Beta-hydroxy beta methylbutyrate (HMB) is a substance that is naturally produced in small quantities when the body breaks down leucine. Leucine, an essential branched-chain amino acid, is one of the building blocks of protein and may help with muscle repair.
Help With Muscle Growth1
Helps Preserve Muscles2-4
Helps Increase Exercise Performance5
Plays Role In Wound Healing6
Muscle protein breakdown and muscle synthesis occur at the same time in the body throughout the day. If the breakdown exceeds build up or repair then, muscle loss occurs. Muscle breakdown accelerates with age, illness, and immobility.
In addition to building muscle, HMB may help to slow down muscle loss, and it has also been shown to be helpful in preserving muscle mass in healthy older adults.2-4 The levels of HMB in the body have been found to be significantly correlate with muscle mass.
As HMB helps to preserve muscle mass, it has been associated with improved fat, bone, and muscle composition of the body and, also, with improved muscle strength and function.1 It is thus, not surprising that HMB is a popular dietary supplement in the health and fitness community and is now well regarded among older adults.
Additionally, HMB along with other nutrients (like protein, arginine, glutamine) plays a role in wound healing6 that can be disrupted in people with low muscle mass and malnutrition.
1.5 – 3 g is the most studied daily dose of HMB.1
HMB is naturally produced in tiny amounts when the body breaks down leucine, an essential amino acid, that one can get through eating protein foods including milk and yogurt, soybeans, beef, and chicken.
However, as the human body only produces HMB in small amounts, one may choose to consume HMB as a supplement to increase HMB levels in their body.
Muscle Loss
Decline In Strength
Muscles support the body’s movement, which is one big determinant of quality of life. The more we can move, the happier we are. Loss of muscle strength can limit our range of movement or restrict our movements.
Having insufficient HMB might result in the slowdown of our muscle repair and result in a decline in strength. A 2013 study also found that older adults who took HMB experienced less muscle loss while on bed rest than those who took a placebo.7
Muscle strength is important for all and for a healthy lifestyle. Do you know that after the age of 40, a person can lose up to 8% of muscle mass every decade!8
References:
1 Lin Z, Zhao Y, Chen Q. Eur Geriatr Med. 2021 Apr;12(2):239-251
2 Nissen SL, Abumrad NN. J Nutr Biochem 1997; 8:300-311.
3 Wilkinson DJ, et al. J Physiol 2013; 591(11):2911-2923.
4 Eley HL, et al. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 2008; 295: E1409-1416.
5 Holeček M. J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle. 2017 Aug;8(4):529-541
6 Williams JZ et al. Ann Surg. 2002;236(3):369 375.
7 Deutz, Nicolaas & Pereira, Suzette & Hays, Nicholas & Oliver, Jeffery & Edens, Chris & Wolfe, Robert.(2013)
8 Grimby G, Saltin B. The ageing muscle. Clin Physiol. 1983 Jun;3(3):209-18.
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Nutritional supplements play a vital role in building muscle mass in elderly, a recent study by CGH, SHP and Abbott, found.
Our muscles allow us to go about our days with ease, but we rarely think about muscle loss and how we should be treating our muscles as we age.
Sarcopenia is a gradual loss of muscle mass after the age of 40. Self assess your muscle strength today with the SARC-F questionnaire.
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