β-hydroxy β-methylbutyrate (HMB) (myHMB®)
β-Hydroxy β-Methylbutyrate (HMB) is a naturally occurring compound derived from the amino acid leucine. It is widely known for its role in muscle preservation, strength enhancement, and recovery, making it a popular supplement among athletes, bodybuilders, and individuals seeking to prevent muscle loss.
What is HMB?
HMB is a metabolite of leucine that helps reduce muscle protein breakdown while promoting muscle protein synthesis. It is especially beneficial for individuals undergoing intense physical training, those recovering from injuries, and older adults experiencing age-related muscle loss (sarcopenia).
Health Benefits of HMB
- Promotes Muscle Growth and Strength
- Enhances protein synthesis and reduces muscle degradation, supporting muscle mass maintenance and development.
- Reduces Muscle Breakdown
- Inhibits protein degradation pathways, helping preserve muscle tissue during intense training or periods of inactivity.
- Supports Exercise Performance
- Improves endurance, strength, and recovery, leading to enhanced physical performance.
- Aids in Recovery and Reduces Muscle Soreness
- Speeds up muscle repair and minimizes soreness after strenuous workouts.
- Prevents Age-Related Muscle Loss
- Helps counteract sarcopenia by supporting lean muscle mass and physical function in aging individuals.
- Enhances Fat Loss
- May contribute to fat metabolism, promoting a favorable body composition when combined with resistance training.
HMB is a powerful leucine-derived compound that supports muscle growth, strength, recovery, and fat metabolism while preventing muscle loss, making it an essential supplement for athletes and aging individuals.
Scientific Support
- Muscle Growth and Strength: Research shows that HMB supplementation enhances muscle mass and strength, particularly in resistance-trained individuals (Slater et al., 2000).
- Muscle Breakdown Reduction: Studies indicate HMB helps reduce muscle protein breakdown during exercise and periods of muscle disuse (Holeček et al., 2017).
- Exercise Performance: Findings suggest HMB improves endurance and overall training adaptations (Wilson et al., 2008).
- Recovery and Muscle Soreness: Clinical trials demonstrate HMB reduces markers of muscle damage and accelerates post-exercise recovery (Wilson et al., 2008).
- Sarcopenia Prevention: Evidence supports HMB’s role in maintaining lean muscle mass in elderly populations (Engelen et al., 2018).
- Fat Loss: Research suggests HMB contributes to improved body composition by enhancing fat loss (Wilson et al., 2008).