Looking for the best HMB supplement? It will surely be in your aid if you work hard. Both of us know that each physical activity strains our muscles. Thus, you need constant muscle repair and growth. But can our body do it on its own? Even though our body can naturally synthesize protein to help the muscles, it may not be enough. That’s where HMB supplements come in handy. They help you to break down more proteins and gain better muscle condition. Additionally, epicatechin supplements may also be beneficial as they act as a myostatin inhibitor, which can further enhance muscle growth by allowing more efficient muscle fiber development
That’s exactly why most gym trainers also recommend them. I would agree with them as well. It feels quite refreshing having them after each gym session. As a matter of fact, I would like to recommend my favorite and best HMB supplement, along with a few more.
Best HMB Supplement for Muscle Growth: Top 5 Brands of 2023
Choosing the best HMB supplements protects your body from side effects and ensures you get value for your money. Such products contain safe, high-quality ingredients and undergo tests to ensure purity. You want to spend money on a supplement worth the price. Here, check out the best HMB supplement 2023 to consider using.
#1 BulkSupplements.com HMB Powder
#2 POWERLIFE Tony Horton High Impact Plant Protein HMB Powder
#3 MET-Rx HMB 1000 Diet Supplement Capsules, 90 Count
#4 Double Wood Supplements HMB Capsules
#5 WINDSOR BOTANICALS HMB and Vitamin D3 Supplement Capsule
How We Choose the Top HMB Supplements Brands
There are many qualities that we keep in mind while choosing any top quality HMB supplement. Follow them below.
Ingredients & Quality: Aside from HMB itself, there are many supportive ingredients that enhance muscle conditions. I always focus on those and how good they are.
Effective Period: Most supplements work really slow. So, I look for its possible effective period. Otherwise, the whole usage session will be a waste of time.
HMB amount per serving: HMB amount passively tells you about how much muscle growth you may get. So, I consider it highly important.
Third Party Verification: Many of these supplements are fake. So, having a third party verification ensures its quality and safety.
Serving Count: I try to purchase a whole pack of servings with a single purchase. So, considering each supplement’s serving count also lets me know how many of them I need to cover for at least a whole month.
Best HMB supplement: Our Top 5 Picks
These are some of my best picks among many HMB supplements I have tried so far. Most of them didn’t show any potential but these ones are different. They have both strong benefits and some downsides. Overall, these are the HMB supplements I would recommend you to try. Let’s explore them.
#1 BulkSupplements.com HMB Powder
After using a few different HBM powders, I feel like BulkSupplements.com HMB Powder is worth giving a shot. It has been my best HMB supplement for a long time. My previous powders were pretty good as well. But there was something missing. I wanted a more balanced HMB supplement. This one is pretty close to what I wanted. It comes with 1000 mg per serving, which is moderate for me. So, I was pretty comfortable with its effects.
But, the effects were kinda slow. You know our physical mechanism automatically works on recovering any muscle loss. That’s why we use these supplements to make it faster. It wasn’t the case for BulkSupplements.com HMB. It was slower than I expected. I had to use a long time to actually feel its benefits. Another issue for me was the taste. It was close to being called horrible.
Product Highlights
Weight: 8.82 ounce
HMB: 1000mg (per serving)
Servings: 250
Diet Type: Dairy free
Pros
- High-quality and lab-tested
- Sugar, dairy, soy, and yeast-free
- Vegan-friendly and quality-inspected
- Has no fillers or calories
- Slows muscle breakdown & increases lean muscle mass
- Supports muscle recovery & endurance
Cons
- It can be clumpy
- The unflavoured taste is awful
- Does not come with a scoop
#2 POWERLIFE Tony Horton High Impact Plant Protein HMB Powder
The supplement name is quite long, right? I think so. It is as long as its essential ingredients list. I was surprised with its D3 and other essential nutrient lists. Usually, you don’t always get d3 within an HMB supplement. When planning to try a d3 HMB supplement, I had many products in mind.
But this one caught my interest because of the detailed benefits of the brand. So, I tried for a couple of weeks. Each serving comes with 3000mg of myHMB. This was a bit high dosage for me. The result wasn’t that bad. I almost considered it as the best HMB and vitamin d3 supplement while ignoring its bad taste. But, the effects went down really fast. I ended up having several side effects like diarrhea and nausea. Some people may even gain extra weight because of extra HMB.
