Last month I bought a bottle of ZMA - combination of vitamin B6/Magnesium/zinc. Apparently it is good for building strength/muscle/testosterone/ and sleep.

I have had sleeping problems since the 70`s, the ZMA helped a little but didn`t exactly `knock me out`. The supplement also gave me unwanted nocturnal erections which would last for the best part of an hour, but disturbing my sleep. (This didn`t happen when I didn`t take the supplment). As I do not seem to be making remarkable strength I got a feeling this supplement is a forerunner of viaga.

My question is which part of the supplement is or sleep, strength, `eroticness`

I ask this question as I have some multi-vitamins which contain 15 mg of zinc and 3 mg B6 (one reason for eating brown rice) so I was thinking maybe I should just buy the magnesium, but then the ZMA has about 12 mg of B6 and 30 mg of zinc.

Please advise.

B6 has a tendency to make peoples dreams more intense. Maybe your dreams are responsible for this newfound nocturnal nuisance.

I've had sleep problems my entire life. ZMA was touted as a solution 8-10 years ago, and I tried it with little to no success (though at the time I was still sedentary; I'm not sure if that has any bearing on the efficacy of ZMA).

Consider melatonin, if you haven't. It's a natural solution to the problem, 3-5 mgs is all that's needed, and a bottle of 60 pills is only about $10 purchased locally. I'm sure it could be found cheaper on line. One pill taken 45 minutes before bed works wonders for me. I now easily get eight hours of uninterrupted sleep every night with rare exception.

-R

ZMA did absolutely nothing for me...
I gave it an honest go for a month, and noticed absolute zero change.

For help sleeping I was taking an Advil PM when I really needed it....
However, I learned here that a Benadryl will have the same effect without the other stuff...

I am a world champion insomniac...:nod:

Some people have benefited with supplementing with Melatonin. Non addictive, but I've read that some people become tolerant and it no longer works as well. Might be worth a try.

Last time I had 8 hours sleep was when my teeth were just coming in and I had a comfy widdle cwib.

I've tried everything but sometimes the best, most sound sleep comes when I nap, or quite unexpectedly when I am fatigued beyond measure.

The one compound I haven't tried yet is melatonin. Yet here's the strange thing.... As a drug tested, polygraphed natural pro bodybuilder, melatonin is considered a no-no because it's viewed as a pro-hormone. LOL :rolleyes:

:doh:

melatonin is considered a no-no because it's viewed as a pro-hormone. LOL :rolleyes:

:doh:

Seriously!?

I might have to file that one under substance control run amok....it can't possibly "enhance performance".....geeesh...

i benefited a bit on sleep with calmag instead of zma.

I am sure all these sleeping drugs are effective - but for how long. Usually after a week they don`t work anymore.

I am sure all these sleeping drugs are effective - but for how long. Usually after a week they don`t work anymore.

Melatonin works because it's a hormone like you produce in your body. So I don't think it will reduce that much in effectiveness.

I try not to abuse it because I don't want to become reliant., but if I'm jumping time zones, feeling run down, or know I'm going to be short on sleep, I take some.

So has anyone actually benefited from ZMA with their training?

So has anyone actually benefited from ZMA with their training?

ZMA did nothing for me except give me weird dreams.

You may want to try GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) which is is an amino acid that acts as a neurotransmitter, chemicals that facilitate communication between nerve cells. GABA, which is produced by the brain, suppresses nerve impulses related to stress.

Be warned though, the first few times you use it it has some weird side effects. They are harmless but if you are not anticipating them they are kind of scary. A brief and mild change in your breathing pattern and heart rate the first couple of nights. That only occurred for me the second night I used it and it lasted for about 30 seconds to a minute.

In a powder from it is fairly inexpensive and I take a teaspoon (appx 3 grams) a night. I can't swear it really works but then I would not swear on a Bible that creatine has any effect either and I use it daily also just in case.

For those that want to use ZMA, buy the magnesium, zinc , and vitamin B6 complex separate and save money. Do not drink milk or any other calcium supplement within an hour of the ZMA either. The calcium will prevent the absorption of the magnesium. Conversely you need the magnesium to help the body absorb calcium so go figure :)

ZMA did nothing for me except give me weird dreams.

You may want to try GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) which is is an amino acid that acts as a neurotransmitter, chemicals that facilitate communication between nerve cells. GABA, which is produced by the brain, suppresses nerve impulses related to stress.

Be warned though, the first few times you use it it has some weird side effects. They are harmless but if you are not anticipating them they are kind of scary. A brief and mild change in your breathing pattern and heart rate the first couple of nights. That only occurred for me the second night I used it and it lasted for about 30 seconds to a minute.

In a powder from it is fairly inexpensive and I take a teaspoon (appx 3 grams) a night. I can't swear it really works but then I would not swear on a Bible that creatine has any effect either and I use it daily also just in case.

For those that want to use ZMA, buy the magnesium, zinc , and vitamin B6 complex separate and save money. Do not drink milk or any other calcium supplement within an hour of the ZMA either. The calcium will prevent the absorption of the magnesium. Conversely you need the magnesium to help the body absorb calcium so go figure :)




The supplement shop also sells a kind of ZMA cocktail but is zinc magnesium and calcium (from KAL).

The supplement shop also sells a kind of ZMA cocktail but is zinc magnesium and calcium (from KAL).

Thats fine if you are worried about osteoporosis because the magnesium helps in the absorption of the calcium. Also if you are a male and taking calcium supplements you need to be doing magnesium also because excess calcium is thought to be linked with prostrate cancer. However if it is the magnesium you are trying to supplement avoid dairy products and other calcium containing foods for a hour or so before and after taking the magnesium. Check out the third paragraph from the bottom in this link.

http://www.newhope.com/nutritionsciencenews/NSN_backs/May_01/zma.cfm