Transparent Labs ZMO: A Sleep Aid with Oyster Meat?!

Transparent Labs ZMO

Transparent Labs ZMO isn’t your standard ZMA sleep and recovery supplement, this one’s got oyster meat extract too!

It’s been quite some time since we covered Transparent Labs, a brand that has not only embraced fully-disclosed transparent labeling, but also uses no artificial colors, flavors, or sweeteners in any of their products. Last time we covered the brand, we dissected their monstrous Mass Gainer that contained a massive 196g serving size! Meanwhile, PreSeries Bulk remains a best-selling all-natural workout option.

Today we’re back to spotlight another new supplement from the brand, this one’s designed to help improve your sleep and recovery, but it’s got a serious twist. Transparent Labs ZMO is an unconventional nighttime recovery and sleep aid powered by zinc, magnesium, and… oyster meat extract!

Oyster meat? Whaaaaaat?!

We’ve got all the details ahead on this mollusk-powered supplement below, but first, take a moment to check the best deal and sign up for alerts from PricePlow:

Transparent Labs ZMO – Deals and Price Drop Alerts

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Note: The prices above reflect our industry-leading Transparent Labs Coupon!

Transparent Labs ZMO Ingredients

As you could probably guess, TL’s ZMO product is essentially a ZMA-type product, but where it differs are the forms of minerals used, oh the fact it’s got oyster extract!

Let’s see what this is all about!

  • Oyster Meat Powder (500mg)

    Transparent Labs ZMO Ingredients

    TL ZMO uses premium forms of essential minerals Zinc and Magnesium along with Oyster Meat Powder which is chock full of all sorts of beneficial micros.

    Seafood fans are well acquainted with the slippery, slimy, deliciously briny bivalves. Aside from being downright tasty, oyster meat is chock-full of all sorts of trace minerals, as well as being regarded as a potent aphrodisiac.

    Oyster meat is just rich in zinc and magnesium, but other essential trace minerals (calcium, phosphorus, selenium, manganese, etc.) that function as vital coenzymes in the body, facilitating utilization of zinc and magnesium. On top of that, oyster meat is also currently being study for potential benefits regarding endurance and immune system function in athlete.[1,2]

  • Magnesium Bisglycinate (provides 144mg magnesium)

    Magnesium is a key mineral regarding overall health and in particular, athletic performance. While magnesium supplements aren’t hard to come by, finding one that doesn’t lead to the runs is. Transparent Labs includes Magnesium Bisglycinate in ZMO, which is a non-laxative form of magnesium, as well as incredibly bioavailable.[3]

    Magnesium plays a role in a number of important functions in the body, none the least of which is promoting optimal testosterone production. In fact, research conducted in 2010 shows that athletes consuming supplemental magnesium experienced increased testosterone levels.[4] On top of that, magnesium is also helpful in reducing blood pressure and anxiety,[5,6] while also improving insulin sensitivity.[7]

    This may not be enough

    The issue is that 144mg is only 34% of the FDA’s recommended daily values — there’s a reason why those fully-dosed ZMA caps usually require three or four capsules and are so big and heavy – the compounds that bind to magnesium here take up tons of room!

    So if your diet is low on magnesium (most peoples’ are), you still might need even more supplemental! We have an article on the best form of magnesium, and one option is to try a magnesium citrate powder to fill the gaps.

  • Zinc picolinate (provides 10mg zinc)

    Transparent Labs ZMO Facts

    As with all Transparent Labs products, there’s no fillers, junk, or artificial BS here.

    Whereas most other ZMA supplements use the aspartate or L-Methionine forms of zinc, Transparent Labs opts for Zinc Picolinate, a much more bioavailable form of the essential mineral.[8]

    Much like magnesium, maintaining proper zinc levels in the body is crucial to optimal testosterone production.[9] It’s also vital to proper thyroid function, as a defunct thyroid can lead to all sorts of problems, such as decreased BMR and protein utilization.[10] While hard-training athletes are at risk for zinc deficiencies, supplementation with it has proven effective in preventing a deficiency, thereby increasing performance.[11]

    In this case, we have 10mg of zinc, which is 94% of the recommended daily value (for most people), and that’s close enough to getting you there even if your diet is weak, which it shouldn’t be!

Dosing

Consume 2 capsules daily with 12 ounces of water, and for for best results, take on an empty stomach, 30-60 minutes before going to sleep.

Why before sleep? Because the magnesium provides relaxation — magnesium doesn’t necessarily reduce anxiety in normal people, but lack of magnesium can certainly cause anxiety! So if you get it before you sleep, it may bring you down just a touch enough to make for better sleep!

Takeaway

Transparent Labs PreSeries Earned

Gains don’t come on their own, you have to be willing to bust you butt each and every rep of every set.

TL’s supplements might not be the cheapest ones you’ll come across (even with our Transparent Labs Coupon), but they’re definitely worth it, especially if you want it clear of any artificial nonsense (fillers, flavoring, sweeteners, etc).

