If muscle mass is your goal, it begins with hard work in the gym. The next step is dedication in the kitchen.
What comes after that? Supplements.
No doubt there’s a lot to choose from. Make the right choices and they will significantly enhance your efforts.
One good choice is HMB. Here’s a product that supports protein synthesis and improves recovery. It also has anti-catabolic properties.
Sounds good, right? This guide will look at the best HMB supplements on the market. Let’s dive right in!
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Best hmb supplement
- MuscleTech Clear Muscle HMB – Best Overall
- Redcon1 MOAB® – Best HMB Formula
- Nutricost HMB – Best Value
- BulkSupplements.com HMB Powder – Best Bulk Size
- Blonyx HMB+Creatine – Best Combo
- Blonyx HMB Sport – Best Capsule
- Micro Ingredients Pure HMB Powder – Best Powder
- Inno Supps HMB+ – Best For Absorption
- MEND Regenerate – Best For Recovery
Reviews – The best hmb supplements
MuscleTech Clear Muscle HMB – Best Overall
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MuscleTech Clear Muscle HMB is our pick for best overall. One capsule features 1g patented BetaTOR® HMB. There’s also 250mg of betaine. Clear Muscle supports recovery, improves strength, and stimulates muscle growth. MuscleTech usually references studies in their ads, and this is no exception.
That’s an advantage of a branded ingredient such as BetaTOR® HMB. They will always have research backing up their use. The other advantage of this ingredient is superior absorption. Finally, Clear Muscle HMB does not contain any artificial ingredients.
PROS
- Features A Trademarked Form Of HMB
- 1g Per Capsule – Also Includes Betaine
- There Are No Artificial Ingredients
CONS
- Some Users Don’t Like The Odor Of The Capsules
Redcon1 MOAB® – Best HMB Formula
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Here’s our pick for the best HMB formula. Redcon1 has created one of the best natural muscle builders available with MOAB. Where’d that name come from? It stands for Mother Of All Builders First, there’s 3g HMB. That’s one of the strongest doses you’ll find. Next, there’s 1g HICA, 300mg epicatechin, and 50mg Astragin™, an absorption enhancer.
Both HMB and HICA are leucine-metabolites. Leucine is an amino acid that stimulates protein synthesis.
MOAB supports recovery, promotes lean gains, and acts as an anti-catabolic. This is an unflavored powder that you can mix with anything. Redcon1 suggests using it before a workout. That means you can mix it with your favorite pre-workout. Finally, both women and men can use this product.
PROS
- Natural Muscle Builder
- Supports Recovery
- Anti-Catabolic
CONS
- Not For Value-Minded Users
Nutricost HMB – Best Value
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Nutricost HMB is the best choice for value-conscious lifters. One capsule provides 500mg HMB. There are 240 capsules per container. If you take one capsule, that’s a 240 day supply. Taking the suggested 2 capsule serving per day still provides a 120 day supply. If you wish, you can take up to 3g a day. Even at that level, you will still have 40 servings.
HMB is the only active ingredient. There’s a small number of “other” ingredients. Nutricost HMB is gluten free and non-GMO. It’s 3rd party tested for purity, GMP- Complaint and quality assured.
PROS
- 1g Per Two Capsule Serving
- 240 Capsules Per Container
- No Artificial Ingredients
CONS
- The Capsules Are Too Hard To Swallow For Some Users
BulkSupplements.com HMB Powder – Best Bulk Size
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Here’s our choice for the best bulk HMB. BulkSupplements.com HMB Powder provides 1,000 servings per 1.1lb bag. One serving supplies 825mg of HMB. Users have their choice of sizes, from a small bag to a 1,000 serving bag.
This is a pure, unflavored powder with no other ingredients. You can mix it with water or the beverage of your choice.
BulkSupplements.com HMB Powder is 3rd party tested for purity and quality. It’s made in a GMP-Compliant facility. Finally, it’s lab tested and inspected. 5 Stars.
PROS
- Available Up To 1000 Servings
- Pure HMB Powder
- Tested For Quality And Purity
CONS
- May Be Too Many Servings For Some Users
Blonyx HMB+Creatine – Best Combo
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One of the first HMB supplements combined creatine and HMB. That original product is no longer made. Yet the concept has stood the test of time. The current best combo of these two ingredients is Blonyx HMB+Creatine. This product suggests two servings a day. This amount provides the ideal amount of both HMB (3g) and creatine (5g).
This is an unflavored powder with zero artificial ingredients. Both ingredients are well researched. The Blonyx website does a good job of presenting research to back up product claims. It’s tested for banned substances and made in a GMP-Compliant facility. 5 Stars.
