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HMB - Beta-hydroxy
beta-methylbutyrate
Minimize protein
breakdown!
Maximizing Muscle
Gains!
Bill Philips first
brought HMB or beta-hydroxy
beta-methylbutyrate to the attention of
bodybuilders back in the early to mid
1990’s. Since then, it has received
widespread promotion in bodybuilding
magazines and books, hundreds of newspapers,
and it's even been featured on dozens of TV
news programs. It’s been called everything
from an exciting, breakthrough supplement,
for maximizing muscle gains, to a
total scam!
Unlike most
bodybuilding supplements that have poor
scientific basis but volumes of positive
anecdotal reports, HMB is just the opposite;
the scientific evidence seems promising but
bodybuilders don’t seem to be overly
enthused about it’s effects on muscle
gains or it’s reported ability to
minimize protein
breakdown.
Background
HMB is a metabolite of
the branched-chain amino acid leucine. It is
found in both plant and animal foods, and is
also produced naturally in the body. Most
individuals can manufacture .3 grams to 1
gram of HMB per day. Its precursors are the
amino acid leucine and the keto acid KIC.
While found in high concentrations in such
foods as grapefruit and some species of
fish, it is extremely difficult and
impractical to consume enough of these foods
on a daily basis to provide the full
benefits of HMB. It probably makes more
sense to take it in supplement
form.
What it
does
Even the most die-hard of HMB supporters will
admit that they are not exactly sure HMB works
in the body. The prevailing theory is that it
enhances the body's ability to minimize
protein breakdown (called catabolism) in
response to various forms of stress including
intense exercise. By minimizing such catabolic
reactions, HMB (when combined with a
resistance-training program), may promote an
increase in muscle gains and strength.
The research
Sports’ nutritionists
and researchers have extensively studied
HMB. Numerous species of animals including
humans have been studied while using HMB. To
date the safety and effectiveness of the
compound suggests that HMB is both safe and
potential valuable as an athletic aid for
humans. For example in one study, test
subjects who used three grams of HMB a day
gained more lean mass and experienced
greater strength and muscle gains, in
just three weeks, than those who did not use
the product.
HMB side
effects
Given that humans naturally produce an average
of .3 to 1 gram of HMB per day, and that it
occurs naturally in such foods as grapefruit
and fish, it’s not surprising that no side
effects have been reported. The long-term side
effects are unknown at this point as HMB
supplements have only been available since the
mid 1990’s.
How to use
HMB
To minimize protein breakdown and
maximize muscle gains, HMB is one of the
simplest supplements to use. The recommended
dosage is 3 to 5 grams per day. Most
bodybuilders simply add it to their protein
shake or sprinkle it on regular
food.
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