Sorry, this is probably a stupid question -- is this safe for women to use? If so, what would be the recommended dose?

dlvito wrote:
Sorry, this is probably a stupid question -- is this safe for women to use? If so, what would be the recommended dose?

Everything I've seen indicates that this is fine for women.

dlvito wrote:
Sorry, this is probably a stupid question -- is this safe for women to use? If so, what would be the recommended dose?

It says 2 pills a day for a women on the back of the bottle

I think the main reason to supplement on top of normal zinc and magnesium consumption is for 2 reasons:

1. The average person doesn't really run across zinc or magnesium in their diets, so it's a common deficiency. Taking a ZMA supplement will help MOST of the strength training industry to at least some extent. As with all supplements, one should give it a test drive and weigh the results for one's self.

2. The zinc and magnesium found in most multivitamain and other sources is usually the crappy, not readily useable form. ZMA supplements make the zinc and magnesium consumed optimal for absorbtion.


ZMA has helped me sleep GREAT when I'm training really hard or overly stressed. I've taken cytodyne's and Biotest's ZMA, and they are both good (both from SNAC systems, I think). ANYWAY, they both have recommended women just take fewer pills at night than men do.

I have begun using ZMA and noticed deeper sleep. However, my gastrointestinal tract has been producing alot of gas. I take ZMA on an empty stomach and about an hour later, I drink my pre-bed shake containing calcium caseinate (Low-Carb Grow!). I noticed the ZMA label stated to avoid taking with foods and supplements containing calcium. Does anyone know why this is? also, any tips on reducing gas? Thanks.

kingcrown wrote:
I have begun using ZMA and noticed deeper sleep. However, my gastrointestinal tract has been producing alot of gas. I take ZMA on an empty stomach and about an hour later, I drink my pre-bed shake containing calcium caseinate (Low-Carb Grow!). I noticed the ZMA label stated to avoid taking with foods and supplements containing calcium. Does anyone know why this is? also, any tips on reducing gas? Thanks.

Competitive inhibition by calcium and magnesium produces crappy absorbtion of magnesium and calcium

AKA wrote:

Competitive inhibition by calcium and magnesium produces crappy absorbtion of magnesium and calcium


I've recently started on ZMA but also have been taking micellar casein before going to bed. Because the calcium in the casein disrupts the absorbtion of the magnesium what can I do to prevent this? Which do I take first, and how long must I seperate the two for them not to interfere with one another?

I'm no expert but I think anecdotally people seem to take their ZMA about 60-90 mins before the protein. I certainly wouldnt do it the other way round given that casein/micellar protein clot in the stomach and release amino acids over anything up to 8 hours.

w-o-i

So knowing of the ingredients involved, how would we know what is imitation or fake ZMA?

I didn't know you guys actually produced and sold your own ZMA and it's about the same price as the ZMA I've been taking for over a yr. But it's not the same concentration. For example the B-6 is 3mg less, the Magnesium is 150mg less, and the Zinc is 10mg less than Biotest's ZMA.

I'm lucky to have finally clikced on this thread.

I did a little experiment with ZMA the other day, and noticed I had very vivid dreams the night I took ZMA. All the other nights I went to bed at the same time, had no unusual levels of stress (physical and / or mental), had no sudden changes in diet and kept everything basically as constant as I could in an uncontrolled setting.

Does anyone out there know if there have been any studies looking into why mineral supplementation aids in allowing deeper sleep levels (and I'm guessing subsequent better/vivid dreams)?

I'm really interested in this subject matter...

I'm not an expert in supplements by any means, but I think the magnesium especially acts as a relaxant and/or muscle relaxant and promotes sleep.
I have also had a theory that ZMA promotes tryptophan but just a theory. Seems like ZMA came about after tryptophan became unavailable.
The question I have always had is: "if" it does indeed promote tryptophan, which helps produce serotonin, which seems to decrease libido (anti-depressants, etc.).
I'm sure there will be those that will be quick to disagree with this, but it is just something I have wondered about.
I realize ZMA, zinc, etc. is supposed to help increase testosterone.

Hi!
What is the difference between magnesium peroxide(mgo2) and the nagnesium in ZMA? Do you have a supplement with mgo2?

Alpha F wrote:
Hi!
What is the difference between magnesium peroxide(mgo2) and the nagnesium in ZMA? Do you have a supplement with mgo2?

The magnesium in ZMA has the aspartate salt and is thought to have a higher oral bioavailability than most other forms.

Magnesium peroxide, so far as I know, is used as an anti-septic. I don't know of any supplements which contain it.

ZMA was invented by Victor Conte.

Anyone up on the latest with him since the big TV special?

Are you guys having a hard time trying to fit in a dosage of ZMA and a Grow! shake (I drink mine with 2% milk) at night before bed.

You see, i am used to drinking my "before bed" shake and well now that i started using ZMA...and not being able to drink and "calcium rich" food with it...i am pretty much f**ked. Its either one or the other huh?... i can't swallow Grow! with just water...I LOVE IT WITH MILK!

Flaco305 wrote:
Are you guys having a hard time trying to fit in a dosage of ZMA and a Grow! shake (I drink mine with 2% milk) at night before bed.

