Zinc: The Most Important Mineral for Men
Make sure your diet is chock full o’ zinc.
Zinc is an essential mineral that is naturally present in some foods and can be added to others.
It is also available as a dietary supplement.
It is essential for growth and development at all stages of life.
It supports a healthy immune system, participates in wound healing and helps form the structure of proteins and cell membranes.
Yea… zinc is kind of a big deal.
In fact, you could argue that it is the most important mineral for men.
That will become evident when I list the 10 benefits of zinc.
Make no mistake, this is a diet article and it should serve as a wake up call for men of all ages (especially the younger guys who are still developing).
You wanna do big boy things?
You wanna make big boy noise?
The typical modern American diet will not cut it.
That’s a fast ticket to becoming a modern day pushover… an average guy who is content… a feminine man-child who goes with the flow and then nags about his life.
Get your food game right and start hammering the zinc playa.
What happens if you don’t get enough zinc?
Since it is involved in so many core processes of the body, the sign and symptoms of zinc deficiency vary.
Zinc deficiency can occur when:
Dietary intake is low.
When it is poorly absorbed.
When there are daily or increased losses or zinc (such as from daily pornography consumption).
The body is experiencing high growth periods.
Zinc deficiency can lead to:
Frequent infections.
Hypogonadism in males.
Loss of hair.
Poor appetite.
Problems with the sense of taste.
Problems with the sense of smell.
Skin sores.
Slow growth.
Trouble seeing in the dark.
Wounds that take a long time to heal.
Delayed sexual maturation and impotence.
Weight loss.
Mental lethargy.
Okay. So that’s the bad part.
The purpose of that was to instill a little bit of fear in you and remind you that you should be guarding your zinc with your life.
Now let’s go over the benefits of zinc. This should motivate you.
Sonny’s Experience with Zinc
Ever since I was a baby my diet has been packed with zinc.
My father is a chef and he did right by me.
He always made sure to feed me good food that would make me grow up big and strong.
Most parents say that. Most probably hope for that.
However, most really miss the mark because they feed their boys garbage.
Fast food. Cereal. Pizza.
It’s tough to grow up big and strong on that kind of diet.
Not my dad and not in his house.
Most babies drink breast milk and eat baby formula.
As a baby, my dad mostly fed me mooshed up salmon and sweet potatoes.
Most kids grow up eating cereal for breakfast.
I grew up eating steak and eggs or a beef stew he used to make for me.
None of the MacDonald’s crap.
Genetics certainly played a role but the following are the benefits that I have personally experienced/seen from having a high natural zinc intake from food:
Very thick/fast growing hair.
Evidence: It needs to be cut every 2 weeks.
Very high testosterone.
Evidence: Look at my pictures. Look at my videos. Not exactly feminine… and I don’t even use synthetic testosterone.
Very high sex drive and sexual function.
Evidence: I have a lot of sex. And I shoot monster loads.
Very high energy.
Evidence: My workouts consist entirely of heavy weight supersets.
Zero injuries.
Evidence: I never get hurt.
Never getting sick.
Evidence: I got a cold in December 2005. Then I got a cold in January 2009 (after running back to my dorm soaking wet and naked in -1 degree weather). Those are the last times I was sick.
Feeling empowered.
Evidence: I think very highly of myself. I really think I can do anything (within reason).
Throughout the years, people have time and time again referred to me as a “freak”, “machine”, “animal”, “beast”…
Just recently my homie Jay called me a “mutant.”
I appreciate all those comments but it’s nothing special…. I’m just a competitor and under the guidance of my father hammered away the zinc for nearly 25 years.
The Top 10 Benefits of Zinc for Men
1. Improved Athletic Performance and Strength
Zinc directly impacts athletic performance and strength training because it plays a primary role in the production of anabolic hormone.
Having plenty of zinc available in the body allows for greater release of the three most powerful anabolic hormones: Testosterone, Growth Hormone, and Insulin-like Growth Factor (IGF-1).
