MCWtrainer

This is a product that I personally doesn't feel works but here is some information for everyone to read...


HMB (beta-hydroxy beta-methylbutyrate) FAQ

What is HMB? HMB is a metabolite of the branched chain amino acid Leucine. HMB is not a steroid or a drug but is a classified as a dietary supplement. It is found in foods (vegetables and meat) and is also manufactured by the body.

Why should I consider supplementing with HMB?

HMB appears to increase the body's ability to build muscle and burn fat.
HMB has been shown to have a positive effect on protein metabolism.
Human studies show only positive effects on health and metabolism.
HMB is thought to minimise protein breakdown when combined with resistance-training and may cause an increase in muscle mass and strength.
It is suggested that taking 1 gram of HMB with 1 gram of Vitamin C, 1 hour before training, minimises muscle soreness and improves recovery times.
HMB is thought to aid preservation of muscle tissue when dieting.
Are there any side-effects to HMB supplementation?
Studies to date show no adverse effects to HMB supplementation.

Which Foods are high in HMB?
The following foods contain a high concentration of HMB

Catfish
Grapefruit
Please note that these foods do not contain enough HMB to be realistically considered as a method of HMB supplementation.

What are the recommended doses for HMB supplementation?
It is suggested that 3 grams of HMB per day is optimal for mass and strength gains. However, some research suggests that, for people who weigh 200 pounds or more, doses of up to 6 grams per day are required to see results.

Does HMB work?
There is a large group of people who would be considered seasoned lifters who have posted in both MFW & URB and firmly stated that they found HMB to be of no benefit whatsoever. Whilst research from the ISURF program (who own the patent on HMB) appears to prove that HMB works one cannot discount the "real world" evidence of everyday athletes. It must be noted that there are people who swear by HMB - you must make up your own mind. Research funded by Supplement Co's or individuals with an interest in the sale and marketing of HMB have found HMB to be effective. HMB does not appear to be supported by anything like as much research as Creatine and the research supporting HMB is not as detailed nor was it as widely accepted by their peers in journals and reviews etc. It should also be noted that Creatine can help maintain muscle mass.

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Hydroxymethylbutyrate (HMB)

The leucine metabolite hydroxymethylbutyrate (more exactly the calcium salt of b -hydroxy-b -methylbutyric acid) has recently become a popular dietary supplement purported to promote gains in fat-free mass and strength during resistance training (Kreider, 1999). The rationale is that leucine and its metabolite a -ketoisocaproate (KIC) appear to inhibit protein degradation (Nair et al., 1992; Nissen et al., 1996), and this anti-proteolytic effect may be mediated by HMB. Animal studies indicate that approximately 5% of oxidized leucine is converted to HMB via KIC (Nissen et al., 1994; Van Koevering et al., 1994). The addition of HMB to dietary feed improved colostral milk fat and growth of sows (Nissen et al., 1994), tended to improve the carcass quality of steers (Van Koevering et al., 1994), and decreased markers of catabolism during training in horses (Miller et al., 1997). Supplementing with leucine and/or HMB may therefore inhibit protein degradation during periods associated with increased proteolysis, such as resistance training.

Although much of the available literature on HMB supplementation in humans is preliminary in nature, several recently published articles and abstracts support this hypothesis. Leucine infusion appears to decrease protein degradation in humans (Nair et al., 1992). HMB supplementation during 3 to 8 weeks of training has been reported to promote significantly greater gains of fat-free mass and strength in untrained men and women initiating resistance training (Nissen et al., 1996; Nissen et al., 1997; Vukovich et al., 1997). In some instances these gains were associated with signs of significantly less muscle damage (efflux of muscle enzymes and urinary 3-methylhistidine excretion) (Nissen et al., 1996). Although these findings suggest that HMB supplementation during training may enhance training adaptations in untrained individuals initiating training, it is less clear whether HMB supplementation reduces markers of catabolism or promotes greater gains in fat-free mass and strength during resistance training in well-trained athletes. Indeed, there are several reports of no significant effects of HMB supplementation (3 to 6 g per day) in well-trained athletes (Almada et al., 1997; Kreider et al., 1997; Kreider et al., 1999). More research is needed (Kreider, 1999).

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