Product Highlights
Weight: 14.9 ounce
HMB: 3000mg (per serving)
Servings: 15
Diet type: vegan friendly
Pros
- Comes in delicious flavor
- Keto and vegan-friendly
- Contains plant-based protein
- Does not have added sugars
- Has science-backed ingredients
- Hormone and antibiotic-free
Cons
- It can be gritty
- It is a bit costly
- Serving count is too low
#3 MET-Rx HMB 1000 Diet Supplement Capsules
Now, I am moving to an HMB supplement capsule. I was mostly on the powder side. So I didn’t try the capsules earlier. Later, I started with these capsules, and it was really pleasing. For powder, I always had to think about the taste or flavor. But this capsule has nothing to worry about. I am happy after using it for several months and still keep taking it. It is helping me a lot with strength training and huge physical activities in daily life. Each serving comes with 1000mg, perfect for my daily routine.
The only major downside was the capsule size. They are huge. Some people might find it hard to swallow. On top of that, a few of my capsules may explode. I had two of those exploded capsules and they left a bad taste over all the other capsules. It may be just a coincidence. But, this is something to worry about. I would recommend these capsules to any HMB user. Because ignoring the size, this is my current best HMB supplement.
Product Highlights
Weight: 0.35 pound
HMB: 1000 mg (per serving)
Servings:90
Diet type: Calcium
Pros
- Premium quality with a simple formulation
- Available in stunning packaging
- Stronger than the previous formula
- U.S.-made
Cons
- The pills are a bit big
- A few pills might burst inside the container
- The brand does not mention any third-party testing
#4 Double Wood Supplements HMB Capsules
I was already happy with my previous HMB capsules. But, there were some obvious lackings. So, I still tried these new capsules because of their manufacturing guarantee. They claim to have one of the best HMB capsule manufacturing systems. But, I have seen some issues with their recent product verification. I even saw a few batches of product with missing label info. That is a concern but the brand solved a few of them.
As for the effects, it was good enough to consider as a great product. But, the effects came really late. I had to try a long time to clearly feel the benefits. So, does it work? Yes, it does. But I am not sure if you can carry on that much patience to see the result. Besides, it has a few good alternatives as well. So, please try for a few weeks first. Then, see the result as per your preference.
Product Highlights
Weight: 0.11 kg
HMB: 1000 mg (per serving)
Servings: 60 (2 counts per serving)
Diet type: Gluten-free
Pros
- Unflavored and gluten-free
- Do not contain corn or dairy
- U.S.-made and premium quality
- Reduce muscle loss
- Available in well-made packaging
- Non-GMO and lab-tested
Cons
- Some alternatives with more features
#5 WINDSOR BOTANICALS HMB and Vitamin D3 Supplement Capsule
You may ask why I used this supplement, right? I would say it is a bit different from others. You can see this is a capsule that contains both HMB (1000mg) and d3. That makes it more appealing than others, and I liked that part. However, I am still new to these capsules. Even so, I haven’t seen any major effect from it. It’s been a month but there isn’t any visible result.i feel like my regular diet was good enough already. Although, I am still new to these products. Hopefully, I will get a decent outcome within a few more weeks.
Product Highlights
Weight: 0.19 kg
HMB: 1000 mg (per serving)
Servings: 90 (2 counts per serving)
Diet type: Gluten-free
Pros
- Muscle support (growth and recovery)
- Vitamin D3 and HMB
- Made in USA
- Combo effects
- Verified
- No major discomfort
Cons
- May not be effective for everyone
- Has a few alternatives
What is HMB for Muscle Growth?
HMB is a necessary chemical that our body produces in small amounts[1]. It comes from an amino acid known as leucine. Leucine is present in many foods like beef, eggs, nuts, salmon and more. HMB helps in protein synthesis. Thus, our body can easily absorb it faster. Eventually, that also helps in muscle condition.
What is HMB Supplement for Muscle Growth?
HMB supplements are made of HMB and many other ingredients like D3 that enhance its effects[2]. Thus, HMB supplements not only help you to break down more proteins but also provide additional nutrients to assist your expected effects. So, how does that help in muscle growth? As you know muscle growth requires a lot of nutrients along with proteins. While HMB boosts the protein synthesis, those additional nutrients provide enhancement. Therefore the supplement is a whole package for your muscle management.
