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Study under review: Interaction of Beta-Hydroxy-BetaMethylbutyrate Free Acid and Adenosine Triphosphate on Muscle Mass, Strength, and Power in Resistance Trained Individuals
Introduction
Emerging research is indicating that a combination of β-Hydroxy β-Methylbutyrate (HMB) and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) may be a strong option for people looking to enhance their exercise capacity through supplementation.
HMB is a metabolite of the branched-chain amino acid leucine, and may help with reducing muscle protein breakdown. ATP is the energy currency of the body. This molecule stores and releases chemical energy to fuel metabolic processes that keep you alive. Availability of ATP to the muscle is a primary dictator of how much volume of work or exercise you can perform. Supplementing with creatine is effective because it can be used to quickly replenish ATP in hard-working muscles, so that they can continue contracting. A preliminary study looking at oral supplementation with ATP[1] on exercise performance has shown promise, but getting optimal amounts of energy to the muscle is only part of the equation.
Muscles still must be given time to recover from exercise-induced damage. The greater the amount of fatigue brought on by training, the higher the recovery demands will be between exercise sessions. For athletes, minimizing time between training sessions while maximizing training volume is a critical component of attaining peak performance. This is where HMB may come in, as evidence indicates that it can aid in perceived muscle recovery time[2]. It is possible that, when combined, HMB and ATP may act synergistically (as shown in Figure 1). ATP provides muscles the energy they need to keep working and HMB reduces the recovery time between bouts of training. The study under review aimed to investigate this potential synergistic effect.
A synergistic combination of ATP and HMB may prove to be a potent ergogenic aid. Supplementing with ATP can ensure a high availability of energy to working muscles while HMB may help to reduce recovery time between exercise sessions.
Who and what was studied?
What were the findings?
What does the study really tell us?
The big picture
Frequently asked questions
What should I know?
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Interview: Pablo Sanchez-Soria, PhD
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All the data on resveratrol for cardiovascular health
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