question about zinc and muscle

[Immortal]

I didnt know where to post this, but recently I bought 50 mg zinc pills from gnc. Ive been taking them and lately Ive noticed Im more cut. Is it the zinc or could it possible be something else in the diet. I have a basic training routine.. Monday-Squats, dead lift, and power clean.. then 4 hours later Incline running... Tuesday - running and abs then hours later I have jiu jitsu.. wednesday is chest/shoulder/triceps day with the statndard lifts, thursday is the bicep and back day with the standard lifts then hours later I have jiu jitsiu..friday and staturday are running and ab days

[stuward]

I would suggest that if you had a Zinc deficiency and you took Zinc, it would have a profound difference in your health. I suppose it could make you more cut. One of it's functions is "Supporting blood sugar balance and metabolic rate". If you eat adequate red meats, you probably don't have a deficiency. Eating liver once in a while is a great way to make sure you pick up a lot of the trace minerals you need.

http://www.vitamins-supplements.org/die ... s/zinc.php
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tnam ... t&dbid=115

[Rucifer]

In addition to what Stuward said about red meat and liver, eat some oysters instead of supplements if you feel you are deficient. Not only do they easily have enough zinc they'll also have some Omega-3s.

[Ricky]

Zinc can have a positive impact on testosterone levels.

The amount you normally get in your diet may be sufficient though, I don't know.

[Immortal]

I dont think I was ever at a deficiency tho since my family loves red meat, were Armenian so we love that stuff lmao. As for the zinc pills, Idk, I definitely notice a difference everywhere, like I train 1 to 2 times a day and theyre pretty hard works.. Especially the lifting and jiu jitsu days. Im not saying zinc is the answer to all, I just wanted to know if its like a possibility because Ive honestly been having more enrgy, and dare I say my blood pumps faster when Im with girls ;), and even I don't have the ebst diet on Earth and im still seeing results... but like I said Im not saying its zinc thats doing that, but if it is, should I recommend it to people?

[stuward]

It's possible that your high exercise activity could have increased your requirements for vitamins and minerals, including zinc but it would be hard to say whether zinc caused those changes. It might just be a coincidence. It would also be hard to assume that even if it helped you that it would help anyone else. They may have some other deficiency that zinc wouldn't affect. It's probably safe to recommend a multi-vitamin with minerals, sort of as a shot gun preventative approach.

[Immortal]

I thought about multi vitamins actually, but I read somewhere that zinc isnt digested well when magnesium iron and copper are mixed up......

[Rucifer]

I've heard that too, but I've heard its only when its supplemented, not from natural food sources. Hence, all the more the reason to eat it instead of a supplement. A multivitamin is one thing, but taking specific mineral supplements when you know you're not at a deficiency could cause other deficiencies because of absorption probs.

[caangelxox]

dont you also take zinc with magnesium? I thought it should be taken with magnesium for a better recovery

[frogbyte]

This discussion makes me ponder switching to "Vitamin Code" next time around...

[stuward]

Is that a brand name?

[frogbyte]

Yea, which supposedly uses no crushed-up mined minerals, but only biological live sources, by-passing those issues of absorption.

[Immortal]

but still, I dont wanna pay for vitamins and know
that Im getting blocked off

[frogbyte]

"blocked off"?

[Immortal]

ya meaning zinc pills block of iron ?