How does zma help sleep

One study from the University of Massachusetts Amherst found that subjects placed on a low-zinc diet had significantly lowered metabolic rates. When the subjects took 25 mg of zinc each day for 20 days, their metabolic rate jumped up to levels that were higher than even before they followed the low-zinc diet. It appears that zinc is not only critical for thyroid function, but also for maintaining levels of the hormone leptin.

This hormone is also important for keeping your metabolic rate high as well as keeping hunger down. Being deficient in zinc has been shown to significantly lower leptin levels. It is well established that zinc is critical for immune function. Zinc affects multiple aspects of the immune system.

Research from the Cleveland Clinic suggests that supplementing with zinc helps to support a strong immune system. Zinc also functions as a powerful antioxidant. This mighty mineral activates an enzyme that may help support overall health and immune function.

Zinc's immune-boosting effects can help to keep you healthy and in the gym. Research has confirmed that athletes are often deficient in both zinc and magnesium. This is most likely due to several factors, such as zinc lost through sweat during training, increased use of zinc by the body for recovery and protein synthesis following training, and an increased loss of zinc through urine.

There may also be dietary factors involved. Refined sugars, as well as white-flour products such as white bread, can lower blood levels of zinc and magnesium. Foods rich in calcium , such as dairy products, inhibit absorption of both zinc and magnesium by the small intestines. Copper, as well as foods rich in phytates phosphorous compounds found in whole-grain breads, cereals, and legumes also hinder the absorption of zinc by the small intestines.

And alcohol decreases the absorption of zinc and magnesium, and increases their loss through urine. Given that you likely are not adequately absorbing the zinc from your whole foods, and that you are losing large amounts of the zinc that you do absorb, you should seriously consider taking a ZMA supplement to maximize muscle mass and strength gains, as well as to drop body fat and support healthy immune function.

I omitted zinc and magnesium from Vita JYM to prevent their competition with other nutrients, and to allow for the maximal uptake and utilization of zinc through ZMA. While taking a plain zinc and magnesium supplement together may provide you with adequate amounts of these important minerals and cost less than a ZMA supplement, I still suggest you spend the money on ZMA.

This form helps to minimize interference in the absorption of both these minerals. Furthermore, this form of ZMA provides zinc and magnesium aspartate in the proper dosage, while also serving up the proper amount of vitamin B6, which aids magnesium uptake and utilization by the body. Specific dosages were found to produce positive effects in athletes' hormone and strength levels. Men should look for ZMA supplements that provide 30 mg of zinc, mg of magnesium, and mg of B6; no more, no less.

Women should take a 20 mg dose of zinc, mg of magnesium, and mg B6. Since a full dose of ZMA is usually 3 capsules, the dose for women can be achieved by taking 2 capsules. What is it? A: Yes, I can attest personally that ZMA a combination of zinc, magnesium aspartate and vitamin B6 is an extremely effective anabolic booster that helps increase testosterone, insulin-like growth factor-1 IGF-1 and growth hormone GH levels while reducing cortisol levels.

Taken before bedtime, ZMA helps you sleep more soundly, while your body releases GH and other anabolic hormones. ZMA also helps to replenish important micronutrients in your system, so you can recover from workouts more quickly and completely. Sleep is obviously important for our overall health, recovery, muscle growth and above all else, our sanity!

These hormones, primarily cortisol, released by the adrenal glands, have a nasty habit of keeping us awake at night, and that familiar feeling of staring at the ceiling and being physically tired, but mentally still very active. Related article - Do you have a vitamin d deficiency? One of the most common concoctions of ingredients used in sleep aids is that of zinc, magnesium and aspartate ZMA. Zinc and magnesium are elements responsible for thousands of complex chemical reactions which promote normal function and are lost during periods of activity through sweat and increased metabolic demands.

This leads to deficiency, one of the symptoms of which being interrupted sleep. Both zinc and magnesium are involved in reactions that maintain normal levels of cortisol, with magnesium, in particular, showing that supplementation has profound effects on reducing excessive cortisol levels.

Several studies into supplementing with ZMA have demonstrated a reduction in cortisol levels and improved sleeping function. Aspartate has been proposed to help to maintain testosterone levels that may be decreased during high training volumes and periods of stress, which may aid recovery, particularly during sleep.

Taken minutes before bedtime this should help you drop off and improve the overall quality of sleep.