ZMA (

zinc Zinc is a chemical element; it has symbol Zn and atomic number 30. It is a slightly brittle metal at room temperature and has a shiny-greyish appearance when oxidation is removed. It is the first element in group 12 (IIB) of the periodic tabl ...

aspartate Aspartic acid (symbol Asp or D; the ionic form is known as aspartate), is an α-amino acid that is used in the biosynthesis of proteins. The L-isomer of aspartic acid is one of the 22 proteinogenic amino acids, i.e., the building blocks of protein ...

magnesium aspartate Magnesium aspartate is a magnesium salt of L-aspartic acid, an amino acid, with the chemical formula . It is used as a mineral supplement, and as an ingredient in manufacturing of cosmetics and household products. As magnesium is an essential ...

and

vitamin B6 Vitamin B6 is one of the B vitamins, and is an essential nutrient for humans. The term essential nutrient refers to a group of six chemically similar compounds, i.e., "vitamers", which can be interconverted in biological systems. Its active f ...

) is a supplement marketed towards

athletes An athlete is most commonly a person who competes in one or more sports involving physical strength, speed, power, or endurance. Sometimes, the word "athlete" is used to refer specifically to sport of athletics competitors, i.e. including trac ...

gymnasts Gymnastics is a group of sport that includes physical exercises requiring balance, strength, flexibility, agility, coordination, artistry and endurance. The movements involved in gymnastics contribute to the development of the arms, legs, sho ...

, and

bodybuilders Bodybuilding is the practice of progressive resistance exercise to build, control, and develop one's muscles via hypertrophy. An individual who engages in this activity is referred to as a bodybuilder. It is primarily undertaken for aesthetic ...

. It was developed by

Victor Conte Victor Conte Jr. (born July 10, 1950) is an American musician and businessman who was the founder and president of Bay Area Laboratory Co-operative (BALCO), which is now defunct. BALCO was a sports nutrition center in California. In the late se ...

(founder of BALCO Laboratories in

Burlingame, California Burlingame () is a city in San Mateo County, California, United States. It is located on the San Francisco Peninsula and has a significant shoreline on San Francisco Bay. The city is named after diplomat Anson Burlingame and is known for its ...

Formula

The ZMA formula is composed of zinc monomethionine aspartate (30 mg), magnesium aspartate (450 mg), and vitamin B₆ as

pyridoxine Pyridoxine (PN) is a form of vitamin B6 found commonly in food and used as a dietary supplement. As a supplement it is used to treat and prevent pyridoxine deficiency, sideroblastic anaemia, pyridoxine-dependent epilepsy, certain metaboli ...

hydrochloride In chemistry, a hydrochloride is an acid salt resulting, or regarded as resulting, from the reaction of hydrochloric acid with an organic base (e.g. an amine). An alternative name is chlorhydrate, which comes from French. An archaic alternati ...

(10.5 mg). The manufacturer recommends that ZMA be taken 30 – 60 minutes before bedtime with an empty stomach to help synchronize

absorption Absorption may refer to: Chemistry and biology *Absorption (biology), digestion **Absorption (small intestine) *Absorption (chemistry), diffusion of particles of gas or liquid into liquid or solid materials *Absorption (skin), a route by which su ...

with

sleep Sleep is a state of reduced mental and physical activity in which consciousness is altered and certain Sensory nervous system, sensory activity is inhibited. During sleep, there is a marked decrease in muscle activity and interactions with th ...

. The product should not be taken with foods or supplements containing

calcium Calcium is a chemical element; it has symbol Ca and atomic number 20. As an alkaline earth metal, calcium is a reactive metal that forms a dark oxide-nitride layer when exposed to air. Its physical and chemical properties are most similar to it ...

because calcium blocks the absorption of zinc. While ZMA is a

registered trademark A trademark (also written trade mark or trade-mark) is a form of intellectual property that consists of a word, phrase, symbol, design, or a combination that identifies a product or service from a particular source and distinguishes it from ot ...

of SNAC Nutrition, a subsidiary of SNAC System Inc., ZMA is not a

patented A patent is a type of intellectual property that gives its owner the legal right to exclude others from making, using, or selling an invention for a limited period of time in exchange for publishing an enabling disclosure of the invention."A ...

formula and other manufacturers can produce supplements using a similar formula. Variations on the formula include ZMA-5 (ZMA formula with

5-Hydroxytryptophan 5-Hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP), used medically as oxitriptan, is a naturally occurring amino acid and chemical precursor as well as a metabolic intermediate in the biosynthesis of the neurotransmitter serotonin. 5-HTP can be manufactured and use ...

), marketed as a sleep enhancer, and ZMA Nightcap, marketed as

anabolic Anabolism () is the set of metabolic pathways that construct macromolecules like DNA or RNA from smaller units. These reactions require energy, known also as an endergonic process. Anabolism is the building-up aspect of metabolism, whereas catab ...

mineral support. Like all 5-HTP-containing supplements, serotonin levels may be increased- affecting sleep, appetite and temperature.

Scientific studies

A 1998 study was performed on

NCAA The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates College athletics in the United States, student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, and Simon Fraser University, 1 in Canada. ...

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...

players during an 8-week spring training program. Those who took the ZMA capsules experienced greater increases in muscle strength. However, the study was funded by SNAC Systems Inc, which controls the trademark for ZMA. One of the study's authors,

, has

ownership equity In finance, equity is an ownership interest in property that may be subject to debts or other liabilities. Equity is measured for accounting purposes by subtracting liabilities from the value of the assets owned. For example, if someone owns a ...

in SNAC System Inc. In 2004, supplement company Cytodyne funded a study on 42 resistance-trained males using a product called Z-Mass PM that contained ZMA and additional ingredients Mucuna pruriens and polypodium vulgare. The study found that Z-Mass PM supplementation had no significant effects on total and free

testosterone Testosterone is the primary male sex hormone and androgen in Male, males. In humans, testosterone plays a key role in the development of Male reproductive system, male reproductive tissues such as testicles and prostate, as well as promoting se ...

, IGF-1, growth hormone, cortisol, the ratio of cortisol to testosterone, or muscle and liver enzymes in response to training. No significant effects were observed in changes in strength, upper or lower body muscle endurance, or anaerobic sprint capacity. In another study done in 2006, a team of German scientists measured the effect of ZMA on

levels. The study found that ZMA altered urine color due to increased secretion of zinc. It found no effect on testosterone levels.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Zma (Supplement) Bodybuilding supplements Dietary supplements