Diet

Effect of HMB

effect

HMB is a breakdown product of the amino acid leucine and is produced in the body with an average diet with about 0.3 grams per day. Although HMB is a breakdown product of leucine, it has a positive effect on muscle growth and the ability to regenerate. In the case of highly intensive training, HMB is also intended to reduce the risk of muscle damage.

Read more on the topic: Leucine

The effectiveness of HMB is partly confirmed by studies, but partly in the recruitment of HMB products are promised that cannot necessarily always be kept that way.
HMB is supposed to protect the muscle cells from cell breakdown due to exercise, guaranteeing great increases in strength Lower body fat percentage and the strengthen your immune system.

When it comes to the fact that HMB reduces or prevents muscle breakdown, there are two explanations that should clear up the phenomenon. On the one hand, HMB should prevent the muscles from breaking down during exercise and, on the other hand, HMB should be a structural component of the muscles and, on the basis of this, ensure that strength gains and Muscle building possible are. A prerequisite for this, however, is a corresponding intensive training.

Verifiable mechanisms of action of HMB were determined primarily in studies in the USA. It was found out that HMB can support strength and muscle building after hard training. This is possible because HMB ensures that the breakdown of protein in the muscle is slowed down.
But even the studies do not always agree when it comes to the results. Some studies have been able to prove the inhibitory effect on muscle breakdown during exercise. However, other studies could not prove the positive effects propagated by the manufacturers, so that there is not always clarity among the various studies. In recent years, however, there have been a few new studies performed the significant improvements in muscle growth by taking up to three grams of HMB could effect.
In the study, muscle gains of up to 0.7 kg were recorded after three to four weeks. However, subsequent control studies could not always prove the results, so that a a reliable statement about the effectiveness of HMB cannot be made.

However, the researchers are certain that HMB has positive effects. However, the exact mechanisms of action have to be examined more closely. Another result seems certain, however. The higher the training age of the athlete and the higher the muscle mass, the less the body reacts to HMB supplementation, so that young athletes and / or newcomers to sport can achieve significantly better effects with HMB than advanced athletes.

function

Building and reducing metabolic processes take place in our muscles around the clock. During a sporting performance such as a training session or a competition, the muscles are heavily stressed and nutrients are used to produce energy. The amino acid leucine is required to generate energy and the "waste product" HMB is left over.
But the breakdown substance HMB in particular seems to ensure that the muscle cells are not damaged by the stress. The anti-catabolic effect of the HMB cannot be explained by a changing metabolism. Apparently, HMB serves as a kind of precursor for the body's own Cholesterol production in the phase of high cholesterol requirements.
An increased cholesterol requirement occurs during physical exertion or work, but also during phases of cell growth. For this very reason, HMB can be used as a Food supplements are used when the muscles and other body cells are subjected to high loads in order to prevent their degradation and initiate rapid reconstruction.

This mode of operation of HMB can on the one hand strengthen the muscle mass and also lead to an increase in strength. HMB also ensures that the muscle cells are stabilized and are therefore more robust against micro-injuries such as can occur during hard training and heavy physical work.

So HMB seems to be very well suited to ensure, in combination with a load, training or physical hard work, that a reduction in muscle mass is prevented and strength gains can occur.
HMB is also said to have other positive effects. On the one hand, it is said that it is the LDL cholesterol levels and the Lower blood pressure can. In addition, it should be responsible for stimulating effects on the immune system. However, it is not yet possible to give any verifiable results on these modes of operation, as this has yet to be investigated through studies.

Side effects

Since HMB is a metabolic product of the body, it should be assumed that it is at normal dosage no side effects can come. In many studies, the subjects were given a maximum of five grams of HMB per day as a dietary supplement and no side effects were found.
However, it is not yet possible to say exactly how supplementation with higher doses will affect the body. There can always be certain interactions with other substances in the body that can cause undesirable side effects. Further studies need to be carried out in order to adequately clarify this question. The long-term effects of HMB have also hardly been studied so far, so that there are no reliable results here either.

dosage

Most of the studies were dosages between one and a half and three grams of HMB per day administered.These amounts were doing up to four times of intake distributed.
However, every athlete has his own individual amount of action, which means that every athlete should find the optimal amount of HMB for himself. To do this, it is advisable to approach the optimal intake amount with small doses and not to start directly with the high doses. Since a long-term effect has not yet been researched, one should refrain from taking it for longer than four weeks.

For adolescents, it is recommended not to supplement HMB in addition to a balanced diet, as there are simply too few studies to date and no reliable results are available, especially for adolescents. The human body produces between 0.3 and 0.4 grams of HMB itself per day, so that supplementation is not absolutely necessary.