMA Made Up From?
Zinc Monomethionine Aspartate or “ZMA”, a highly specific and unique vitamin/mineral combination. Yes, that’s right! Certain minerals out there create a positive impact on athletic performance and you guessed it–testosterone levels.
ZMA is a special combination of zinc, magnesium, and vitamin B-6. The zinc in this outstanding product, specifically formulated as zinc aspartate and zinc mono L-methionine. Making it incredibly bioavailable because of the two forms of chelates.
Magnesium also found in a chelated form bound to aspartate, making it very bioavailable as well. In fact, the magnesium and zinc bound together to the aspartate. Which also (chemically speaking) enhance absorption. Absorption and usage of minerals is a key factor in receiving their many benefits.
Creation of ZMA
ZMA is the creation of Balco Labs and executive director Victor Conte who has been studying the effects of minerals and trace elements for over 15 years. Research conducted on strength athletes by BALCO labs on ZMA shows that this precise combination of zinc, magnesium, and vitamin B-6 can increase total and free testosterone levels by 30%.
A study published in Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise showed that nightly supplementation with ZMA also increased strength and power. This is all very exciting news for performance athletes and fitness enthusiasts. Zinc, a micromineral involved in the action of several hormones including insulin. Also, growth hormone, testosterone, and estrogen.
Involved in more than 200 enzymatic reactions. Research indicates that exercising individuals have a greater need for zinc, while more prone to a zinc deficiency. Proven to increase testosterone levels in healthy subjects? You betcha!
Zinc and Testosterone
A 1996 study entitled “Zinc status and serum testosterone levels of healthy adults by Ananda Prasad, M.D., Ph.D. showed that taking 30 mg of supplemental zinc daily by healthy men experiencing moderate zinc deficiency doubled their testosterone levels in a 6 month time frame. Now that’s what I call a testosterone booster!
Magnesium, a macro mineral that is involved in over 300 enzymatic reactions in the body including glycolysis. Also, krebs cycle, creatine phosphate formation, nucleic acid synthesis and amino acid activation. While cardiac and smooth muscle contractility, cyclic AMP formation, and most importantly for strength athletes, protein synthesis.
The final piece to the ZMA™ formula is vitamin B-6. Also known as pyridoxine and helps major implications on protein synthesis. The coenzyme form of this vitamin is associated with a vast number of enzymes, the majority of these enzymes are a part of amino acid metabolism.
Necessary in glycogen catabolism to “unlock” carbohydrate energy and vitamin B6. Also shown to diminish the actions of certain catabolic steroids such as glucocorticoid hormones (cortisol). This can boost the all important T : C (testosterone to cortisol) ratio which can lead to positive muscle building effects. Taking one dose of ZMA about 30 minutes before bed time is recommended.