ZMA

ZMA is a dietary supplement and consists of zinc, magnesium and vitamin B6. The mineral complex has numerous positive effects on the body.

ZMA is an abbreviation for a supplement made from the combination of Vitamin B6, Zinc and magnesium. Vitamin B6, magnesium and zinc taken together have a better effect than the macronutrients taken alone. Why is this, what positive effects does a combination preparation of vitamin B6, zinc and magnesium offer you and what should you consider when buying ZMA supplements? We'll tell you here!

Contents

• What is ZMA?
• What effect does ZMA have?
• Benefits for your health
• Taking ZMA

What is ZMA?

ZMA is a dietary supplement for athletes and health-conscious people, which consists of a formula of zinc, magnesium and vitamin B6. The product is usually taken in capsule form. Vitamin B6, zinc and magnesium, the individual components of ZMA capsules, belong to the group of minerals. The minerals zinc and magnesium (or trace elements) in particular are often not present in sufficient doses in the blood of athletes. This deficiency arises from the physical strain of sport and the associated sweating. Mental stress and restful sleep can also increase the deficiency. Athletes are therefore generally advised to check their magnesium and zinc levels regularly and supplement them if necessary. ZMA can be found in every well-stocked fitness online shop.

Foods with zinc, magnesium and vitamin B6 (active ingredients of ZMA)

Of course, you don't necessarily have to supplement zinc, magnesium and vitamin B6. The trace elements are contained in many natural foods and are not only found in capsule form. However, since zinc, magnesium and vitamin B6 are involved in a variety of biochemical processes and have numerous functions, a deficiency becomes noticeable very quickly and the requirement should always be generously covered. The health and fitness benefits are enormous, as we will show you in the next section. But first we want to tell you which foods magnesium, vitamin B6 and zinc occur naturally in.

Foods high in zinc:

• oysters
• liver
• turkey meat
• Owner
• bananas
• Wheat bran

Foods high in magnesium:

• Broccoli
• brown rice
• legumes
• nuts
• potatoes

Dates are considered particularly rich in magnesium and contain around 50 mg of magnesium.

Foods high in vitamin B6:

• mackerel
• Walnusskerne
• Sesame together
• quail
• Salmon

What effect does ZMA have?

Each of the three active ingredients contained in ZMA is extremely valuable. The magnesium-zinc combination counteracts a deficiency that can arise as a result of muscular exertion and heavy sweating. In fact, there are studies that show that athletes who don't use ZMA perform less well in their training. It is assumed here that the body's growth and strength potential is not being used optimally because the body is not sufficiently supplied with all minerals. As a result, training successes can occur less quickly and take longer to arrive.

This is how a lack of ZMA becomes noticeable

A lack of ZMA is not only reflected in a lack of progress. Other symptoms of a deficiency include numbness of the fingers, brittle nails, dizziness and shortness of breath (magnesium deficiency), susceptibility to infections, difficulty concentrating and hair loss (zinc deficiency), as well as muscle weakness and skin inflammation (vitamin B6). A zinc deficiency in particular can have far-reaching consequences such as hormonal disorders.

ZMA reduce the risk of deficiency and counteract symptoms by balancing the consumption of trace elements. This can be particularly useful for people who regularly subject themselves to muscular exertion.

To understand how ZMA works, it makes sense to look at the effects of the individual trace elements:

Benefits for your health

Zinc and its effects:

Zinc takes on a variety of important functions in the human body. The mineral ensures beautiful, healthy skin, hair and nails, it boosts the metabolism and the immune system and is even said to prevent the development of diabetes. Zinc is also of central importance for athletes: physical exertion, i.e. sport, inevitably leads to sweating. Minerals are excreted through sweat. If you train regularly and hard, it is very likely that you will excrete zinc and other minerals and become deficient. Zinc is also important for athletes as it stimulates cell growth and wound healing. It also strengthens your immune system, which can be an advantage after an intensive training session: intensive training attacks your immune system and you are more susceptible to infections.