You see, i am used to drinking my "before bed" shake and well now that i started using ZMA...and not being able to drink and "calcium rich" food with it...i am pretty much f**ked. Its either one or the other huh?... i can't swallow Grow! with just water...I LOVE IT WITH MILK!

Just take your ZMA earlier in the day. People get too hung up on taking it right before bed.

i saw in an article in discover magazine that magnesium is a sedative so this should explain why ZMA helps you sleep better. laters pk

pkradgreek wrote:
i saw in an article in discover magazine that magnesium is a sedative so this should explain why ZMA helps you sleep better. laters pk

I briefly covered this in my last column (not yet published).

I just took a Nature Made survey and they asked the following:
5. If Costco began to sell a Calcium/Magnesium/Zinc with Vitamin D product, would you buy this item at Costco?

I found this odd since ZMA says to avoid calcium.

Any thoughts on this?
The obvious response would be "Nature Made sucks" but I am hoping for a more logical answer.

*What a pandora's box supplimentation is...

I too would like an answer to this riddle. I was actually looking through the thread looking for this specific answer.

ZMA mentions not to have calcium.

Other places I've read, that calcium actually helps in the absorbtion of magnesium.

??

I don't typically "pump" products but...

The past several months I've been having issues with waking up in the middle of the night and laying there for a couple of hours before I can get back to sleep. After reading some of the info on ZMA, I decided to try a bottle, after all, it's so inexpensive, what would it hurt, right?

Well, after a couple of days of screwing up the "no calcium/empty stomach" directions, I finally got it right. I ate at 5:30pm, took the ZMA at 8:00pm, then my bedtime shake at 10ish; so the ZMA was actually about 2 to 2.5 hours from bedtime.

That night, I totally sacked-out...sleep was amazing. Out, I tell you, OUT! Since then (about two weeks), just about every night has been like that.

I haven't had the same experience with 'vivid' dreams, but it's probably just that I'm asleep so hard, I don't recall them.

I don't know about the effects it may be having on testosterone, but for sleep, this stuff rules, plain and simple.

Again, not trying to sound like a salesman, but if you are having issues getting or staying asleep, give it a shot (and do it as close to the directions as possible), it may be just what you need.

Matthew

Hey,
I've been an athlete/fitness junkie for awile now and an all around health nutt looking to better myself. This is the first supplement from Biotest I have ever used. I've been on ZMA for about 10 days now, and, without a doubt, helps you sleep better. I too have noticed that i just sleep, for lack of a better word, better, ya know? Definitely more vivid dreams, sound, long, zonked out sleep. So far so good. Im defitely gonna cycle it though to keep my body from getting used to it and I personally think that, whatever your taking, you should always cycle. Im gonna go with 5 on 2 off.

Just started ZMA 4 days ago. I think I noticed something from the first night onward. I'm trying to be wary of the placebo effect though. I will say that I do feel a bit unusually drowsey 30 mins after (easily affected by the placebo effect I'd wager)

Something that's happened every night so far though...that only happens once in a blue moon normally...is that I've woken up before my alarm every morning, strangely awake. Able to go back to sleep, but not really compelled to. I've still gone back for a little more rest, and overall I've been feeling rested. Just an interesting effect I've been noting. Anyone else have that? I'll report back after a more sizeable trial period to offer an informed opinion on the product.

v_m wrote:


is that I've woken up before my alarm every morning, strangely awake. Able to go back to sleep, but not really compelled to. I've still gone back for a little more rest, and overall I've been feeling rested. Just an interesting effect I've been noting. Anyone else have that? I'll report back after a more sizeable trial period to offer an informed opinion on the product.



Yea, i have woken up before my alarm clock too.

v_m wrote:
Just started ZMA 4 days ago. I think I noticed something from the first night onward. I'm trying to be wary of the placebo effect though. I will say that I do feel a bit unusually drowsey 30 mins after (easily affected by the placebo effect I'd wager)

Something that's happened every night so far though...that only happens once in a blue moon normally...is that I've woken up before my alarm every morning, strangely awake. Able to go back to sleep, but not really compelled to. I've still gone back for a little more rest, and overall I've been feeling rested. Just an interesting effect I've been noting.

Anyone else have that? I'll report back after a more sizeable trial period to offer an informed opinion on the product.



The first two weeks I had the same thing going on. Im not really sure why. I guess its your body getting adjusted to it. I would wake up about 30 min to an hour early, very well rested and almost jumpy as well. Its either your body telling you "hey, ive had enough REM sleep Im good. Or it could possibly be an initial increase in Test from your body that was zinc depleted, causing low t levels. The ZMA is helping at boosting them back to normal. I have read that people on any test increasing products, be it a cycle or alpha male, often have a little trouble sleeping at first because of initial Test rush to their body. So that could be a reason as well. Either way, after about the 2nd week my body became used to it and i sleep the whole night threw. Honestly, I dont know why doctors dont prescribe this to EVERYONE at first that has sleep difficulties instead of ambien or some other prescription drug. ZMA has been AWESOME for me. Forget the test or recover benefits aside, just the sleep benefits alone make this a great product. Plus its cheap as well. Everyone should be on it IMO