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Hmb8.0
HMB Research
Probably helpsHigh safety
33 peer-reviewed studies
What the evidence says
Probably helps
HMB helped in about half (6/10) of the studies that measured an effect — promising, but not unanimous.
Most evidence is from high-quality meta-analyses and randomised trials published 2009–2026 with a typical study size of 279 participants.
Based on 33 studies · 14 meta-analyses · 11 RCTs · 7,984 total participants
Confidence
High
What the studies found
6helped4unclear· 23 more without graded effect data
By outcome
Lean body mass & muscle growthPreserves muscle during caloric restriction · 2-4 weeks
RecoveryReduced muscle damage markers after intense exercise · 1-2 weeks
Mostly mechanism / observational6 studies
Endurance & exercise performancePreserves lean mass during endurance training and caloric deficit · 4-8 weeks · Reduces protein breakdown; supports training adaptation · 4-8 weeks
23 studies in the last 5 years · Latest meta-analysis: 2026
200920172026
1Chronic wound healingSystematic ReviewCited 10×n=741 · large study2024
Primary wound types included pressure injuries (58%), diabetic foot ulcers (40%), and venous ulcers (2%).
Santo ACSDE et al. · Nutrition (Burbank, Los Angeles County, Calif.) (2024)
Primary wound types included pressure injuries (58%), diabetic foot ulcers (40%), and venous ulcers (2%).
Two other studies investigated a combination of arginine, glutamine, and β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate; however, they did not yield significant results, and one study favored a hyperproteic formula instead of a hyperproteic formula with arginine.
This review provides evidence supporting the potential of oral nutritional supplementation to enhance the healing process of chronic wounds.
3Physical performance assessed by gait speedMeta-AnalysisCited 8×n=359 · medium study2025
Overall, although limited and requiring interpretation with utmost caution, current evidence indicates that HMB supplementation is beneficial for improving muscle mass and strength, but there is no evidence of a benefit on physical performance in patients with sarcopenia.
Gu WT et al. · Maturitas (2025)
No clear effect
← WorseNo effectBetter →
Could be chance
For the overall risk of bias, no studies were graded as "high risk of bias", one (20.0 %) as "some concerns", and four (80.0 %) as "low risk of bias" according to the ROB 2.
However, there was no evidence of a benefit on physical performance, assessed by gait speed (SMD = 0.19; 95 % CI: [-0.14, 0.53]; Z value = 1.14; P = 0.255).
Overall, although limited and requiring interpretation with utmost caution, current evidence indicates that HMB supplementation is beneficial for improving muscle mass and strength, but there is no evidence of a benefit on physical performance in patients with sarcopenia.
4Endurance performanceMeta-AnalysisCited 9×n=279 · medium study2024
In conclusion, HMB (3 g·d -1 ) ingestion during 2-12 weeks significantly improves endurance performance and V̇O 2 max .
Fernández-Landa J et al. · Journal of strength and conditioning research (2024)
Large benefit
← WorseNo effectBetter →
The results displayed a significant improvement on endurance performance (pooled standardized mean difference [SMD] = 0.58 [0.28-0.87]) and V̇O 2 max (pooled SMD = 0.58 [0.21-0.95]) after HMB ingestion.
Moreover, after the exclusion of the studies not evenly distributed around the base of the funnel plot, the results continued to be significantly positive in endurance performance (pooled SMD = 0.38 [0.22-0.53]) and V̇O 2 max (pooled SMD = 0.25 [0.09-0.42]).
In conclusion, HMB (3 g·d -1 ) ingestion during 2-12 weeks significantly improves endurance performance and V̇O 2 max .
5Proportion of ulcers healedMeta-AnalysisCited 31×n=629 · large study2020
Evidence for the impact of nutritional interventions on the healing of foot ulcers in people with diabetes compared with no nutritional supplementation, or compared with a different dose of nutritional supplementation, remains uncertain, with eight studies showing no clear benefit or harm.
Moore ZE et al. · The Cochrane database of systematic reviews (2020)
No clear effect
← WorseNo effectBetter →
It is also uncertain whether arginine, glutamine and β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate supplement increases the proportion of ulcers healed at 16 weeks compared with placebo (RR 1.09, 95% CI 0.85 to 1.40).
It is uncertain whether oral nutritional supplement with 20 g protein per 200 mL bottle, 1 kcal/mL, nutritional supplement with added vitamins, minerals and trace elements, reduces the number of deaths (RR 0.96, 95% CI 0.06 to 14.60) or amputations (RR 4.82, 95% CI 0.24 to 95.88) more than placebo.
It is uncertain whether arginine, glutamine and β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate supplement increases health-related quality of life at 16 weeks more than placebo (MD -0.03, 95% CI -0.09 to 0.03).
7Muscle mass changeMeta-AnalysisCited 13×n=41 · small study2025
HMB supplementation may benefit individuals experiencing muscular atrophy due to physiological conditions, particularly enhancing muscle mass and strength without significant changes in fat mass or body weight.
Bideshki MV et al. · Journal of cachexia, sarcopenia and muscle (2025)
Noticeable benefit
← WorseNo effectBetter →
Likely real
HMB supplementation significantly increased muscle mass (ES: 0.21; 95% CI: 0.06-0.35; p = 0.004), muscle strength index (ES: 0.27; 95% CI: 0.19-0.35; p < 0.001) and FFM (ES: 0.22; 95% CI: 0.11-0.34; p < 0.001).
