Research

Hormonal

HMB supplementation enhances skeletal muscle mass, strength, and hypertrophy when combined with resistance or strenuous exercise, particularly in untrained individuals and the elderly.

If you are new to exercise or older, taking 3g of HMB daily alongside your resistance training may help you build muscle and strength faster than training alone. If you are already an elite strength athlete, you likely won't see much benefit from HMB alone. Do not expect muscle growth from HMB if you are sedentary.

GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
HMB attenuates exercise-induced muscle damage and enhances muscle hypertrophy and strength, aerobic performance, resistance to fatigue, and regenerative capacity. HMB is particularly effective in untrained individuals who are exposed to strenuous exercise and in trained individuals who are exposed to periods of high physical stress.
Milan Holeček · Journal of Cachexia Sarcopenia and Muscle · 2017

Why this rating

Supported by multiple human studies, meta-analyses, and consistent animal models, though effectiveness varies by training status.

Source

Beta‐hydroxy‐beta‐methylbutyrate supplementation and skeletal muscle in healthy and muscle‐wasting conditions

Milan Holeček · Journal of Cachexia Sarcopenia and Muscle · 2017

DOI 10.1002/jcsm.12208

narrative_reviewCited 273×
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DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10

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