The daily requirement for zinc depends on various factors such as gender and your age. The German Nutrition Society (DGE) recommends a dose of at least 10 mg per day for men and 7 mg for women. For some people the need is increased, such as pregnant women, women who are breastfeeding, vegans or vegetarians. According to the DGE, pregnant women should also consume at least 10 mg of zinc per day. Breastfeeding women are advised to consume even more and increase their dosage to at least 11 mg of zinc per day. The fact that around a third of men and almost a quarter of women in Germany have a zinc deficiency shows that this need is not as easy to meet as expected. Men aged 65-80 in particular do not have enough zinc and 44 percent show deficiency symptoms. If in doubt, a product made from ZMA capsules can help.

Magnesium and its effects:

The mineral takes on some important functions in the body. You need it to tense muscles and it acts as a transmitter between nerve and muscle cells. Magnesium also supports heart activity and, as a mineral, is involved in the structure of your bones and teeth.

The German Nutrition Society (DGE) and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) specify 300 mg per day for women aged 25 and over and 350 mg per day for men as a reference value. Pregnant women (a total of 310 mg per day) and breastfeeding women (a total of 390 mg) have a slightly increased need. Likewise, young men aged 15 to 25 years require more of the mineral (around 400 mg/d in total). Even with heavy sweating competitive sport or hot work or when there is stress, the requirement may be higher. Since only around 30-50% of the magnesium supplied through food can be used by the body, it makes sense to supplement the mineral. This is particularly true for people who have increased needs due to their age or special circumstances, such as pregnancy or breastfeeding.

Caution: Too much of the mineral can cause stomach and intestinal problems. For this reason, many supplements have 150 mg of magnesium or even just 100 mg. These magnesium mg 100 and 150 mg supplements compensate for a deficiency without causing side effects due to too high a dose. So that magnesium can be optimally absorbed and available to your body, we recommend combining the active ingredient with vitamin B6. This vitamin ensures that your cells and muscles are adequately supplied and supports muscle function.

Vitamin B6 and its effects:

Vitamin B6 takes on various tasks in the human metabolism: it breaks down proteins and ensures that they can then be used and incorporated. The vitamin also plays a role in fat metabolism, but this function is not the only thing that makes the vitamin extremely important for athletes: Vitamin B6 protects against stress and tension; Perfect for everyone who sometimes takes on too much.

With a normal, balanced diet, you usually get enough vitamin B6 - the requirement is quite low at a maximum of 30 mg. However, since you have to consume either 400g of avocado, 350g of rice, or 200g of banana chips for such a dose, it can make sense to supplement a ZMA product, especially as part of a conscious diet with a limited number of calories.

ZMA experience: Concentrated power of active ingredients together!

As you have just learned, ZMA contains various active ingredients, all of which complement each other and multiply the effect. This makes ZMA an extremely popular product among athletes and is said to do these things, among other things:

• Increase in strength
• Support in diet and weight loss
• reduction of fatigue
• Increase in energy
• Improving sleep
• Zink strengthens the immune system, which is particularly important for athletes. Athletes also benefit from the trace element as it helps them maintain their fatty acid metabolism and normal protein synthesis.
• The mineral complex found in ZMA capsules is involved in numerous processes in the human body that keep it vital and efficient. For this reason, it is important that your depots always remain well filled.
• ZMA supports your muscle building and function. The combination of active ingredients also improves testosterone production in women and men. In addition, your sleep quality is also improved due to the support of the hormonal balance in the body. This means: sleepless nights are a thing of the past from now on. Look forward to finally being able to sleep through the night again.
• The mineral complex in vitamin B6-zinc-magnesium tablets is particularly suitable for athletes, competitive athletes and bodybuilders. People with an increased need for zinc, magnesium and vitamin B6, such as pregnant or breastfeeding women, should also consider counteracting a deficiency with a ZMA product.