ZMA supplements are a dime a dozen, but ZMO is certainly worth checking out if you’ve been disappointed by previous ZMA experiences. Just note that you should be tracking your calories in an app like MyFitnessPal and see where your magnesium levels end up after adding the supplements in — the dose may be just perfect depending on your diet!

Transparent Labs ZMO – Deals and Price Drop Alerts

Get Price Alerts

No spam, no scams.

Disclosure: PricePlow relies on pricing from stores with which we have a business relationship. We work hard to keep pricing current, but you may find a better offer.

Posts are sponsored in part by the retailers and/or brands listed on this page.

Note: The prices above reflect our industry-leading Transparent Labs Coupon!

About the Author: Mike Roberto

Mike Roberto

Mike Roberto is a research scientist and water sports athlete who founded PricePlow. He is an n=1 diet experimenter with extensive experience in supplementation and dietary modification, whose personal expertise stems from several experiments done on himself while sharing lab tests.

Mike's goal is to bridge the gap between nutritional research scientists and non-academics who seek to better their health in a system that has catastrophically failed the public. Mike is currently experimenting with a low Vitamin A diet.

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References

  1. Hao G, Cao W, Hao J, Zhang C. In Vitro Antioxidant Activity and In Vivo Anti-fatigue Effects of Oyster (Ostrea plicatula Gmelin) Peptides Prepared Using Neutral Proteinase. Food Sci Technol Res. 2013;19(4):623-631. doi:10.3136/fstr.19.623. https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/fstr/19/4/19_623/_pdf
  2. https://en.cnki.com.cn/Article_en/CJFDTOTAL-LNSZ200903024.htm
  3. https://www.albionminerals.com/human-nutrition/magnesium-white-paper
  4. Cinar V, Polat Y, Baltaci AK, Mogulkoc R. Effects of magnesium supplementation on testosterone levels of athletes and sedentary subjects at rest and after exhaustion. Biol Trace Elem Res. 2011;140(1):18-23. doi:10.1007/s12011-010-8676-3. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12011-010-8676-3
  5. Sun Ha Jee, Edgar R Miller, Eliseo Guallar, Vikesh K Singh, Lawrence J Appel, Michael J Klag; The effect of magnesium supplementation on blood pressure: a meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials, American Journal of Hypertension, Volume 15, Issue 8, 1 August 2002, Pages 691–696, https://academic.oup.com/ajh/article/15/8/691/143851/The-effect-of-magnesium-supplementation-on-blood
  6. Jacka FN, Overland S, Stewart R, Tell GS, Bjelland I, Mykletun A. Association Between Magnesium Intake and Depression and Anxiety in Community-Dwelling Adults: The Hordaland Health Study. Aust New Zeal J Psychiatry. 2009;43(1):45-52. doi:10.1080/00048670802534408. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00048670802534408#articleCitationDownloadContainer
  7. Rodríguez-Morán M, Guerrero-Romero F. Oral Magnesium Supplementation Improves Insulin Sensitivity and Metabolic Control in Type 2 Diabetic Subjects. Diabetes Care. 2003;26(4):1147 LP-1152. https://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/26/4/1147.abstract.
  8. Barrie SA, Wright J V., Pizzorno JE, Kutter E, Barron PC. Comparative absorption of zinc picolinate, zinc citrate and zinc gluconate in humans. Agents Actions. 1987;21(1-2):223-228. doi:10.1007/BF01974946. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Jonathan_Wright10/publication/19530788_Comparative_absorption_of_zinc_picolinate_zinc_citrate_and_zinc_gluconate_in_humans/links/54fddbfe0cf2eaf210b2283e/Comparative-absorption-of-zinc-picolinate-zinc-citrate-and-zinc-gluconate-in-humans.pdf
  9. Prasad AS, Mantzoros CS, Beck FWJ, Hess JW, Brewer GJ. Zinc status and serum testosterone levels of healthy adults. Nutrition. 1996;12(5):344-348. doi:10.1016/S0899-9007(96)80058-X. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/George_Brewer2/publication/14330419_Zinc_status_and_serum_testosterone_levels_of_healthy_adults/links/54b93d870cf253b50e290bbc/Zinc-status-and-serum-testosterone-levels-of-healthy-adults.pdf
  10. Wada L, King AC. Effect of Low Zinc Intakes on Basal Metabolic Rate , Thyroid Hormones and Protein Utilization in Adult Men1. JNutr. 1986;116(July 1986):1045-1053. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Janet_King2/publication/19439136_Effect_of_low_zinc_intakes_on_basal_metabolic_rate_thyroid_hormones_and_protein_utilization_in_adult_men/links/55db1c8b08aeb38e8a8aa831.pdf.
  11. Kilic M, Baltaci AK, Gunay M, Gokbel H, Okudan N, Cicioglu I. The effect of exhaustion exercise on thyroid hormones and testosterone levels of elite athletes receiving oral zinc. Neuro Endocrinol Lett. 2006;27(1-2):247-252. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16648789

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