Effect of β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate (HMB) on the Muscle Strength in the Elderly Population: A Meta-Analysis.
Level 1 - systematic review of randomized trials
Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
PubMed 35911112 · doi:10.3389/fnut.2022.914866
What was done
Authors conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis across six databases (CNKI, Wan Fang, VIP, PubMed, Web of Science, Embase) through December 2020 to evaluate the effect of β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate (HMB) on muscle strength in the elderly. Two independent reviewers screened studies, extracted data, and assessed study quality. Meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.X.
What was found
Nine randomized controlled trials comprising 896 subjects met inclusion criteria. HMB supplementation significantly improved muscle strength-related indicators compared to controls (SMD = 0.41; 95% CI: 0.28 to 0.54; p < 0.00001).
Why it matters
This review aggregates randomized trial data supporting HMB supplementation as an effective nutritional intervention to enhance muscle strength in older adults.
Limits
The abstract pools all muscle strength-related indicators into a single standardized mean difference without reporting individual functional measures, HMB dosage, treatment duration, or whether interventions were combined with exercise. Heterogeneity statistics, risk of bias scores, and detailed participant baseline characteristics (such as frailty or sarcopenia status) are not specified.
Cited by
- supports HMB (beta-hydroxy beta-methylbutyrate) is a breakdown metabolite of leucine that has been shown in studies to improve muscle strength when taken as a supplement.