Research has also proven that zinc (when combined with high intensity weight training) allows the body to produce even higher levels of testosterone.
As a result, it also improves strength gains recovery, energy, and metabolism in men.
2. Supports Male Reproductive Health and Fertility
Zinc is important for optimal testosterone levels.
Low zinc in men stifles testosterone production.
It puts men at risk for developing prostate cancer and is linked to infertility.
Zinc is used to produce enzymes that initiate cell division.
Most people do not realize this but the male prostate requires ten times as much zinc as other cells in the body to stay healthy.
Adequate zinc intake protects the prostate from inflammation, damage and future cancer development.
I know a lot of you guys don’t give your prostate any thought whatsoever, just keep in mind that everything you do today has potential consequences years down the road.
Now, here’s something that might interest you sooner rather than later.
High sex drive and and high sperm count are great but motility is king if you want kids.
Sperm motility is defined as the strength and endurance of the sperm cells to swim towards the egg and fertilize it.
Low sperm motility is the primary cause of male infertility.
If you have low sperm motility it means that you have a low percentage of sperm that are moving forward.
One way to insure you don’t have this problem (if and when you want kids) is to get plenty of zinc in your diet.
3. Prevent Cancer and Improve Immune Function
Low zinc plays a role in the development of most cancers because as noted earlier, zinc plays a role in healthy cell production.
So the answer is simple. Take in more zinc.
Zinc deficiency has a profound impact on the immune system because low zinc causes a rapid decline in T cell function.
T cells are responsible for elevating the body’s immune system when viruses or bacteria are present.
Since T cells are a big deal it makes sense that you should do everything in your power to make sure those are good to go.
Again, there’s a reason why I never get sick… Zinc.
4. Cell Repair
If you read my site, I am assuming you are actively exercising by either lifting weights or some other form of training.
The more active you are the more stress you are putting on your muscular-skeletal system.
Most of our zinc is stored in our muscles, where it used to help repair and build new cells after working out.
We are literally breaking down our muscles (on a cellular level) when we use them.
When we sleep/rest is when they repair, causing our muscles to grow bigger and stronger.
That’s why you can’t skim on sleep.
Zinc is essential because it provides the proper structure for cells and helps us get the rest we need in the growth/repair process.
Furthermore, intense training (such the high volume split training I consistently recommend) results in heavy sweating and a considerable amount of energy expended.
This depletes zinc levels over time that need replenishing.
In order to offset plateauing or decreased energy levels over time, a smart plan would be to make sure you get plenty of zinc.
5. Boost Sex Drive and Testosterone Levels
Men’s Health magazine once referred to zinc as “the ultimate sex mineral.”
It’s called this because zinc influences a male’s fertility, potency, sex drive, and overall long-term sexual health.
As I said before, it is responsible for sperm production.
Most men can blame decreased semen volume and testosterone levels on depleted zinc.
In my last article, I made a brief video on zinc.
Peep this. Every time you ejaculate, you expend about 5 milligrams of zinc… that’s half your daily allowance.
Now think of all the teenagers and adults who watch that stuff on the reg… carelessly wasting their seed multiple times a day.
Not good…
6. The Antioxidant Effects of Zinc
Antioxidants are meant to eliminate free radicals that cause cell damage by neutralizing them.
Zinc is a top notch antioxidant.
It is particularly good at targeting the damaging effects caused by too much iron.
Zinc is also good at targeting the free radicals that cause inflammation and detoxifying heavy metals from the brain.
7. Detoxify the Brain of Heavy Metals and Prevent Alzheimer’s
The antioxidant effects of zinc enable it to remove toxins from the body thus preventing them from building up and causing damage further down the road.
Neurodegeneration and Alzheimer’s is accelerated by heavy metal build up in the brain.
Zinc can help get rid of these toxins.
Again, a good precautionary considering the chemtrails in the sky…
8. It may treat or prevent baldness
Hair thinning and baldness can be linked to two direct causes: genetics or certain mineral deficiencies.
