What Is HMB And Why Is It Important For Ageing Muscles?
HMB – What is it?
You may have never heard of it, but research shows that HMB is valuable for muscle health, especially for ageing individuals. HMB, or hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate, is naturally produced when you digest leucine, an essential amino acid that you can obtain from protein-rich foods as well as grapefruit, catfish or alfalfa.
Despite this, it’s difficult for us to ingest enough HMB from food to help muscle health, so it’s often found in nutritional supplements. 45+Life Muscle & Bone Health has been specifically developed with HMB for those over 45 who are interested in maintaining muscle mass and improving bone health.
Clinical studies confirm that HMB supplementation reduces the progression of sarcopenia (loss of muscle mass) and increases skeletal muscle mass and strength in elderly participants – but how does this work? To understand how HMB works, it’s important to know how our muscles function.
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45+LIFE Muscle and Bone Health has been specifically developed for adults aged 45 years and older. It combines key vitamins, minerals and nutrients with HMB, a game changer when it comes to maintaining muscle mass. |
How our muscles work
While our muscles are constantly in motion helping us balance, contract and relax, a natural process of muscle regeneration is continually taking place. However, unfortunately this process of muscle regeneration slows down with age, accelerating sarcopenia.
As Suzette Pereira, PhD, a researcher specialising in muscle health and sarcopenia, explains, "both muscle protein breakdown and muscle protein synthesis, or building, are happening in the body throughout the day. The goal is to ensure that breakdown isn't happening faster than building."
The importance of muscle health cannot be understated. A decline can lead to poor balance, strength, mobility or fatigue, potentially leading to fatal falls or breaks later in life. It’s critical to get ahead of muscle loss before it accelerates where it’s more difficult to come back from.
How does HMB work?
HMB belongs to a class of molecules that slow protein breakdown while speeding up protein synthesis during repair. HMB is also a vital structural component important for repairing muscle by increasing the production of cholesterol, preventing muscle cell wall damage, and supporting regeneration. Moreover, HMB makes muscle fibres by activating enzymes that are necessary for protein synthesis.
While popular in fitness and training circles, research demonstrates HMB’s real promise for those over 45. A recent study in 2020 found it to be beneficial for improving body composition in older people, supporting muscle mass and preventing sarcopenia.
While the science behind this special compound is complicated and impacted by multiple factors, you can be sure you are getting adequate levels of HMB with consistent quality supplementation.