What does HMB Supplement Do?
You may know that protein is necessary to construct and repair muscle. Working or training hard takes a lot of energy. For example, I do a lot of indoor sports like playing soccer or basketball. After each session, I became really tired. After a couple of months, I saw a slight weight change. However, it didn’t feel like an issue at first. Later, it turns out that I am losing weight pretty fast. Some side effects like fatigue loss, super sleepiness, muscle clamp and other physical difficulties started showing up.
Just like that, you also burn many calories from similar activities. Moreover, it also results in weight loss. For recovery, we need enough protein. However, the natural protein synthesis in our body may not be enough to support the extra weight recovery. That’s when I started using HMB supplements. It breaks down more proteins and provides enough support for muscle growth.
Possible Benefits of HMB Supplement
Now that I have explained what HMB and its supplement do, you may have guessed its benefits. So, what is HMB supplement good for? Let me review its possible positive outcomes. HMB supplement benefits may vary from person to person. But its overall benefits are similar. Knowing all those potential benefits might help you decide whether you will take them or not. Let’s check below.
Muscle Growth
Muscle growth is the most important benefit of the HMB supplement. As I mentioned earlier, HMB increases the protein breakdown. So, you absorb more protein to support your muscles. That increases muscle growth by a huge number. As you can see, people like me do gym sessions daily to gain muscle. The trainers also offer different supplements like HMB to increase muscle. Then I will have enough to maintain a great shape. My experience tells me that HMB supplements are more natural and do the job better than many heavyweight supplements.
Reducing Muscle breakdown
You know, a muscle break happens when your muscle growth is lower than your calorie burns. As you burn more calories, your body tries to cover them with more energy through existing muscles. That increases muscle breakdown. But, HMB helps synthesize protein, a huge energy source. As a result, your muscle breakdown pressure is reduced[3].
Increasing Endurance
What do you think boosts our endurance? The easiest way is to say constant training. The more our body adapts to something, the more endurance we get. For example, I couldn’t walk a few miles a few years back. It felt like a lot of work to me. Then, I started doing regular walks for a short time every day. Eventually, I got used to the routine and didn’t even get worked up after a few miles run.
But, the HMB supplement allows you to produce more energy through protein. The more energy you have, the less fatigue you will get. As a result, you can keep on going for a longer period, no matter how hardcore the workload is.
Boosting Muscle Recovery
HMB supplements may assist you in regular life activities. That’s something we are so sure of. But it also helps you when you need fast recovery. As an athlete, I honestly feel the scenario. You see, regular training or physical workloads are not the only thing that affects your muscle. Through different situations, we may face accidents and get injured. I faced many muscle injuries while in a match or training as an athlete. Those are concerning scenarios. Many players and trainers permanently leave the platform due to their injuries. Even minors can also cause that may change the course of your career.
During these times, all you have to think about is recovery. There aren’t many items that help muscle recovery naturally. Some overpowered medicines force muscle growth, but it also raises the possibility of further injury. As I already told you, HBM lets your body absorb more proteins. Usually, experts may suggest up to 3gm of HMB per day. It is a huge boost for muscle growth, which will recover your missing section much faster. Thus, using HMB supplements is one of the best solutions for daily muscle recovery[4].
Potential Side Effects of HMB Supplements
During my long recovery, I haven’t faced any major HMB supplement side effects. Although, that might not be the case for everyone else. A few common side effects may affect the users. Symptoms like nausea, itching, stomach pain, dizziness, constipation and similar things may appear[5]. Those are easily treatable. So, you should take fast steps and meet a doctor to deal with them.
There is another thing that you should keep in mind, which I always do. Make sure to always follow a proper prescription. Many people don’t care about what the prescription says and use more HMP supplements. Using more than the recommended portion can always cause serious issues. This is not a problem with the medicine. Rather, it’s up to you. Depending on your usage, the potential negative condition can be severe.
How to Use HMB Supplements for Muscle Growth
There are only two types of HMB supplements. The usage procedure depends on it as well. If it is a powder, then you can drink it as a shake or smoothie. Then you have to add water, milk or anything necessary with it. If it is a capsule, then you can just swallow it with water. Although, some HMB capsules can be pretty big. That might be hard to get in. In that case, you can use other food as support to swallow them.