Zinc can encourage hair growth by improving cell functions of growth and repair.
9. Improve Cardiovascular Health
You need zinc in order to maintain the health of cardiovascular cells and the endothelium.
The endothelium is the thin layer of cells that lines the blood vessels.
Basically, it enables circulation.
Low zinc can cause a deficiency in the endothelial barrier.
This leads to high cholesterol buildup and inflammation.
Cholesterol and inflammation increase your risk of heart disease.
The solution… make sure you don’t have low zinc.
10. Elevate Mood and Depression
Dopamine is partially regulated by zinc.
It is a chemical that boosts energy, mood, and reward-driven learning.
Porn is the absolute worst thing you can do for your dopamine.
It messes you up because an unnatural amount of dopamine is released when you watch it.
That’s why kids in their teens and early twenties are already having sexual performance issues and can’t get it up.
It’s because their dopamine is all screwed up. The pleasure from sex with an actual girl does not compare to the pleasure of touching themselves.
Funny enough, if you browse yourbrainonporn.com you will read numerous accounts of men talking about how they feel depressed or sad because of their porn consumption.
We already know you lose a bunch of zinc each time you ejaculate.
You think there might be a correlation between unnatural dopamine release and losing a bunch of zinc?…
I thought so.
The answer: Eliminate it and harness your zinc.
Here are foods that are chock full o’ zinc.
You want to make sure that you incorporate some of these foods into your diet.
High-protein foods contain high amounts of zinc.
Other good sources of zinc are nuts, whole grains, legumes, and yeast.
Fruits and vegetables are not good sources because the zinc from plant protein is not as readily available for bodily use as the zinc from animal protein.
Okay here is the list…
Oysters, mussels, crab… ALL SHELLFISH *** Shellfish is king.
Beef
Eggs (especially the yolks)
Chicken (especially dark meat)
Turkey (especially dark meat)
Almonds
Cocoa and Chocolate
Beans
Mushrooms
Wheat germ
Yogurt
Spinach
Salmon
Garlic
Peanuts
Cashews
Pumpkin Seeds
(Please Note, the above link is an Amazon Affiliate link. I make a small commission in the event you choose to purchase the product, at no additional cost to you. Your generosity is appreciated. Thank you!)
Sonny’s Only Zinc Supplement Recommendation
I have used ZMA since January 2013.
I am not some anonymous Internet Marketing just trying to slang products.
I know everything about it.
I personally use it.
I stake my name and my brand’s reputation on this product.
It is the best in my experience.
For those of you who are unfamiliar with ZMA, it is a supplement used by athletes, gymnasts, and bodybuilders.
It’s so popular because it is believed to increase strength and raise hormonal profiles.
It is a combination of zinc, magnesium and vitamin B6.
It is used as a recovery aid and studies show that it helps people achieve deeper levels of REM sleep.
It was developed by Victor Conte (founder of the BALCO laboratories linked to Barry Bonds and other famous athletes).
Some people claim ZMA does nothing. I completely disagree.
As with any future product recommendation, I have actual experience and I put my reputation on the line.
These are the effects I have experienced with this product. Everyone is different but you can reasonably expect some of these effects (to at least some degree).
1. Deeper sleep– This stuff knocks me out. When I wake up in the morning, I feel more refreshed than when I don’t take it.
2. Strength– While I do not notice any real difference in strength, I do notice a difference in my ability to hammer away with volume when I train.
I don’t get gassed as easily when I take ZMA the night before a training session.
3. Increased Sex Drive– Since January 2013, there has been a noticeable increase in my sex drive. It’s pretty crazy since it was already very high in the first place.
4. Deepening of the Voice– My voice has gotten deeper over the last year. When I talk about my experiences with my first failed blogging experience I will show you the videos when I had a more kid-like voice.
*** I attribute the deepening of my voice to my ZMA intake and a few odd rituals I have incorporated into my daily habit. I’ll save those for when it’s time to talk about that.
