Ghost FitnessGhost Fitness/Magnesium/Is ZMA worth it?
Is ZMA worth it?
For most lifters, no. The one independent ZMA trial found no effect on strength, body composition or hormones, and the classic formula's 30mg zinc exceeds the UK guidance level. Magnesium glycinate, 300mg elemental, 22p a day, covers the useful part.
- 0effect on strength or hormones in the independent trial
- 30mgzinc in the classic ZMA serving, against a 25mg UK guidance level
- 300mgelemental magnesium per 2 capsules of the worked example
- 22pa day for magnesium glycinate alone
The cheaper option this page points to is Futuro Labs Magnesium Glycinate on Amazon UK, 180 capsules for £19.99. Label breakdown on the product page.
What ZMA is
ZMA is a trademarked blend of zinc (as monomethionine and aspartate), magnesium aspartate and vitamin B6. The original formula gives 30mg zinc, 450mg magnesium and 10.5mg B6 across three capsules taken before bed on an empty stomach. UK products that call themselves ZMA copy the pattern with varying amounts, which is the first thing to check: the name tells you nothing, the nutrition panel tells you everything.
What the two trials found
The study that launched ZMA was Brilla and Conte in 2000: American football players taking the formula for eight weeks reported higher testosterone, IGF-1 and strength than placebo. The second author held the patent and the trial was never replicated. Wilborn and colleagues ran the independent test in 2004: 42 resistance-trained men took ZMA or placebo for eight weeks alongside training and showed no difference in strength, body composition, anabolic or catabolic hormones. That is the whole evidence base. One positive study from the company, one null study from outside it.
| Classic ZMA serving (3 capsules) | Futuro Labs Magnesium Glycinate (2 capsules) | |
|---|---|---|
| Elemental magnesium | 450mg as aspartate | 300mg as bisglycinate (80% NRV) |
| Zinc | 30mg (300% NRV; UK guidance level for supplements is 25mg) | None |
| Vitamin B6 | 10.5mg (750% NRV) | None |
| Directions | Empty stomach before bed, away from calcium | With a meal, any time |
| Independent evidence | No effect on strength or hormones (Wilborn 2004) | Magnesium claims authorised: normal muscle function, protein synthesis, reduction of tiredness |
| Typical UK cost per day | 30p to 50p | 22p (£19.99 for 90 days) |
ZMA figures are the original patented formula; UK products vary and some use magnesium oxide, so read the panel. Typical ZMA cost is a range from UK retail products checked in September 2026.
The zinc problem
The UK reference nutrient intake for zinc is 9.5mg a day for men and 7mg for women, and most lifters eating meat, dairy and wholegrains already reach it. The Expert Group on Vitamins and Minerals set a guidance level of 25mg a day for supplemental zinc; the classic ZMA serving is 30mg, every night, on top of food. Long-term high zinc intake interferes with copper absorption, which is the reason the guidance level exists. Unless a blood test or a poor diet says you need zinc, ZMA gives you a dose you do not need at a level you should not exceed.
What to buy instead
The part of ZMA with real evidence behind it is the magnesium, and you can buy that on its own, in a better absorbed form, for less. Futuro Labs Magnesium Glycinate gives 300mg elemental magnesium from 1500mg bisglycinate in 2 capsules, 80% NRV, no laxative effect, vegan capsules, made in the UK under GMP and BRC certification and independently tested for heavy metals, at 22p a day from a 180 capsule bottle at £19.99. Take it with your evening meal; there is no reason to take magnesium on an empty stomach. If you genuinely need zinc, add a separate 10mg to 15mg zinc product on days you want it, which keeps you under the guidance level and costs pennies. That is the best ZMA supplement: not a ZMA at all.
What to check on the label
- Zinc per serving: above 25mg is over the UK guidance level for supplements.
- Elemental magnesium, and which form. Some UK ZMA products use oxide behind the name.
- Capsules per serving: ZMA is usually three, which triples the cost per day.
- Claims: testosterone, growth hormone or strength claims are not authorised for zinc, magnesium or B6.
- Cost per day against 22p for 300mg elemental glycinate on its own.
The worked example: Futuro Labs Magnesium Glycinate
Futuro Labs Magnesium Glycinate is what this page recommends in place of ZMA: 300mg elemental magnesium per 2 capsules (80% NRV) from 1500mg bisglycinate, no zinc overdose, taken with food, vegan, UK made, lab tested, 22p a day from a £19.99 bottle of 180.
- Elemental magnesium per serving
- 300mg (80% NRV)
- Form
- magnesium bisglycinate 20%
- Serving
- 2 capsules a day
- Bottle
- 180 capsules, 90 days
- Price
- £19.99 (22p a day)
- Capsule
- vegetarian shell, vegan product
Questions people also ask
What is the best ZMA supplement in the UK?
One whose panel prints elemental magnesium, keeps zinc at or under 25mg and names the magnesium form. Most lifters are better served by magnesium glycinate alone: Futuro Labs Magnesium Glycinate gives 300mg elemental for 22p a day.
Does ZMA increase testosterone?
The independent 2004 trial found no change in testosterone or any other hormone against placebo. The only positive study came from the formula's patent holder.
Does ZMA help sleep?
There is no ZMA sleep trial. Magnesium alone has small trials in older adults; if sleep is the goal, take 300mg elemental magnesium as glycinate with your evening meal.
Why does ZMA say to take it on an empty stomach?
The formula was designed to avoid calcium competing with zinc absorption. Magnesium on its own does not need that; taking it with food improves tolerance.
Is ZMA safe to take every day?
The classic 30mg zinc serving exceeds the UK guidance level of 25mg a day for supplemental zinc. Daily use at that dose is not something the UK safety review supports.
Sources
- Futuro Labs Magnesium Glycinate listing, Amazon UK, label and price checked 31 August 2026. https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0BT7Z5VQW
- Wilborn CD, et al. Effects of zinc magnesium aspartate (ZMA) supplementation on training adaptations and markers of anabolism and catabolism. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition 2004;1(2):12-20. PubMed record
- Brilla LR, Conte V. Effects of a novel zinc-magnesium formulation on hormones and strength. Journal of Exercise Physiology Online 2000;3(4):26-36.
- Expert Group on Vitamins and Minerals. Safe Upper Levels for Vitamins and Minerals. Food Standards Agency, 2003 (magnesium guidance level 400mg a day from supplements). https://cot.food.gov.uk/sites/default/files/vitmin2003.pdf
- Department of Health. Dietary Reference Values for Food Energy and Nutrients for the United Kingdom. Report on Health and Social Subjects 41, 1991 (magnesium RNI 300mg men, 270mg women).
- Retained Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011, Annex XIII: nutrient reference value for magnesium 375mg. https://www.legislation.gov.uk/eur/2011/1169/annex/XIII
- EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies. Scientific Opinion on the substantiation of health claims related to magnesium. EFSA Journal 2010;8(10):1807. https://efsa.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.2903/j.efsa.2010.1807