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Article Summary:
If you're feeling fine from the neck down then you should be able to pursue your workout.
If you're not getting enough nutrients, you will see negative effects on your performance.
Testosterone is one of the most predominant hormones regarding muscle building.
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When most people think of supplements that are designed to help you build maximum amounts of muscle, they think about ones such as creatine, protein powder, weight gainers, testosterone boosters, or others of that nature. These supplements are much more mainstream and are typically discussed to a larger extent amongst most gym-goers.
If you really want to take your results to the next level however, it's important to expand your horizons and look at other supplements that may offer a number of benefits to lead you down the right path to getting good results.
ZMA is one of those supplements. Often overlooked by many, this supplement offers great promise for helping you take one step closer to reaching your goals.
Here are some of the top reasons why you should give ZMA some serious consideration.
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When Looking To Build Muscle Try Not
To Only Take The Mainstream Supplements.
Enhanced Immune System Functioning
Almost everyone has had the occurrence before - you're lying in bed, sick, contemplating whether or not you can make it to the gym to get to your workout. The general rule of thumb is that if you're feeling fine from the neck down, you're able to pursue that workout, but if your body aches, your movement feels sluggish, and getting out of that bed feels like a workout in itself, you'd better skip that gym session and rest.
Too frequent of these occurrences will really put a damper on your ability to train well, so you need to do what you can to keep your immune system strong so it's not something you need to deal with regularly.
One study that was published by Wayne State University School of Medicine suggests that zinc supplementation has a positive effect on decreasing levels of oxidative stress and reducing inflammation throughout the body.
Since one of the primary components of ZMA is zinc, by adding this to your supplement protocol you will stand a higher chance at warding off the common cold, as well as any other illnesses that may try to suppress your immune system.
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If Getting Out Of Bed Feels Like A Workout In Itself,
You'd Better Skip That Gym Session And Rest.
Prevention Of Nutritional Deficiencies
Another reason to consider adding ZMA to your daily diet is because zinc happens to be one nutrient that many people do fall short in while consuming a typical mixed diet. The greatest sources of zinc come from oysters, beef shanks, crab, and pork shoulder, all of which are foods that don't typically get eaten all that often.
One study published in the Nutrition journal assessed the overall food intake, body composition, and biochemical profile of endurance athletes and found that while overall protein intakes were sufficient amongst the athletes, they were short in a few key nutrients, zinc being a primary one.
Other nutrients they were reportedly short in included magnesium, potassium, vitamin E, and calcium, all which will play important roles in muscular contraction. If you are not getting in adequate volumes of these nutrients, you will see a negative carry over on your athletic performance.
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Oysters Are A Great Way To Unsure You
Are Getting Zinc From Your Diet.
Zinc Losses During Exercise
Another important factor impacting zinc concentration levels in the body for those who are involved in intense exercise is zinc loss through sweat. One study published in the International Journal of Sports Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism looked at the iron and zinc loses through sweat over a 2 hour exercise bout.
The researchers found that while iron losses were controlled to be only 3 and 1% for men and women in terms of iron, zinc loses were much higher coming in at a total of 9 and 8% of the RDA.
This demonstrates that after a hard workout session you may see much higher proportions of zinc lost through sweat from the body than other minerals, necessitating the need for replacement. The body may have conservation methods in place to retain the iron in the body during exercise, however the same cannot be said for zinc.
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You May See Much Higher Proportions Of Zinc Lost
Through Sweat From The Body Than Other Minerals.
Zinc And Testosterone Levels
It's very well known that testosterone is one of the most predominant hormones to act in the body with regards to muscle building. Generally speaking, the higher the levels of testosterone you have moving throughout the body, the greater your chances of synthesizing lean muscle mass will be.
Zinc is a mineral that appears to be correlated to testosterone in males, therefore it's one that will have an impact on your overall progress. In one study published in the Journal of Human Reproductive Sciences, researchers discovered that an intake of 5 mg taken per day showed higher levels of testosterone present in the body.
Most ZMA products on the market contain at least this level of the mineral - if not more, so it should be easy for you to achieve this dosage through supplemental use.
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Researchers Discovered That An Intake Of 5 Mg Taken Daily
Showed Higher Levels Of Testosterone Present In The Body.
Thyroid Hormone Promotion
Finally, the last reason to add ZMA is because studies have shown that utilizing zinc supplementation can help increase the concentrations of both thyroid hormones and testosterone both at rest and after exhaustive exercise.
One study looked at the impact of oral zinc supplementation for four weeks in previously sedentary men and found that after the four week period was up and exhaustive cycling exercise was performed, the levels of thyroid hormone and testosterone were not as low as they previously had been prior to supplementation.
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What Is The Thyroid?
 In vertebrate anatomy, the thyroid is one of the largest endocrine glands in the body. This gland is found in the neck, inferior to (below) the thyroid cartilage (also known as the Adam's apple) and at approximately the same level as the cricoid cartilage. The thyroid controls how quickly the body uses energy, makes proteins, and controls how sensitive the body should be to other hormones.
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