PROS
- A Classic Ingredient Combination
- Uses Clinical Dosing
- No Artificial Ingredients
CONS
- Not For Value-Minded Users
Blonyx HMB Sport – Best Capsule
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Here’s our pick for the best capsule version of HMB. Blonyx HMB Sport provides 1.5g per 3 capsule serving. Most capsules only provide 1g per serving. That means you only take HMB Sport twice a day. With the other capsule versions, you take three servings per day. If you aren’t a fan of swallowing capsules, that’s an advantage.
This product does not contain any additives. It’s also banned substance tested. Only gelatin is used to make the capsule. That means there are only two total ingredients. Like other Blonyx products, HMB Sport is a clean and well-researched formula. 5 Stars.
PROS
- 1.5g Per Serving
- You Only Need Two Servings Per Day
- No Artificial Ingredients
CONS
- Not For Value- Minded Users
Micro Ingredients Pure HMB Powder – Best Powder
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There’s only one ingredient in Micro Ingredients Pure HMB Powder. One serving provides 1g of pure HMB. Micro Ingredients Pure HMB is an unflavored powder. That means you can mix it in with your favorite shake or smoothie.
The suggested use of this product is three servings per day. So, you could mix it into your first protein shake of the day. Second, mix it into your pre-workout. Finally, add it to your post-workout shake. On off-days, add it to your last protein shake of the day.
Micro Ingredients Pure HMB Powder is non-GMO, free of gluten, soy, and dairy. For that reason, it’s a good choice for vegans.
PROS
- Pure HMB – There Are No Other Ingredients
- 1g Per Serving
- Vegan Friendly
CONS
- Some Users Don’t Like The Taste
Inno Supps HMB+ – Best For Absorption
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Inno Supps HMB+ supplies 1.5g HMB per two capsule serving. There’s also 50mg Astragin®. This is an advanced absorption ingredient. It’s a combination of ginseng and astragalus. HMB+ is one of the few HMB products that use this absorption enhancer.
Inno Supps HMB+ contains zero artificial ingredients. It’s GMP-certified and vegan.
The downside is the number of servings. Inno Supps suggests at least 3 servings per day.
HMB+ provides 50 total servings. Taken 3 times a day, it will last 16 days. Taken twice a day will supply the clinical 3g dose. Used this way HMB+ lasts 25 days. You should take this product with high-protein meals.
PROS
- One Serving Provides 1.5g HMB
- Features Astragin® For Good Absorption
- Vegan Friendly
CONS
- When Used As Directed, HMB+ Only Lasts 16 Days
MEND Regenerate – Best For Recovery
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MEND is a company that makes products designed for repair and recovery. You will find joint support and skin health formulas. There’s also Regenerate. This product features 1.5g HMB and has 33 total ingredients. Often when there are that many ingredients, they’re underdosed. Yet Regenerate contains 10g BCAAs plus glutamine, and 15g total protein.
There’s a full spectrum of vitamins and minerals. If this product has a downside, it comes back to underdosing. One serving only provides 1.5g of creatine monohydrate. The clinical dose is 5g. Also, total protein could be a little higher. Still, this is a solid formula with an open label. For the most part, it’s well dosed.
PROS
- There’s 1.5g HMB Per Serving – One Serving Equals One Scoop
- This Product Supplies 33 Total Ingredients
- Provides BCAAs, Glutamine, Plus Whey And Casein Protein
CONS
- There Are No Obvious Directions For Use
Buying Guide – How To Choose The Best HMB Supplement?
What Is HMB
HMB is also known as beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate. It is made naturally in the body due to the breakdown of the amino acid leucine. The body uses 5% of available leucine for this purpose. This means that natural amounts are low. For that reason, supplemental HMB is a good idea. (1,2)
As a supplement, HMB was first introduced by EAS back in the 1990s. This is the company that brought creatine to the supplement market. They also were the first to combine HMB combined with creatine. (3)
HMB Benefits
Here are the main benefits of HMB supplementation.
Increased Muscle Growth
HMB is a leucine metabolite. The primary way HMB supports growth is through stimulating protein synthesis. Research results using human test subjects are mixed. Yet, many studies have shown that HMB can improve muscle growth. (3)
If this is your goal, it makes sense to use a product that combines ingredients. Redcon1 MOAB and Blonyx HMB+Creatine contain several ingredients designed to stimulate growth. You should also take your HMB with a protein-rich meal. Also, you can mix it with your protein powder.