5. Increased Hair Growth– My hair grows faster and I can grow a beard. My half-Filipino genes are not ideal for growing a beard. Now I can.
6. Weird dreams– This is the only potential negative side effect I have experienced. When I take ZMA, I occasionally I have weird dreams… weird trippy dreams that are pretty far out there.
The name of the product is Cellucore COR-Performance ZMA
The only ZMA I use.
Packaging: Each container comes with 120 capsules.
How to take it: You take 4 capsules right before you go to bed.
*** You take it right before bed because that is when your body is replenishing its zinc levels.
If you want to try ZMA, then use the link below:
Jarrow Formulas Zinc Balance 15 mg
*** The original ZMA I recommended is no longer available. I take it alongside this magnesium
(Please Note, the above link is an Amazon Affiliate link. I make a small commission in the event you choose to purchase the product, at no additional cost to you. Your generosity is appreciated. Thank you!)
69 Comments
Great article Sonny.
I take ZMA everyday and it’s the supplement that gives me the best effects…
Sex is better, workouts are better and sleep is better.
Yea sleep is def better.
Hey man awesome article! I just wanted to ask you a kinda off topic question. My wife is Filipino I’m Irish welsh Dutch and German do you think my son will be able to grow a beard? I know it’s kinda random but I just want to do everything I can to make sure he’s a beast in life like your father did for you! Anyway great site awesome article looking forward to more in the future!
IDK that fact you german/irish gives him a shot though.
Other than making sure he is fed properly and encouraged to be active… it’s really out of your hands.
Your dad is a legend. Definitely gonna follow this route when I have kids as well. Another terrific post man, keep up the good work.
thanks dude.
What other supplements/products do you recommend?
I talk about those in upcoming articles.
Great post Sonny, youre a real role model
thanks dude.
Yo Sonny,
Many people believe that the Vitamin B part of ZMA is not important to its major functions (deeper sleep, higher testosterone). Personally I only take 500mg Magnesium Oxide and 90g-120g Zinc Monomethonione before bed along with a few other minerals.
Seems to work just as well for me, and is much cheaper than that supplement you have listed.
It doesn’t have all that extra stuff in it like the tribulus, etc. in yours.
But it definitely works and I wanted to bring it to your attention and to anyone else’s who doesn’t want to drop $40 a month on some overpriced Weider supplement.
Your Noahness comes out in that last part…
Lmao.
I think you misinterpreted my comment. No disrespect dawg I love your site and you give sound advice, but there are just much cheaper options out there for ZMA.
I’m sure you’re already taking all of those though
Glad you appreciate my sense of humor 🙂
I’m actually not big into supplements as many people would think… I only amp it up considerably when I’m actually training with the purpose of looking insane.
There are cheaper versions of ZMA for sure… but they don’t compare to the one I recommended.
The other ones were glorified placebos…. I’ve used this one for over a year and have noticed legitimate physical effects.
One thing I didn’t list is that it helps me get through the work day.
i think guys can get away with minimal supplement usage (such as not taking multivitamins)…. but the one thing guys need to absolutely hammer away at is the fish oil.
recommend a good one that you’ve seen results from and not a shitty ones at the cvs store where I have to down like 10 of them a day to see some results lol
yea cellucore zma
Haha, great post. Your writing shows you are a genuine dude as I feel like I’m talking to one of my friends when reading it. I have taken Victor Conte’s brand of ZMA before and noticed similar effects but not as pronounced as you are describing. I think it’s a good supplement to take. I noticed weird dreams as well, but I like that stuff so bring it on.
Keep rocking.
thanks man.
how long before you start noticing the effects?
The energy/sleep, dreams, sex drive will probably be noticed first.
Deeper voice/hair growth are more likely to be noticed months down the road.
I’m gonna consider buying that ZMA supplement, thanks for the recommendation! I had no idea how important zinc was for men. From looking at that list of foods you’ve put there, I eat most of all those foods on a daily basis, so that’s good to know they’re high in zinc. Great info!
