Learn About ZMA
About ten years ago, the supplement industry introduced
a new spin on two old, but necessary, nutritional
supplements. By combining the minerals - zinc
and magnesium aspartate (this is where they get
the letters for ZMA) - a safe and powerful supplement
for increasing testosterone and aiding in muscle
recovery was brought to the forefront of the minds
of bodybuilders and fitness enthusiasts alike.
Many people already knew that zinc and magnesium
were essential nutrients for overall health, but
how was the combination of the two supposed to
induce muscle growth in strength training athletes?
In men, the highest concentrations of zinc are
found in the prostate. Zinc plays a pivotal role
in the production of semen and testosterone. Testosterone
is an extremely anabolic hormone which is essential
to muscle growth and sexual health. Zinc could
even be considered an anabolic mineral. Women
can also benefit from testosterone stimulating
supplements. While, women do not have the same
levels of testosterone that men do, it still circulates
in their body and plays a major role in muscle
growth.
The mineral magnesium is one of several electrolytes
in the human body and also aids in the energy
production process. The majority of magnesium
is found in bones and helps with the absorption
of calcium, but an important aspect that is not
very well known is that it is also a natural muscle
relaxer and can help to regulate sleep patterns.
This natural sedative effect of magnesium is why
ZMA nutrition supplements are generally taken
before going to bed.
Supplementing with ZMA has been shown to:
· Increase free testosterone levels
· Reduce muscle recovery time
· Induces a deeper sleep
· Aids in strength gains
· Increase lean body mass
· Gives more energy throughout the day
After putting your body through brutal workouts
day after day, recovery is of paramount importance.
If your sleep quality is compromised, it becomes
increasingly difficult for your muscles to recover
from hard workouts, and even your immune system
will begin to suffer. Sleep is one of the most
critical stages in optimizing muscle recovery
and athletic performance, not to mention your
overall health!
During the deepest stages of sleep, known as
REM sleep, your body is in an optimal state to
increase its' anabolic (muscle building) hormone
levels. This includes a greater output of Growth
Hormone (GH), and as stated above, the zinc in
ZMA helps to increase testosterone levels. If
you are serious about wanting to build muscle,
testosterone and GH are two of the most important
factors in your plan.
With so many new and scientifically advanced
approaches to nutrition and muscle building supplements,
it can be a little overwhelming to the average
consumer. Nutrition labels are littered with near
impossible to pronounce words that it can scare
a future fitness enthusiast from purchasing a
muscle gaining product because they don't know
(and can't pronounce) what they are buying. With
ZMA, you can have piece of mind that not only
will you know what you are putting in your body,
but also that you will be using a supplement that
has been proven effective.
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