Description
Calcium salt of beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyric acid, a metabolite of the branched-chain amino acid L-leucine. Used to support muscle protein synthesis, reduce muscle breakdown, and accelerate recovery in athletic and clinical-nutrition applications.
White to off-white crystalline powder. Highly hygroscopic in free-acid form; the calcium salt is the standard solid-dose form for shelf stability.
We supply food-grade HMB Calcium from manufacturers in China holding ISO, Halal, Kosher and other certifications relevant to the product and production. Free-acid HMB (in gel-capsule form) is also available on request.
Common market grades include HMB-Ca 99%, microencapsulated material for tablet compression, and the bioavailability-enhanced free-acid HMB delivered in softgel matrix.
Bulk and reduced-MOQ shipments. Batch-level COA covering assay, calcium content, residual solvents, heavy metals, and microbiology.
Introduction
HMB was identified in the 1980s by Steven Nissen at Iowa State University as a metabolite of leucine catabolism. Subsequent clinical work established efficacy at 3 grams daily for reducing muscle protein breakdown in resistance-trained and clinical populations.
Commercial production proceeds by synthesis from diketene through methyl-acetoacetate intermediates, followed by neutralization with calcium hydroxide to yield the stable calcium salt. Chinese manufacturing scaled during the 2010s and now provides the majority of global supply to the sports-nutrition channel.
The free-acid form is more rapidly absorbed than the calcium salt, with plasma levels peaking 30 to 60 minutes versus 90 to 120 minutes. The trade-off is shelf stability: free-acid HMB requires gel-capsule encapsulation and has a shorter shelf life.
Sarcopenia and recovery from surgery represent growing clinical applications, supported by clinical studies showing meaningful muscle-mass preservation in older adults and post-operative patients.
Where it is used
- Sports nutrition products targeting muscle preservation and recovery
- Pre-surgical and clinical-nutrition formulations to reduce muscle loss
- Senior and sarcopenia-management nutritional powders
- Bodybuilding stacks combining HMB with creatine and leucine
- Cutting and weight-management products focused on lean-mass retention
- Endurance athletics formulations for reduced exercise-induced muscle damage
- Co-formulation with vitamin D3, creatine, and BCAA
- Medical nutrition products for cancer cachexia and recovery contexts
Technical data
| Item | Specification |
|---|---|
| Appearance | White to off-white crystalline powder |
| Assay (HMB-Ca) | ≥ 99.0% |
| Calcium content | 15.0% to 17.0% |
| Loss on drying | ≤ 1.0% |
| Heavy metals (as Pb) | ≤ 10 mg/kg |
| Arsenic | ≤ 2 mg/kg |
| Residual solvents | Meets ICH Q3C limits |
| Total plate count | ≤ 1000 cfu/g |
| E. coli, Salmonella | Negative |
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