Great man. Link will be back up soon.
Don’t think I can buy it from that link though. I’m not in the US.
Figuring out the links stuff.
Hey man, as I said, I’m probably gonna buy a ZMA supplement. But I’m also looking at getting a green superfood powder. The one I’m gonna get has a lot of shit in it including 10mg of zinc. Along with a diet rich in foods containing zinc, would a ZMA still be necessary? Or is the extra 10mg in the greens powder enough? I’m asking cos you said in the article that ejaculating you lose 5mg which is “half your daily allowance”. Thanks.
My line of thought is the more the better (within reason) when it comes to zinc intake… food should be your primary source followed by any supplement.
Cellucor ZMA has 30mg of zinc per serve, plus the greens powder having 10mg and then the zinc found in my diet… I think 40+ mg a day is a bit too much? I’m gonna talk to the manager at my supp store today but he might have a biased opinion since he’ll want me to buy it. What do you think about taking ZMA only a few days a week?
could do that and sort of “cycle” the ZMA if you wanted… saving it especially for times your low on sleep or lost a lost of zinc the day before (strenuous physical/ejaculating a lot).
Okay, I think I’ll use the ZMA most of the time actually and just cycle the greens powder (only for days when I know I won’t be getting many fruits and vegetables). Thanks!
Like the site Sonny.
Nah. Wouldn’t consider myself mentored by him since my stuff is better.
Haha, maybe it is.
I respect both of you guys.
I’m starting to think the forum may be a huge waste of my time though. Too many know it alls. You never really see the person either.
There;s one guy “dc7”, he’s 22 and has almost 2000 posts yet he claims to always be nailing real hot women and knows like everything about fitness. Starting to wonder where he gets the time to go on all these dates lol A guy I know at the gym, who I would consider a natural would be nowhere near a forum.
Yea when I used to write there he always disagreed with me and assert his authority haha.
Def an insecure kid.
Honestly, it’s because forums are really only good for establishing community and holding each other accountable for common goals.
Other than that forums are useless. They are useless because it enables any anonymous nobody to have a voice and proclaim themselves to be an expert… the problem is not everyone deserves a voice/the right to call themselves an expert.
I hate to be the one bashing people etc.
No Cam you’re right…. Trust your gut.
The problem is we live in a generation where guys (especially those who visit these types of sites) grew up without strong male role models… they want to whole heartedly believe in someone or something.
That’s how fanboys are created… kids who are blinded by their fanboyism when it is obvious their favorite guru is a fraud.
I hope none of you guys become fanboys of me and just look to me as a dude that has a unique insight/experience and knows a thing or two about a thing or two…
Thought it was just me..
I think the giveaway with most pickup infield vids is that the chicks never seem eager to get the D.. I cant imagine any “gurus” sending shirtless pics to chicks / texting at midnight to come through..
Your site is kinda different because you don’t use forums.. = no time wasting on endless arguments. Just read the shit, learn from it and try it out for ourselves. That it. ‘Simple’ (as you put it).
delete
^^^ Wow
Yup. The evidence against a lot of gurus is out there… but the fanboys will continue to follow no matter how much evidence is shoved in their faces.
The real players move in silence.
In real life, chicks don’t go out on a limb and say the words “you’re a player” unless you got a case of cowboyitis
Cowboyitis- refers to the outlaws back in the day that lived for the thrill and secretly wanted the recognition/to get caught.
A lot of former losers (when it comes to chicks) get this… they want that identity of being labelled a player.
It never was them so they want it.
Indeed, real players move in silence.
Real players are like the old rich… no need to show off to the world. No one knows a thing and yet everyone knows what’s up. very secure in who they are.
New/aspiring players are like the new rich… no real security/grounding so they gotta put on a spectacle.
The real way girls deal with players… don’t ask don’t tell.
They know what’s up
“Cowboyitis”.. Never heard that word. Ill remember that.
Kinda like my mans back in sophomore year college..who got jacked in 3 months using testosterone and God knows what else.. He got real flashy. Even wore a wife beater to church.