Important Factors While Buying HMB Supplement for Muscle Growth
Whether a product is good or bad solely depends on the product’s quality. You and I can judge that by checking all the features. But purchasing it from a market needs some more tracking. Even if a product is good, it can also be quite pricey. Such factors make an item inconvenient for many users. Even if I can afford it, it must be made affordable. So, those are the essential factors. It is always better to check some of the best HMB supplement reviews beforehand to learn everything in detail. Don’t worry; I will also share my best experiences through this review.
Brand Reputation
Even though price is the most important factor, I always check the brand reputation first. It is something we can trust. A reputed brand gained the stance through a long time with quality consistency. Thus, expecting a top brand to always go for top-quality products is easier. We can’t possibly miss out on something as important as quality. So, check the HMB supplement brand and its standing before anything.
Manufacturing
Learning the manufacturing process can be hard. But it’s not impossible. Besides, it gives us a proper insight into the product’s safety. Many minor brands follow a low-level manufacturing structure, producing low-quality products. Eventually, it increases the risk of getting random side effects or serious health concerns.
Label Checking for Ingredients
Sometimes, knowing the label will help me learn more about the product. Although, it is hard to understand all the super hard chemical names. But you can search online or compare with a standard chart to see if there is anything suspicious. However, I find it difficult to understand the label details by myself. So, I always talk to an expert and consider their realization on the supplement.
Price
Price is always a concern regardless of the product. That goes for HMB supplements as well. As you know, there are many brands. So, the price will vary greatly, even if the margin is small. So, try to explore the market and check several brand’s costs. Sometimes, you will also get a few discounts. For example, I always try to buy during a yearly event. It comes with a decent discount as always.
Product Type
It’s a simple thing. But I want you to know the details. HMB supplements have 2 forms. It is either HMB supplement powder or tablet. The powder has a smell that some people may not like. But it also has flavor options. On the other hand, capsules don’t have any flavor or smell. But you can’t mix them with other things like the powder.
FAQ on HMB Supplement
Which one is better, HMB powder or capsule?
Ans: Both are convincing. Capsules are easier to take, and powders have more flavors. You can take it as a shake or smoothie.
How much HMB supplement is good for health?
Ans: Usually, it’s better to take up to 3000 mg daily as a beginner. The rest depends on your health condition and prescription.
How many HMB capsules should I take daily?
Ans: If each capsule contains 1000mg of HMB, then 2-3 capsules daily.
Should I try multiple HMB supplements or stick with one?
Ans: Any supplement takes time to show full effects. So, it might be better to stick with one for a longer period before trying another one.
Final Thoughts on Buying HMB Supplement for Muscle Growth
I am sure you have understood everything I have mentioned so far. There were a few of my favorites and some extra options. Honestly, my best HMB supplement experience was with the capsules because it was easy to get. But the powders were mind-blowing as well. I have been using these supplements for a long time and have a comfortable health condition. I suggest getting HMB supplements if you struggle with muscle growth or recovery.
Reference
- Oleka, C., & Dietrich, J. E. (2020). HMB in the Adolescent: A Review of the Modern Approach to Diagnosis and Management. Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology, 63(3), 553-560.
- Fernández-Landa, J., Calleja-González, J., León-Guereño, P., Caballero-García, A., Córdova, A., & Mielgo-Ayuso, J. (2019). Effect of the combination of creatine monohydrate plus HMB supplementation on sports performance, body composition, markers of muscle damage and hormone status: A systematic review. Nutrients, 11(10), 2528.
- Wilson, G. J., Wilson, J. M., & Manninen, A. H. (2008). Effects of beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate (HMB) on exercise performance and body composition across varying levels of age, sex, and training experience: A review. Nutrition & metabolism, 5(1), 1-17.
- Albert, F. J., Morente-Sánchez, J., Ortega Porcel, F. B., Castillo Garzón, M. J., & Gutiérrez, Á. (2015). Usefulness of β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate (HMB) supplementation in different sports: an update and practical implications.
- Tokish, J. M., Kocher, M. S., & Hawkins, R. J. (2004). Ergogenic aids: a review of basic science, performance, side effects, and status in sports. The American journal of sports medicine, 32(6), 1543-1553.