Additional Human Studies
2004Rathmacher, J. A., S. Nissen, L. Panton, R. H. Clark, M. P. Eubanks, A. E. Barber, J. D'Olimpio, and N. N. Abumrad, 2004 Supplementation with a combination of beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate (HMB), arginine, and glutamine is safe and could improve hematological parameters, JPEN 28:65-75 Consumption of HMB, arginine, and glutamine by healthy, AIDS patients and cancer patients was studied. No adverse effects were seen and the mixture enhanced hematological parameters such as red blood cell numbers.
view abstract2002May, P.E., A. Barber, J.T. D’Olimpio, A. Hourihane, and N.N. Abumrad, 2002 Reversal of cancer-related wasting using oral supplementation with a combination of ß-hydroxy-ß-methylbutyrate, arginine, and glutamine, Am. J. Surgery 183:471-479 Lean body mass can be increased in cancer wasting by targeting nutrition to increase protein synthesis and decrease protein degradation (multi-center study).
Williams, J. Z., N. Abumrad, and A. Barbul, 2002 Effect of a specialized amino acid mixture on human collagen deposition, Ann. Surgery 236:369-375 HMB combined with the amino acids arginine and glutamine increased collagen synthesis in human wound healing.
2001Coelho, C.W. and T. Carvalho, 2001 Effects of HMB supplementation on LDL-cholesterol, strength, and body composition of patients with hypercholesterolemia, Med. & Sci. in Sports & Exer. 33:s340 In hypercholesterolemic men participating in an exercise program, HMB decreased LDL cholesterol by 28 percent as well as increasing strength and lean gains. No changes in LDL were seen in the placebo group.
2000Neighbors, K.L., J.W. Ransone, B.H. Jacobson, and R.G. LeFavi, 2000 Effects of dietary ß-hydroxy-ß-methylbutyrate on body composition in collegiate football players, Med. & Sci. in Sports & Exer. 32:s60 HMB both decreased body fat and increased lean mass in these well-trained collegiate football players.
Ransone, J.W., K. L. Neighbors, T.B. Adams, B.H. Jacobson, and R.G. LeFavi, 2000 The effect of ß-hydroxy-ß-methylbutyrate supplementation on muscular strength in collegiate athletes during a strenuous exercise program, Med. & Sci. in Sports & Exer. 32:s61 HMB supplementation increased lean mass in a brief, strenuous exercise program in highly trained athletes.
Zachwieja, J.J., S.R. Smith, S.L. Nissen, and J.A. Rathmacher, 2000 ß-Hydroxy-ß-methylbutyrate (HMB) is produced in vivo in humans from leucine, FASEB J. 14:A747 HMB is produced from leucine in humans and increasing plasma leucine will increase the rate of appearance and amount of plasma HMB.
Clark, R.H., G. Feleke, M. Din, T. Yasmin, G. Singh, F. Khan, and J. Rathmacher, 2000 Nutritional treatment for acquired immunodeficiency virus-associated wasting using ß-hydroxy-ß-methylbutyrate (HMB), glutamine, and arginine: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, JPEN 24:133-139 AIDS patients who had previously lost body weight gained back body weight and lean body mass as well as increased T-cells and decreased viral load when they consumed a dietary supplement containing HMB, arginine, and glutamine (eight-week clinical study).
1999Byrd, P.L., P.M. Mehta, P. DeVita, D. Dyck, and R.C. Hickner, 1999 Changes in muscle soreness and strength following downhill running: Effects of creatine, HMB, and Betagen supplementation, Med. & Sci. in Sports & Exer. 31:S263 HMB and Betagen (HMB and creatine) were the only supplements shown to decrease muscle soreness after downhill running, and HMB, creatine, and Betagen all decreased the loss in strength associated with the running.
Rathmacher, J.A., S.L. Nissen, L. Panton, J. Fuller, Jr., R.H. Clark, G. Singh, and N.N. Abumrad, 1999 Safety of a nutritional mixture of ß-hydroxy-ß-methylbutyrate (HMB), glutamine, and arginine in healthy young adults and patients with AIDS, JPEN 23:S10 The nutrient mixture of HMB, glutamine, and arginine was well tolerated in both healthy males and patients suffering from AIDS with no adverse effects seen in either study.
Zachwieja, J.J., S.R. Smith, G.A. Bray, J.C. Lovejoy, T.L. Witt, J.P. DeLany, and J.A. Rathmacher, 1999 Effect of the leucine metabolite ß-hydroxy-ß-methylbutyrate on muscle protein synthesis during prolonged bedrest, FASEB J. 13:A1025 The trend for increased strength maintenance with HMB was not due to a change in muscle protein synthesis or whole-body protein turnover during periods of bed rest.
Macchi, M.B., M.J. Turner, J.A. Rathmacher and M.D. Vukovich, 1999 Influence of coingestion of glucose on ß-hydroxy-ß-methylbutyrate (HMB) metabolism in humans, FASEB J. 13:A909 The half-life of HMB in the blood was shown to be about three hours and was independent of glucose intake or insulin level.
Rathmacher, J.A., J.J. Zachwieja, S.R. Smith, J.L. Lovejoy, and G.A. Bray, 1999 The effect of the leucine metabolite ß-hydroxy-ß-methylbutyrate on lean body mass and muscle strength during prolonged bedrest, FASEB J. 13:A909 Three grams of HMB per day tended to decrease the strength loss associated with extended periods of bed rest.
1997Cohen, D.D., 1997 The effect of ß-hydroxy-ß-methylbutyrate (HMB) and resistance training on changes in body composition during positive and negative energy balance – a randomized double-blind study, M.Sc. Thesis, St. Bartholomew's and Royal London School of Medicine and Dentistry – 0:Queen Mary and Westfield College, University of Lo HMB helped maintain muscle mass while on a calorie-restricted diet.
Nissen, S., L. Panton, J. Fuller, Jr., D. Rice, and R. Sharp, 1997 Effect of feeding ß-hydroxy-ß-methylbutyrate (HMB) on body composition and strength of women, FASEB J. 11:A150 In two separate studies, one with and one without exercise, HMB was fed to women. No effect of HMB on body composition was measured in the non-exercising group of women, but in women undergoing exercise, HMB increased lean gain, fat loss, and strength.
Nissen, S. and N.N. Abumrad, 1997 Nutritional role of the leucine metabolite ß-hydroxy-ß-methylbutyrate (HMB), J. Nutr. Biochem. 8:300-311 This paper reviews the first seven human studies with HMB and summarizes health and safety data generated as well as the muscle and strength gain data from these studies. The only significant changes in blood chemistry are decreases in total and LDL cholesterol.
