Description
- Protects hard-earned muscle
- Enhances muscle growth and recovery
- Reduces muscle tissue breakdown from training
HMB is a metabolite of the amino acid leucine and is also produced naturally by the body. It occurs in small amounts in some protein-rich foods such as fish and milk.
HMB is ideal for use by all athletes wanting to gain lean muscle size and strength, including bodybuilders, rugby players, sprinters and other strength athletes. HMB is also used widely by endurance athletes, such as runners, cyclists and triathletes, as it reduces muscle damage following long periods of exercise, and can speed up recovery between training sessions.
Every muscle in your body is made up of millions of muscle cells. When you exercise, these cells are subject to tremendous amounts of stress, which in turn, cause what is known as micro-trauma, within the muscle. Protein then leaks continuously from these damaged cells until they are repaired several days later. In simple terms, HMB plugs the leaks in muscle cells, leading to greater gains in lean mass, muscle strength and a reduction in muscle damage during periods of intense training.
HMB has been the subject of scientific scrutiny since the mid 1990's, and several studies report impressive findings. For example, a team of researchers followed a group of men for three weeks. Gains in lean muscle were almost three times greater in the group using HMB. In addition, muscle strength doubled in the HMB group.
Researchers at an American University tested two groups of runners (one group using HMB, while the others took a 'dummy' supplement). After six weeks of supplementation, both groups took part in a 20-kilometer run. One day after the run, cell damage was 58% higher in the subjects not using HMB. The positive effect of HMB supplementation was still present four days after the run, with HMB users showing 9% less muscle damage.
Supplementing with HMB benefits weight training athletes or anyone experiencing extreme muscular stress, for example track and field athletes, rugby players or endurance athletes who face a high risk of muscle catabolism.
HMB prevents muscle tissue breakdown that can occur subsequent to strenuous exercise and therefore boosts strength levels and enhances gains in muscle size. It assists the body minimising protein breakdown that can occur subsequent to intense exercise. By doing so, HMB has been shown to help the sportsmen and woman recover faster from exercise, which leads to greater gains in muscle size and strength.
Power athletes supplementing with HMB have shown increases in muscle mass and power of up to 14%, without negatively affecting cardiovascular fitness. Recovery time between workouts was also significantly reduced.