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ZMA Fuel
Muscular Development September 1999
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I know what you're thinking - not another
new sports performance supplement. Right?
By Bob Lefavi, PhD, CSCS, CHES
So, what makes ZMA FUEL different from
all of the other sports performance products that were introduced
with great expectations?
To begin with, ZMA FUEL has some very
impressive science behind it, and many world class athletes
and strength coaches are reporting tremendous benefits in
the gym as well as on the athletic field. Is it worth a
look? You bet it is, especially with the previous success
of Creatine FUEL. Here's what you should know about ZMA
FUEL, and what the researchers and developers of ZMA FUEL
had to say when I investigated this new sports product.
What is ZMA?
ZMA is a scientifically designed,
university laboratory tested anabolic mineral support formula. ZMA
contains zinc monomethionine aspartate plus magnesium aspartate
and vitamin B-6. ZMA is an all-natural product that has
been clinically proven to significantly increase anabolic
hormone levels and muscle strength in trained athletes.
What exactly is ZMA supposed to
do for athletes?
ZMA is a uniquely synergistic and effective
mineral formulation designed to significantly enhance muscle
strength, endurance, healing and growth. Because ZMA is
a very effective sleep aid, it is recommended to be taken
30-60 minutes before bedtime. Many athletes fail to realize
how important it is to get a deep and restful sleep. According
to John Gamble, strength and conditioning coach for the
Miami Dolphins, "Players using ZMA are cramping much less
and seem to be getting a more deep and restful sleep which
enhances their recovery."
What is the science behind ZMA?
Lome Brilla, Ph.D., a sports performance
researcher at Western Washington University, recently reported
that ZMA significantly increased free testosterone levels
and muscle strength in NCAA football players. These ZMA
study results were presented by Dr. Brilla on June 2, 1999,
at the 46th annual meeting of the American College of Sports
Medicine in Seattle, Washington. The findings were recently
published in the official ACSM journal, Medicine & Science
in Sports & Exercise, Vol. 31, No. 5, May 1999.
According to Dr. Brilla, "A group of
competitive NCAA football players who took ZMA nightly during
an eight-week spring training program had 2.5 times greater
muscle strength gains than a placebo group. Pre- and post-leg
strength measurements were made using a Biodex isokinetic
dynamometer." The strength of the ZMA group increased by
11.6 percent compared to only a 4.6 percent increase in
the placebo group.
"The muscle strength increases may have
been mediated by the anabolic hormone increases in the ZMA
group. The ZMA group had 30 percent increases in free and
total testosterone levels compared to 10 percent decreases
in the placebo group," Brilla explains. "The ZMA group also
had a slight increase in insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-l)
levels compared to a 20 percent decrease in the placebo
group. This study shows that anabolic hormone and muscle
strength increases can be induced in already strength-trained
athletes by using a novel zinc-magnesium preparation," Brilla
added.
Dr. Bob Lefavi, Certified. Strength
and Conditioning Specialist and Certified Health Education
Specialist, is a professor in the School of Health Professions,
Armstrong Atlantic State University, Savannah, Ga.
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