When it comes to matters regarding sports and fitness, it’s pretty safe to say that life is not exactly made simple, especially when you begin digging a little deeper and really looking into all of the various specifics that can influence your gains and performance in general. People often embark on fitness regimes with different goals and targets in mind, which is why finding the right supplements and training routines can be so tough. For example, if a person is training in the hopes of running a marathon or endurance event, they may wish to look into supplements specially designed to boost endurance and stamina. If a person is trying to increase their strength and build muscle mass, obviously they’ll want to look into muscle-building, strength-boosting supplements. For people looking to build and maintain muscle mass however, supplements such as amino acids can prove worth their weight in gold, which is where HMB comes into the mix. Building muscle mass is tough enough, but maintaining it after it has been built can be the real challenge. People can train for months, years even, to gain just a few pounds of muscle and then, with one set back, or one or two poor weeks of training, the muscle that they worked so hard for will be gone. HMB however, has proven highly beneficial for a number of reasons. In this article, we’ll be taking a more in-depth look at what HMB is, as well as what some of the main benefits are that this supplement can offer.
What is HMB?
When it comes to beneficial supplements, as mentioned, amino acids can be worth their weight in gold as they are hugely beneficial for a wide range of athletes and active individuals, for many different reasons. One amino acid that has proven especially beneficial and effective, is leucine. Leucine promotes the synthesis of new muscle tissue and therefore helps to not only maintain muscle mass, but also build it as well. As if that wasn’t enough, due to the aforementioned benefits of leucine, it can also help to reduce body fat levels as well. The main issue with leucine however, is the dosages as the amounts required to help prevent a condition known as muscle proteolysis, were unclear. Muscle proteolysis is when muscle proteins actually break down, which is a disaster for anybody trying to build and maintain muscle. Hang on! This is an article talking about HMB, what does Leucine have to do with it? Well, experts found that, a certain constituent found within leucine, that could actually help prevent muscle proteolysis, was one known as beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate, or, as it is better known HMB!
So, what are the main benefits of HMB?
So, we know finally know what HMB is and that it is beneficial for us, particularly in regards to building and maintaining muscle. What we don’t know however, is exactly what these benefits are and how HMB works. The main benefits associated with HMB, are all based around the fact that HMB can help prevent muscle proteolysis, which is basically the breakdown of muscle tissue. When you exercise and work out intensely, you begin to feel tired and sore as the workout goes by. As the day goes by, and indeed the next day as well for that matter, you feel really sore and stiff. This is because you have quite literally destroyed your muscle tissues and fibres. For anybody trying to maintain or build muscle however, the very last thing you will want will be for your muscle tissues and fibres to be broken down and destroyed, which is where HMB really comes into its own. HMB helps to set aside a little extra protein in order for it to be used to help build and maintain muscle tissue. This basically means that you can really ramp up the intensity and the volume in the gym, training much harder than usual, and still recovering much quicker and making very impressive gains in the process. Put simply, HMB helps to reduce the harmful effects of strenuous exercise on the muscles, and can enhance post-workout recovery as well. Combine both of these elements, and you have the perfect combo for optimal growth and maintenance. Fitness, strength, recovery rates, muscle mass, stamina, and endurance are all greatly enhanced as a result of using HMB.
What are the main qualities of HMB?
So, we now know the main benefits of HMB in regards to growth, recovery, and repair, but what are some of the main qualities of this supplement? Well, some of the main things you need to know about HMB include:
• It boosts recovery rates for active, and inactive individuals
• For optimal results, it is best used in dosages of 38mg per kilogram of body weight
• It works most effectively when used as a pre-workout supplement
• Individuals can benefit when taking HMB for weeks at a time, even when not training
• Its two forms are: free-form, and calcium bonded
• Has proven effective for muscle growth in elderly people
• It boosts and enhances fat loss
• Has been found to be one of the safest supplements currently available
• Inhibits muscle breakdown and wastage and promotes new growth
Is HMB guaranteed to work?
If used correctly, studies have found that HMB could be one of the most effective and beneficial supplements on the market today, particularly for people looking to increase and maintain muscle mass. However, whether or not it is effective, and indeed just how effective will depend on a number of factors. For example, studies have revealed that, for individuals who are relatively new to bodybuilding and weight training HMB could be especially effective. Studies found that, users who were relatively new to resistance training, noted far more impressive improvements in upper-body strength and reduced rates of muscle damage, than those who were not using the supplement. In one study, a group of individuals using HMB for four weeks, noted a reduction of body fat levels by 1.1 percent, along with an increase in muscle mass of 3 pounds. For people who are experienced in the gym and have been bodybuilding and weight training for a number of years however, the results seen with HMB in these cases, depend largely on how long the supplement is used for, and indeed, what kinds of training is being performed within the gym. For HMB to be effective in serious lifters, studies have found that, as mentioned previously, it should be used for a number of weeks at a time, even if the individual in question isn’t actually weight training at all. Studies have also found that training routines incorporating low-volume training protocols, are likely to yield less impressive HMB results than if a high-volume routine had been followed.
How to get the best out of HMB
So, as you can see, HMB really does look like one heck of a promising supplement, but the benefits don’t stop there. In order to really get the best out of HMB, experts recommend stacking it with a number of other supplements. These include:
With creatine – Studies have found that creatine when stacked with HMB, can be much more effective than if it were to be used alone, and vice versa. Experts found that stacking the two together, yielded increases in muscle mass, size, and endurance, as well as a reduction in body fat percentages.
With ATP – ATP, or, Adenosine Tri Phosphate can also become much more impressive and beneficial when stacked with HMB, instead of being used on its own. ATP is a primary fuel source for muscle cells, and experts have found that HMB and ATP when stacked together, can not only help fuel the muscles for longer, but they can also greatly enhance post-workout recovery as well.
When should HMB be used, and in which dosages?
So, we now know what it is, how it works, how to get the best out of it, yet we don’t actually know how HMB should be used, and in which dosages. Well, fear not, because we’ll be rectifying that right now. Generally speaking, most people consume HMB in 3 gram dosages each day, in which each dosage should be split into 1 gram, three times per day, typically with meals I.E breakfast, lunch, dinner. On training days however, it has been found to be most impressive when 1 dosage is consumed with your pre-workout meal, and another dosage being consumed immediately after your workout. The results don’t really become noticeable or apparent for at least two weeks, so experts recommend beginning supplementing with HMB at least two weeks before you begin any new diet/training routine. The bottom line is that, although seasoned athletes may not benefit as greatly as those relatively new to the fitness world, HMB is still beneficial and offers a wide range of advantages for active individuals from all walks of life.
