Conversely, taking magnesium supplements may reduce markers of inflammation, including C-reactive protein (CRP) and interleukin 6 (IL-6) ( 19, 20, 21). While Swolverine’s ZMT supplement provides all the must-have ZMA products (and at high doses), you also get some added sleep-focused ingredients to help you better recover from long, grueling sessions at the gym or stressful days at the office. A deficiency in either of these minerals may reduce your production of testosterone, a hormone that affects muscle mass, as well as insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1), a hormone that affects cell growth and recovery ( 8). Zinc supports your immune system and muscles. Zinc is not stored by the body, you must replenish through your diet. It is essential for humans in trace amounts. Magnesium is required in larger amounts and helps your metabolism.

Key Ingredients:25mg vitamin B6, 422mg magnesium, 50mg zinc, 1000mg l-taurine, 500mg l-theanine, 500mg l-tryptophan, 3mg melatonin

This means Nugenix will amplify both the testosterone-boosting properties of ZMA as well as the improvements to your sleep. Purists might not like these additional ingredients, especially because the melatonin means you need to take it soon before bed, but for everyone else, this is an excellent choice. 3. Evlution Z-Matrix As with any supplement, dosing really depends on the individual. Many ZMA supplements have recommended dosages on the bottle that are different for men and women. There’s no official ZMA recommendation, but individual daily recommendations for the specific nutrients in the supplement are as follows:

Thanks to fenugreek extract and copper glycinate, you’ll get an additional boost to testosterone at night, which should improve your recovery from workouts. 5. SNAC Nutrition ZMA-5 JYM took advantage of this effect by combining the typical ZMA nutrients (vitamin B6, zinc, and magnesium) with 5 milligrams of BioPerine. But potential enhanced absorption isn’t the only thing this supplement has going for it—it also has a really clean ingredient list. The cellulose gel capsule is the only added inactive ingredient. Optimum Nutrition ZMA Dosage: How much is the Best ZMA dosage? Are 2 ZMA capsules a night enough? Apparently, the answer depends on the individual, and this guide will answer all your questions. Who Can Benefit from Taking ZMA? If you’re looking for a recovery enhancer, either because you work out hard or just want to learn how to sleep better at night, then ZMA is probably just what you need. Muscle Gain and Better SleepAs mentioned above, research on ZMA and physical fitness is pretty limited. After giving athletic adult men ZMA supplements, researchers of a small study found no significant advantage in the athletes’ hormone levels, anaerobic capacity, one-rep max bench press, leg press results, or muscular endurance compared to athletes who took no supps. ( 4) However, ZMA provides moderate-to-high doses of zinc, magnesium, and vitamin B6. When taken in high doses, these nutrients may have side effects, including ( 42, 43, 44, 45):

Unlike creatineor pre-workoutsupps, ZMA supplements mainly come in capsule form, not powder. But different companies add different ingredients to their product, as you’ll see below. Some are formulated for testosterone support, while others prioritize sleep and recovery. We included a variety of ZMA types on this list so you can find the product that best suits your needs and fitness goals. Price It contains a combination of vitamin B6 in the form of pyridoxine HCl, magnesium aspartate, magnesium oxide, zinc aspartate, and zinc mono-L-methionine. All ingredients are gluten-free and non-GMO, and the supplement is third-party lab tested for purity and potency. There’s only one formulation, but the brand recommends a two-capsule daily serving for women and a three-capsule dosage for men to meet your needs. Freake, H. C., et al. Actions and Interactions of Thyroid Hormone and Zinc Status in Growing Rats. J. Nutr. 131: 1135-1141, 2001. ZMA was created by Victor Conte, the founder of BALCO Laboratories in Burlingame, California. ZMA is a scientifically developed anabolic agent and was designed for use by elite athletes and bodybuilders.

Product overview

Iron Labs ZM6: The Iron Labs ZM6 has the foundational ingredients, along with vitamin B12, biotin, riboflavin, and vitamin D. Because not everyone searching for a ZMA supplement wants this additional support, we left this one off the list. Evlution Nutrition doesn’t have as much transparency about ingredient sourcing and testing as some of the other brands, but all supplements are made in the U.S. with minimal added ingredients. Price per serving

One of the most important aspects of supplementing with ZMA is timing. I have always recommended taking it about 1 hour before bed and 1-2 hours after you eat. This will not only help to maximize its uptake and utilization, as clinical research confirms, but taking ZMA at this time of day will also enhance sleep quality. ZMA is a combination of three different nutrients: zinc monomethionine/aspartate, magnesium aspartate, and vitamin B6. The combination is a prescription strength, all natural supplement that is designed to support recovery from exercise and enhance growth hormone levels. The end result of using ZMA is gaining more muscle faster, or losing more fat faster with less effort. Although you may not be interested in the crazy ZMA dreams that many people experience, they bear mentioning. Another 12-week study in 23 older adults showed that taking 450 mg of magnesium daily reduced depression symptoms as effectively as an antidepressant drug ( 7). Mahalanabis, D., et al. Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial of the efficacy of treatment with zinc or vitamin A in infants and young children with severe acute lower respiratory infection. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 79(3): 430-436, 2004.

So, as I did at first, you might think supplementing zinc and magnesium separately instead of buying ZMA may help you to save money on supplementation, but you may be getting low-quality ingredients, and if they are not being absorbed by your body to any degree then you’re probably throwing that money away. An 8-week study in 43 older adults with insomnia showed that taking a combination of zinc, magnesium, and melatonin — a hormone that regulates sleep-wake cycles — daily helped people fall asleep faster and improved sleep quality, compared to a placebo ( 33). May elevate your mood You should read the instructions on the supplement bottle you buy. But for the most part, companies encourage you take ZMA supplements before bed. Does ZMA work?