I’m guilty of it too… when I first started working out I rocked a wife beater everywhere.
that was 2006 so I was rocking G-Unit wife beaters haha
Good article Sonny.
Jesus… looks like old Sonny will have to throw up some infield footage sooner than expected…
As sad as it is to say, I agree with Sonny and Kevin.
18-20s are your Golden Years. Unless you can put yourself in some sort of extreme situation, you will never be able to replace those years.
And if you miss out on them you will never get over it… you will always have that feeling of “missing” your window.
So make those years count.
Jesus christ its hard to trust anyone nowadays.
NA.
N/A.
N/A
I’m starting to dig your site a lot Sonny. You seem legit! This is a great article. I’ve always believed Zinc was great for hair. My brother who is 5 years younger than me is balding badly and follows a bad diet with no exercise. I’ll be 30 soon and with a good diet full in Zinc and regular exercise mine still looks great. (I am prone to male pattern baldness too).
Delete.
This is a cool site Sonny.
I bought one and it works ok. It seems to have fucked up on me a few times. Shutting off when I think it’s charged and sometimes the videos don’t upload properly. Not sure I would recommend it. I did get called out on using it before though….it happens.
Here is an infield of me using it. I have a bunch of others uploaded too, I just need to edit them. I’m gonna get a blog started soon. Still a bit lost on wordpress.com haha. This video does this girl no justice.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikTfhZhDbtE
I was posting as raiders96. Now I wish I knew how to delete my account haha. The advice on the forums there is so BAD. I’ve given great advice before only to have the “forum superstars” discredit me haha. I remember the same happening to you before too. Guys on there think that just because a guy has over 1000 posts he’s a legend or something. I think when guys have a ton of post on forums, they have way too much time on their hands.
I have much respect for him regardless. What I do to that girl in the video is all I do to any girl now(regardless of their hotness) and it works like a charm for me. As soon as I dropped the “game bullshit”, I got great results. I admit my looks help, I’m 6ft 1/2inch, white, fit, good grooming and good social skills.
I find if you look good, can talk for a bit and grab a number you can get laid by super basic approaches. I’ve had lots of success just doing this 😉
Good job man!
Thanks!
Really not doing anything special and that’s what I want guys to see on my site. “Creating attraction” is a joke. The girls I’ve been with in the last 3 months since I’ve moved would be so grossed out by at least 80% of PUA’s, regardless of the “game used” My tip with the cam is wear a black shirt and put some headphones around your neck as a distraction.
Your fitness advice is really good on here. I can’t relate to other sites that are similar as I don’t use steroids either. I’m into health as well so want to be healthy on the inside too.
The article you wrote on screening white girls is brilliant. Where I live has to be the white capital of the world. No joke, minimum 80% white people (if not higher) I find it gets a bit boring. I love different races, especially black chicks(almost none where I live). When I was in a big diverse US city in the spring I felt like a celebrity. Was the easiest place I’ve ever been for picking up. Would you say not regardless of your race that if you live in a super white city that it’s harder than a more diverse one?
Thanks man. good to hear your just going about it in a normal way.
[…] Bed: I will take my zinc in the form of ZMA in order to replenish the zinc that was lost throughout the […]
Hey, can i take just zinc, not zma.. i mean its complex of vitamins right?
You could… ZMA has the magnesium though
Yup.it works.. Tried zma for a month already. Already noticed way better sleep and higher sex drive.
As for the trippy dreams and shit, I’ve reduced my dosage to 3 capsules and the dreams are went from weird to positive and enjoyable. I actually look forward to going to bed now.
Just thought I’d mention it incase anybody has bad experiences with 4 capsules..
Peace.
Thanks man.
Great post, Zinc is one of my go to supplements and I always notice a difference when I’m taking it as compared to when I’m not.
Yea I also feel “better” when I take it… can’t really explain it. But if you’ve been taking it a while you know what I’m talking about.
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