What Is ZMA And Can It Improve Exercise Performance?
Jul 31, 2024
ZMA is a popular supplement that is commonly used by individuals looking to enhance their sports performance, but what exactly is ZMA? And how does it benefit exercise performance? Continue reading to learn more!
What is ZMA?
ZMA is a supplement that combines zinc, magnesium, and vitamin B6. It is commonly sold as a sports supplement, however its effects are not well reported, and many studies show no improvements in sports performance compared to placebo. Although there are studies that show that ZMA can increase muscle strength, power, and testosterone levels, more high quality research is needed to determine its true effects. Let’s have a look at the nutrients found in ZMA and how they can benefit sports performance!
Zinc
Zinc is a trace mineral that is essential for a range of bodily functions such as skin health, immune function and cell growth. Zinc plays an important role in enzymatic reactions and cell function, and zinc deficiency is linked to low testosterone levels, although the impact of zinc on testosterone is not fully understood. Because of the relationship between zinc and testosterone, zinc supplements may help increase testosterone levels, especially in individuals with low testosterone!
Magnesium
Every cell in the body needs magnesium to function, it is used for energy production, protein formation, nervous system regulation, and muscle contractions - without magnesium we would simply not be able to move! Magnesium is important during exercise because it moves sugar into our muscles and helps dispose of lactate. One study has even shown that a higher magnesium intake was associated with increased muscle mass and power in women!
Vitamin B6
B vitamins are important in metabolising food, which helps produce energy. Vitamin B6 is especially important in metabolising amino acids, which are the building blocks of protein, and is therefore important in muscle protein synthesis! The body also needs B6 for energy production, hence why it is oftentimes found in energy drinks and pre workout supplements.
Can ZMA help with sleep?
ZMA is oftentimes used as a supplement to help with sleep. Nutrients like zinc and magnesium are important in regulating sleep, and low levels of these can have a detrimental impact on sleep. One study showed that taking a supplement containing magnesium with zinc could help manage insomnia symptoms in individuals with insomnia!
Should you take a ZMA supplement?
Because of their importance to overall health and athletic performance, a deficiency in zinc, magnesium and b6 could have a detrimental effect on performance, in which case supplementation can help improve athletic performance. A ZMA supplement may help increase your intakes of these nutrients which can help increase exercise performance, however more research is needed to determine the true effects of ZMA supplementation.
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