In conclusion, ZMA counteracts zinc deficiency, magnesium deficiency and B6 deficiency. They compensate for the consumption of minerals - which happens, for example, through heavy sweating during increased muscular effort in strength, combat and endurance sports - and improve your physical functions.

The concrete effects of ZMA on your body can be observed primarily in the muscle tissue and cells. Here your body can use the building materials built into ZMA directly into building strong and powerful muscles and convert these preliminary products in multiple metabolic processes. The building blocks contained in ZMA are individual active ingredients that are known from nature and which are combined in an optimal mixing ratio in the ZMA product for an even better effect.

Taking ZMA

If you have decided to supplement with a ZMA product, it probably raises several questions in your mind:

• What kind of products are there?
• How do I recognize the quality?
• How many mg of the active ingredients should be contained in my zinc supplement?
• Who is the supplement suitable for?
• How do I take the supplement?
• Are there any dangerous side effects or is it safe to take?

But first things first:

ZMA usually comes in capsule form. This has the advantage that all active ingredients come in the optimal mixing ratio and in a sufficient dose. Capsules also offer you the advantage that you can take them anywhere without much preparation. All you need is some water to wash down the capsules and you're done. Theoretically, you can take the capsules with you to the gym, or carry them with you when you are on vacation or sleeping somewhere else. You remain independent of external factors, so to speak, as long as you only have your capsules with you. Depending on your needs, you can take up to four capsules daily 30 minutes before going to bed with plenty of liquid. You should not exceed this dose and adapt it to your body weight: the more you weigh and the more muscle mass you have, the more of the active ingredients your body can tolerate and the higher the requirement. This is also the reason why men often have a higher need: they weigh more and have a higher percentage of muscle mass.

You can generally recognize the good quality of a supplement by the labeling of the raw materials. Where do the ingredients come from? Is the origin transparent and how were the active ingredients processed? The higher quality the ingredients are, the higher the price usually is. Cheap supplements that are rather cautious about the composition and origin of their ingredients often use cheap fillers. You can tell the good quality of a ZMA product in particular by its composition. A mixing ratio of 20 to 1 of the active ingredients magnesium and zinc is recommended.

ZMA is theoretically suitable for all health-conscious people who have a high need for the active ingredients. This makes ZMA particularly recommended for competitive athletes, fitness enthusiasts and health-conscious people in general.

Since the quality of a supplement can also be recognized by its price, you should not be stingy when choosing your supplement product. Compared to other dietary supplements, ZMA is in the solid midrange of prices. Prices vary depending on the contents of the package. You should expect to pay at least 15 euros per 100g.

Does ZMA have side effects?

Since all of the active ingredients contained in ZMA occur naturally in the body, the supplement is completely harmless. There are no known side effects so far. As we already told you before, you should not unnecessarily exceed the dose of magnesium that you need daily. Otherwise, gastrointestinal problems are a possible side effect. Some people fear side effects from the anti-caking agent magnesium stearate. These concerns are unfounded:

Magnesium stearate has nothing to do with the magnesium active ingredient contained in ZMA! The release agent with the similar name is used in industry as a flow and release agent. The remedy refers to the salt of stearic acid and can be found in all sorts of capsules, tablets and granules. There it prevents raw materials from sticking together. Magnesium stearate makes the production of products less complex and more cost-effective because it prevents other raw materials from sticking. The salt has long been criticized for causing harmful side effects. It is said to cause allergies and the absorption of important vital substances - completely the opposite of ZMA.

Täglich bis zu 4 Kapseln 30 min. vor dem Schlafengehen mit reichlich Flüssigkeit einnehmen.

Magnesiumcitrat, Kapselhülle Hydroxypropylmethylcellulose, Zinkmonomethionin, Reisextrakt, Kupferbisglycinat, Pyridoxinhydrochlorid