No significant changes were observed in FM (ES: 0.03; 95% CI: -0.04 to 0.35; p = 0.09) or body mass (ES: 0.09; 95% CI: -0.06 to 0.24; p = 0.22).
HMB supplementation may benefit individuals experiencing muscular atrophy due to physiological conditions, particularly enhancing muscle mass and strength without significant changes in fat mass or body weight.
Overall, individual studies show some promise for several dietary supplements to alter body mass and body composition, improve exercise recovery and performance, delay fatigue, and modify serum biomarkers; nevertheless, effect sizes were often small, and results were often mixed.
Coutiño Díaz M et al. · Current nutrition reports (2025)
Overall, individual studies show some promise for several dietary supplements to alter body mass and body composition, improve exercise recovery and performance, delay fatigue, and modify serum biomarkers; nevertheless, effect sizes were often small, and results were often mixed.
10Total body mass change during resistance exercise trainingMeta-AnalysisCited 19×n=302 · medium study2020
Our findings do not support the use of HMB aiming at improvement of body composition or strength with RET.
Jakubowski JS et al. · Nutrients (2020)
A significant effect was found on TBM.
However, there were no significant effects for FFM, FM, or strength outcomes.
We conclude that HMB produces a small effect on TBM gain, but this effect does not translate into significantly greater increases in FFM, strength or decreases in FM during periods of RET.
Specifically, interventions in older adults aged 80 years or older, with cognitive impairment, frailty, or limited mobility are required.
Courel-Ibáñez J et al. · Nutrients (2019)
Results showed that HMB supplementation in addition to physical exercise has no or fairly low impact in improving body composition, muscle strength, or physical performance in adults aged 50 to 80 years, compared to exercise alone.
There is a gap of knowledge on the beneficial effects of HMB combined with exercise to preserve cognitive functions in aging and age-related neurodegenerative diseases.
Future RCTs are needed to refine treatment choices combining HMB and exercises for older people in particular populations, ages, and health status.
14Muscle mass and function in cancer patientsSystematic ReviewCited 74×2022
Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle
Prado CM et al. · Journal of cachexia, sarcopenia and muscle (2022)
Studies prescribed HMB combined with amino acids (73.3%), HMB in oral nutritional supplements (20.0%), or both supplement types (6.7%); Ca-HMB doses of 3.0 g/day were provided in 80.0% of the studies.
No serious adverse effects directly related to the nutrition intervention were reported.
Although limited, current evidence suggests that HMB supplementation has a beneficial effect on muscle mass and function in patients with cancer.
16Muscle mass preservationMeta-AnalysisCited 118×2015
Beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate supplementation contributed to preservation of muscle mass in older adults.
Wu H et al. · Archives of gerontology and geriatrics (2015)
Noticeable benefit
← WorseNo effectBetter →
Likely real
The meta-analysis showed greater muscle mass gain in the intervention groups compared with the control groups (standard mean difference=0.352kg; 95% confidence interval: 0.11, 0.594; Z value=2.85; P=0.004).
There were no significant fat mass changes between intervention and control groups (standard mean difference=-0.08kg; 95% confidence interval: -0.32, 0.159; Z value=0.66; P=0.511).
Beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate supplementation contributed to preservation of muscle mass in older adults.
17Muscle mass improvement with leucineMeta-AnalysisCited 192×n=15 · very small study2021
Best evidence is available to recommend leucine, because it has a significant effect on muscle mass in elderly people with sarcopenia.
Gielen E et al. · Nutrition reviews (2021)
Best evidence is available to recommend leucine, because it has a significant effect on muscle mass in elderly people with sarcopenia.
Protein supplementation on top of resistance training is recommended to increase muscle mass and strength, in particular for obese persons and for ≥ 24 weeks.
Effects on sarcopenia as a construct were not reported in the included reviews.
18Body composition and muscle strengthMeta-Analysisn=561 · large study2026
The combination of HMB supplementation and resistance training does not improve body composition or muscle strength in adults aged 50 years and older.
Wang G et al. · Age and ageing (2026)
No clear effect
← WorseNo effectBetter →
According to meta-analysis data, supplementing with HMB is not advantageous concerning fat mass (SMD = 0.24, 95% CI: -0.01 to 0.49), muscle mass (SMD = 0.05, 95% CI: -0.10 to 0.20), and muscle strength (SMD = 0.04, 95% CI: -0.72 to 0.63).
The combination of HMB supplementation and resistance training does not improve body composition or muscle strength in adults aged 50 years and older.
Based on the available evidence, HMB supplementation cannot be recommended as a routine adjunct to resistance training in individuals who are able to undertake structured exercise.
19sarcopenia and frailty management in COPDSystematic Review2026
An integrated, multimodal approach combining structured exercise training and targeted nutritional support should be considered a cornerstone of COPD management to prevent and treat sarcopenia and frailty.
Naas S et al. · Nutrients (2026)
An integrated, multimodal approach combining structured exercise training and targeted nutritional support should be considered a cornerstone of COPD management to prevent and treat sarcopenia and frailty.
Personalized rehabilitation strategies can substantially improve functional outcomes and quality of life, while future research should prioritize biomarker-guided personalization and long-term intervention studies.