ZMA-5
Starting your day off right doesn’t begin with hitting the snooze button. A good night’s sleep is essential for maintaining your optimum performance, and if you’ve been struggling to fall asleep night after night, then it might be time to invest in a quality sleeping aid. SNAC (Scientific Nutrition for Advanced Conditioning) claims to have created the next generation in recovery and sleep enhancement supplementation with their formula ZMA-5.
ZMA-5 supposedly contains the ultimate combination of amino acids and vitamins that have been scientifically proven to increase REM stages of sleep, so you can feel more rested and refreshed without the groggy hangover effect the next morning. Additionally, SNAC claims that Zma-5’s ingredients work synergistically to increase muscle recovery time and regulate hormone production.
Yet is ZMA-5 really the best sleep-aid for athletes? We decided to take a closer look to find out.
Zma-5 Ingredients
Zinc: Zinc has been used for years to heal and repair damaged tissues due to its ability to reduce inflammation and encourage the growth of healthy cells.
Vitamin B6: Your muscles need a healthy supply of oxygen in order to perform in their top condition. Vitamin B6 increases the production of hemoglobin, which in turn transports oxygen to your cells.
Magnesium: Magnesium is essential for the absorption of calcium, strengthening your bones and reducing your risk of injury and osteoporosis.
5 HTP: 5 HTP is an all-natural amino acid that acts as a precursor to Serotonin. Serotonin has been known to promote feelings of drowsiness and improve overall sleep quality, so you can fall asleep faster without interrupting your biological clock.
Folic Acid: Folic Acid goes deep into your cells to improve your metabolism and encourage the proper breakdown of carbohydrates into energy. Unlike many other ingredients, Folic Acid interacts with your body’s DNA and RNA production, which may be able to prevent certain types of cancers.
Advantages
• May improve muscle growth
• Contains ingredients to reduce recovery time
• Affordable retail price
• Stimulant free
Disadvantages
• Doesn’t contain any ingredients for testosterone (as advertised)
• Questionable Effectiveness
• Limited ingredients for improved sleep
• May cause negative side effects
Side-Effects
• Constipation
• Nausea
• Loose Stools
• Headaches
Is it Worth it?
ZMA-5 is a stimulant free and gentle formula that contains a good selection of vitamins for staying healthy. Unfortunately, it fails to live up to most customer expectations due to the fact that this formula doesn’t contain any ingredients for increasing testosterone levels (as advertised) nor does it contain ingredients that help you fall asleep faster (such as Valerian root or Hops). Although ZMA-5 does contain an interesting mix of ingredients that can eventually improve overall sleep quality in the long run, many customer testimonials complain that “it didn’t do anything” for them.
Although ZMA-5 appears to be a safe and affordable formula, we feel that it lacks the strength you need to sleep soundly throughout the night.