Scientifically known as HMB or beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate – is one of the most efficient nutritional aids for maintaining muscle mass. While many ingredients simply work to increase muscle protein synthesis, HMB is unique in its dual mechanism of simultaneously increasing muscle protein synthesis while also reducing muscle protein breakdown.
HMB is produced naturally in our bodies during the metabolism of the essential amino acid leucine. While many of HMB’s beneficial effects are shared with leucine, HMB offers more potent muscle retention and recovery benefits because of the additional effect it has on decreasing protein breakdown. These effects have been shown to produce increases in strength, improvement in endurance, and aid in recovery from exercise/activity.
