How much HMB should you be taking as an athlete?

March 06, 2015By KT Trombetta

As athletes, we could all do with a little more HMB to protect and repair muscle tissue, especially this time of year, when we're beating our bodies down preparing for and completing the Open workouts. The question remains however, how much HMB should we actually be taking to optimally benefit? Is it the same for a nimble 110lb female competitor as it is for a 220lb heavyweight?

There are two ways to approach this question. One is based on the scientific evidence, the other based on bodyweight dose response.

Before we dive into this, it's important to understand more about HMB and how it works:

HMB naturally occurs in the body and is important for protection and repair of muscle cells. It slows down protein breakdown and speeds up protein synthesis via the Ubiquitin pathway to repair your muscles quicker and keep muscle cells strong. This makes it a great supplement for hard-working athletes.

A small amount of this HMB comes from the amino acid Leucine in the food we eat. We also get it from HMB rich foods like alfalfa, grapefruit, and catfish. Studies show that athletes who train at a higher intensity benefit from more HMB to effectively recover their muscles. We need about a 1/4 teaspoon each day to help maintain and build healthy muscle cells. About 1g should come from the food we eat, 0.5g is made in the body, and 3g comes from your daily serving of Blonyx HMB+Creatine, for example.

1. take the same dose as used in the research

The 3 grams found in Blonyx HMB is based on numerous Scientific studies showing that 3 g per day increases strength, endurance and muscle mass with training. It is also easier to package product with a set dosage; you will know how long your tub will last. We know that 3 g per day works for the majority of people.

2. Adjust dosage according to bodyweight

The International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) issued a statement on HMB in 2013 suggesting that athletes may benefit from adjusting the dosage according to body weight. This is based on usual dose response is that you see with drug products. It makes sense, If you are bigger you simply need more and vice versa. The ISSN recommendations are to take 38 mg/kg body weigh. This is essentially means if you weigh above or below 79 kg/174lb then you should be adjusting your dosage.

Which of these two options works best? There has not been any research on this to date, so get yourself some HMB, and see what works best for you.