Micronutrients & recovery
Supplementation with Beta-Hydroxy-Beta-Methylbutyrate (HMB) in either free acid or calcium salt form does not enhance strength or hypertrophic adaptations to resistance training in resistance-trained men consuming adequate protein.
If you are already lifting weights regularly and eating enough protein (at least 1.7g per kg of body weight), taking HMB supplements (whether free acid or calcium salt) will not help you build more muscle or get stronger than you would from training alone. Save your money.
We conclude that neither HMB-Ca nor HMB-FA improved hypertrophy or reduced muscle damage in resistance-trained men undergoing resistance training ingesting optimal amounts of protein.
Why this rating
Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study with a reasonably large sample for the population (n=44), though limited by the specific population of trained men.
Source
Negligible Effects of β-Hydroxy-β-Methylbutyrate Free Acid and Calcium Salt on Strength and Hypertrophic Responses to Resistance Training: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Study
Aline C. Tritto et al. · International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism · 2019
DOI 10.1123/ijsnem.2018-0337
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