If you’re familiar with sports nutrition supplements, you’ll probably be aware of the many benefits associated with ZMA. ZMA, or zinc magnesium aspartate, is a popular supplement that offers a combination of zinc, magnesium and vitamin B6. Together, these three micronutrients help to build lean muscle, increase strength, boost stamina and speed up post-exercise recovery.
In a nutshell, we need zinc for a healthy metabolism, immunity and digestion, and we need magnesium for energy, healthy muscles and nerve function. Zinc and magnesium are both minerals. Vitamin B6, on the other hand, is a vitamin (quite obviously, sorry) and is one of the many B vitamins.
Most of the B vitamins are required for releasing the energy from our food, but vitamin B6 (also known as pyridoxine) is specifically required for helping the body use and store the energy provided by the proteins and carbs in our diet. It’s also used in the formation of haemoglobin, a substance found in the red blood cells that transport oxygen around the body.
So, we can see that micronutrients (which is the catch-all term for vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients) help to support a healthy metabolism, energy levels, muscle strength and oxygen-rich blood flow that provide many benefits for anyone who’s working out.
But what about testosterone levels? We added ZMA to our natural testosterone boosting supplement, Testoraise for a good reason, and here’s why…
The benefits of boosted testosterone levels
Testosterone is an androgen, that is, a male sex hormone. It’s present in men’s bodies, and also in women’s bodies to a much lesser extent.
This hormone is responsible for most of the typical male characteristics, including muscle mass and strength, bone density, fat distribution, libido and sperm production.
Having regular, or boosted levels of testosterone are associated with higher levels of lean muscle mass vs fat, stronger bones, some aspects of improved cognitive function (such as verbal memory and mathematical reasoning), an enhanced sex drive and a better mood.
The benefits of boosted testosterone also extend to our performance at exercise and sports. It helps to build muscle and burn fat, which in turn makes us stronger and more likely to reach, and surpass, our training goals.
How does ZMA affect testosterone levels?
ZMA supplements have shown, in robust clinical trials, to significantly increase testosterone levels in men who are regularly working out.
Separately, both zinc and magnesium have been scientifically shown to either raise testosterone levels or help prevent an exercise-induced reduction in testosterone levels.
What’s more, in the case of zinc, studies have shown that a deficiency in zinc in males can lead to low testosterone levels. It’s thought this may be due to a zinc deficiency negatively affecting the cells in the testicles where testosterone is produced.
Both zinc and magnesium are ‘essential’ minerals, meaning that it’s essential that we get them from our diet or supplements as the body cannot manufacture them (like it can some vitamins and minerals) or store them. So for anyone who exercises regularly, a ZMA supplement makes perfect sense.
Taking Testoraise to raise the stakes
The benefits of ZMA are clear to see which is why it’s considered a key ingredient in Testoraise, our all-natural testosterone boosting supplement. In addition to ZMA, Testoraise contains a trio of herbs – maca, fenugreek and ashwagandha, plus D-aspartic acid, boron, vitamin D3 and vitamin E to complete a premium-grade formulation.
Try supplementing your training regime with Testoraise to ramp up your T-levels, build lean muscle mass and take your performance to the next level!