Enhanced Strength
Research suggests that HMB stimulates growth. This also supports HMB’s use for increased strength. As noted, using a product like MOAB or HMB+Creatine will also affect strength. Also, any of the HMB products in this guide can be helpful for both strength and mass. (4)
Acts As An Anti-Catabolic
Anti-Catabolic means muscle preservation. There are a few ingredients that do this. Two of them are HMB and glutamine. MEND Regenerate is an example of a product that contains both. Muscle preservation is important during times of catabolic stress. For example, the catabolic hormone cortisol is released during high-stress periods. This includes your workouts. Taking HMB before a training session helps you stay in an anabolic state.
Also if you follow a fat loss program, lack of nutrients may lead to muscle wasting. HMB is the ideal supplement to prevent catabolic muscle waste while dieting. (5)
Improves Recovery
HMB is a recovery supplement. As noted above, it helps prevent muscle protein breakdown. Also, it can help reduce inflammation. As we know, recovery is essential if you want to make progress. That’s when growth happens. Your muscles repair and rebuild during this time. Then, you come back to the gym a little bigger and stronger. This means recovery is as important as any aspect of training.
What You Should Consider When Looking For An HMB Supplement
Dosing
The clinical dose of HMB is 3g. Most products provide at least 1g per dose. You should take products like this three times a day. If you choose a powder, such as BulkSupplements.com HMB, you can mix it into your protein shakes. You could even add it to your pre-workout.
Other products, such as Redcon1 MOAB, provide the full 3g in one serving.
Quality
Make sure any HMB product you are considering does not contain artificial ingredients. All the brands in this guide are free of anything artificial. Some, such as Micro Ingredients Pure HMB Powder, contain only one ingredient. Others, such as Nuticost HMB, test for quality and purity.
Full Label Transparency
Avoid any product that consists of prop blends. In this case, most of the products are not a formula. That means the use of a prop blend doesn’t really apply. Still, MEND Regenerate contains 33 ingredients. To their credit, every single ingredient is clearly listed. Plus, the dose is also clearly listed. With this information, you can see what the dosing of each ingredient is.
Stacking HMB
You can stack any HMB supplement with a protein powder. Also, you can stack it with creatine, or a creatine formula. What about a product such as Blonyx HMB+Creatine? You can stack it with other cell volumizers, such as betaine, glycerol, and taurine. Also, you can stack any HMB product with a glutamine supplement. That’s because both HMB and glutamine prevent muscle protein breakdown. They also support recovery. Finally, it makes sense to stack HMB with leucine. This can be a standalone leucine product. Or it can be a BCAA supplement. Also, you can add any other leucine metabolite. Redcon1 MOAB does not contain leucine but does contain HICA. Like HMB, HICA is a metabolite of leucine.
How To Use HMB
As noted, 3g is the clinical daily dose of HMB. First, follow your product’s directions. They may not state a specific time to take their product. It makes sense to take HMB first thing in the morning. Again, a 2nd or even 3rd dose depends on your product. Like protein, you should take HMB in divided doses during the day. That means taking your next dose several hours later. This approach optimizes the catabolic benefits.
Conclusion
When choosing any supplement, branded ingredients are the way to go. MuscleTech Clear Muscle HMB contains 1g of BetaTOR® HMB. This patented compound provides enhanced absorption over other forms of HMB.
Would you prefer a powder version of HMB? Micro Ingredients Pure HMB Powder contains 1g of HMB. That’s it. There are no other ingredients. Plus, it’s unflavored. That means you can mix it with anything.
Finally, you know recovery is one of the keys to growth. MEND Regenerate is a full spectrum recovery formula. This outstanding product is based around 1.5g HMB. Plus, there are 32 other ingredients. These range from protein to vitamins and minerals.
If you’re training for size and strength, HMB is a great addition to your program. Use this guide to make the right choice for your needs. Let’s go train!
References:
- Holeček M. (2017). Beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate supplementation and skeletal muscle in healthy and muscle-wasting conditions. Journal of cachexia, sarcopenia and muscle, 8(4), 529–541. https://doi.org/10.1002/jcsm.12208
- https://examine.com/supplements/hmb/
- EAS (nutrition brand) – Wikipedia
- Wilson, J. M., Lowery, R. P., Joy, J. M., Andersen, J. C., Wilson, S. M., Stout, J. R., Duncan, N., Fuller, J. C., Baier, S. M., Naimo, M. A., & Rathmacher, J. (2014). The effects of 12 weeks of beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate free acid supplementation on muscle mass, strength, and power in resistance-trained individuals: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. European journal of applied physiology, 114(6), 1217–1227. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-014-2854-5
- Wilson, G.J., Wilson, J.M. & Manninen, A.H. Effects of beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate (HMB) on exercise performance and body composition across varying levels of age, sex, and training experience: A review. Nutr Metab (Lond) 5, 1 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1186/1743-7075-5-1
- HMB Supplement — Health Benefits, Dosage, Side Effects | Examine.com
