What is HMB?

    Researchedby:
    Kamal Patel
    Last Updated: October 13, 2024

    HMB is short for hydroxymethylbutyrate or ꞵ-hydroxy ꞵ-methylbutyrate. It is an active metabolite of the essential amino acid leucine. All of the HMB present in the human body is derived from dietary sources of leucine, with about 5% of all dietary leucine being converted to HMB.[1] HMB is thought to help reduce muscle protein breakdown and may mediate some of the effects of leucine on muscle protein synthesis.