• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Click here to download the  free ebook of Alberto Juantorena’s  detailed training workouts leading up to the 1976 Montreal Olympics

SpeedEndurance.com

Success in Track & Field ... and Life

  • Home
    • About
    • Contact
  • Track & Field
    • 400 meters
    • 800m & Mile
    • 1/2 & Full Marathons
    • Long & Triple Jump
    • Hurdles
  • Training
    • Weight Training
    • Abs & Core
    • Injury Prevention
    • Shoes & Spikes
    • Masters
  • Coaching
    • Freelap Friday Five
    • Interviews
    • Sports Nutrition
    • Sport Psychology
  • Archives
  • Shop
    • My account
    • Checkout
    • Basket

ZMA-5 = ZMA + 5HTP + B9

You are here: Home / Featured Story / ZMA-5 = ZMA + 5HTP + B9
8
SHARES
FacebookTwitter

November 29, 2009 by Jimson Lee Leave a Comment

Last Updated on March 28, 2010 by Jimson Lee

For those who swear by ZMA, you’ll be glad to know a new and improved formulation is now on the market.

ZMA isn’t for everyone, because everyone will react differently to it, especially the vitamin B6 component which can keep you awake for hours.

ZMA is meant to be taken at night prior to bedtime.  I found it more effective on an empty stomach with water, and besides, you really shouldn’t eat after 8pm unless you’re trying to gain weight or get fat.  For a primer on REM sleep, read my previous article on How Much Sleep Do We Need Using REM Cycles?

Everyone knows ZMA is simply zinc, magnesium and vitamin B-6.  That’s it, that’s all.

New and Improved ZMA?

The new ZMA formulation is called ZMA-5 with two new ingredients:

5-Hydroxytryptophan (known as 5-HTP) and Folic Acid (also know as Vitamin B9)

Let’s take a look at each of these ingredients and its pathways.

5-HTP

5-HTP is a precursor to serotonin and an intermediate in tryptophan metabolism.

5-HTP is often sold as an over-the-counter therapeutic supplement, commonly as an antidepressant and sleep aid.  (Side note – I personally use Melatonin products ONLY when I travel West to East on International flights to induce sleep. Otherwise, I never have trouble falling asleep.)

Tryptophan… Good or Bad?

Is tryptophan good for you?

It depends.  In sprinting, tryptophan is bad because it causes a sedative effect especially after 20-30 seconds of near maximal efforts.

Tryptophan is also present in turkey and warm milk, which is why everyone falls asleep after a big Thanksgiving meal.  It could be from overeating, too.  (It can be argued a tryptophan cannot cross the blood brain barrier, but that’s another blog post)

See also  The 7 Scientific Principles of Training

Luckily, we know about the amino acid tyrosine and how it blocks tryptophan, which can be the success of Vitalize, PowerDrive and all the new Red Bull products out there including the 5 hour Energy shot sold at every American gas station.

Serotonin

Serotonin has various functions, including the regulation of mood, appetite, sleep, muscle contraction, and some cognitive functions including memory and learning.

Serotonin is synthesized from the amino acid L-tryptophan, so you can clearly see the pathway and how it’s all interconnected.

Here’s a good article on Tryptophan, Serotonin and Mood Enhancement from the archives.

Folic acid

Basically, Folic acid has been added to ZMA-5 to increase the conversion of 5-HTP to serotonin.

Folic acid is found mostly in leafy green vegetables like kale and spinach, but also in orange juice and enriched grains in trace amounts.

Pregnant women know about this vitamin to reduce the risk of their newborn baby born with a serious neural tube defect called spina bifida. 

The RDA for folic acid is 400 mcg for both men and women, and 600mcg for pregnant women.  Limits of 1000 mcg per day are not uncommon.

Magnesium

Magnesium is becoming popular to seniors as research has been shown to significantly increase the depth and duration of slow-wave sleep.  (Why is it older folks have hard time sleeping?)

But watch out… don’t run out to the pharmacy and start buying zinc or magnesium supplements in excess.  Excess magnesium will lower the absorption rate for both calcium and zinc.  Like the zinc-copper correlation, too much calcium will lower magnesium.

See also  Antioxidants: The Best Anti-aging Secret

Conclusion

When you think about it, the human body is simply one large balanced ecosystem.  Educate yourself first before running to the health food store.  See your physician before making any radical changes to your diet and lifestyle.

Category iconFeatured Story,  Health & Wellness,  Injury Prevention,  Recovery,  Supplements Tag icon5HTP,  speed,  Supplements,  Tryptophan,  ZMA

About Jimson Lee

I am a Masters Athlete and Coach currently based in London UK. My other projects include the Bud Winter Foundation, writer for the IAAF New Studies in Athletics Journal (NSA) and a member of the Track & Field Writers of America.

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Primary Sidebar

Recommended

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xbs-aWxyLk

Shop Our Store

  • Bud Winter (9)
  • Championship Productions (6)
  • Clyde Hart (2)
  • Derek Hansen (1)
  • Electrical Muscle Stimulation (2)
  • Jim Hiserman (6)
  • Jimson Lee (4)
  • Uncategorised (0)

Articles by Category

Products

  • Jim Hiserman - Developing 800m Runners: Identifying, Categorizing and Developing 400m-800m Type Athletes $42.99 $39.99
  • Private Coaching - Monthly Plan $600.00 $525.00
  • Jim Hiserman-Developing-Distance-Runnersv2 Jim Hiserman - Developing Distance Runners Volume 2: A Systematic Approach to Developing Individual Success within a Dynamic Team Culture $34.95 $29.95
  • Feed-the-Cats-Clinic-3-Pack-701 'Feed the Cats' Clinic 3-Pack $64.99
  • Tony Holler's Feed the Cats": A Complete Sprint Training Program Tony Holler's "Feed the Cats" Complete Sprint Training Program $49.99
  • Bud Winter and Speed City presents Arthur Lydiard 509x716 Bud Winter & Arthur Lydiard MP3 [Download only] $9.99

RECENT POSTS

  • Oregon22 Coaches Club now Online
  • IFAC 2022: The Return of In-Person Conferences (with Virtual option)
  • Here is our 400m Discussion Recording… over 2 Hours Long
  • The Best Free Coaching Book – post Beijing 2022 Olympics
  • The Ultimate 400m Track Webinar for Coaches & Athletes
  • NACAC Athletics Coaching Science Series 2022
  • Top Six 400m Predictor Workouts (Number 4 is my Favourite)
  • Best 6 Podcasts for 2021 (and Beyond)
  • Why Karsten Warholm’s 45.94 400mH WR is my Highlight of 2021
  • Sprinting: 10 Research Articles for Effective Sprint Training [Part 23]

Copyright © 2023. SpeedEndurance.com is owned and operated by Aryta Ltd. Privacy Policy | Cookie Policy
Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy
Manage Cookie Consent
To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behaviour or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
Functional Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
Manage options Manage services Manage vendors Read more about these purposes
View preferences
{title} {title} {title}