ZMA: Sucked Then, Sucks Now
by Anthony Roberts
ZMA, otherwise known as Zinc Magnesium Aspartate, was the brainchild of Victor Conte, who originally pimped his zinc product as a cure for acne, but later touted its benefits to athletes as a testosterone booster. He even cited a study showing that the stuff boosts testosterone.
One problem: Victor was one of the authors of the study.
Later, world champion athletes started using – and promoting – ZMA, claiming that it was the secret weapon behind their recent victories.
Another problem: we later found out that Victor was secretly steroids to these athletes.
Recently, a group of German researchers studied Conte’s own brand of ZMA and it’s effects on androgen levels, and found that it did absolutely, literally, nothing. Nothing at all.
Eur J Clin Nutr. 2009 Jan;63(1):65-70. Epub 2007 Sep 19.
CONCLUSIONS: The present data suggest that the use of ZMA has no significant effects regarding serum testosterone levels and the metabolism of testosterone in subjects who consume a zinc-sufficient diet.
