HMB for Intermittent Fasting

If you’re just getting started with intermittent fasting, you may have heard the acronym HMB tossed around. Or maybe you’ve been doing it for a while, aren’t seeing the results you want, and are finally looking into HMB.

Whatever your reason, we’re here to help.

Beta-hydroxy-beta-methyl-butyrate, which thankfully truncates to HMB, is a byproduct from amino acid breakdown. Specifically, the catabolism of leucine yields this magical molecule.

As a critical BCAA, leucine tends to be included in our pre-workout supplements, but it can also be found in most animal proteins.

It’s likely HMB is already sneaking in your diet without you even knowing it. Unfortunately, clinical results require a critical mass of HMB, which is tough to reach by eating. And, like other nutrients, timing is important, especially if you’re restricted to feeding windows.

In order to understand how HMB works for intermittent fasting, we have to consider why we do IF. HMB doesn’t make a fast in and of itself, but it can help support some of your health and fitness goals. Alongside scheduled feeding windows, this molecule can protect lean muscle mass, make it easier to train during a fast, and more.

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What’s the point of intermittent fasting?

Everything in our body runs on some sort of rhythm, including our sleep/wake cycles, thermoregulation, hormones, and more. If you think about it, even without intermittent fasting, your digestion does as well. That’s how breakfast got its name – you’re not eating for hours while you sleep.

However, how often do you sleep in on weekends, or go to bed later than you planned finishing up work? Even if our sleeping hours remain the same, sometimes we skip breakfast or eat a big lunch and miss dinner.

Eating affects all of our activity, energy levels, hormonal responses, and sleep included.

By restricting our feeding to a specific window, we gain better control of our function. Optimal function leads to optimal results.

Other benefits of IF

People typically start intermittent fasting to lose fat. In order to be most effective, couple time-restricted feeding with regular workouts. That way you’re not only restricting calories, but you’re building muscle and burning fat as well.

Experts recommend training on an empty stomach for two primary reasons:

Most people don’t feel great working out just after eating, AND…
It’s a hormonal hack that allows you to burn fat. Since there’s not any food in your bloodstream, the body goes looking in to the fat stores for energy. You need lots of energy for a tough training session, so that’s where the fat-burning effect arises.

Unfortunately, there’s another place your body can find energy – muscle tissue. Through catabolizing existing proteins within muscle, you can recreate usable glucose to feed your mitochondria. Yet most of us would like to keep our muscles, thank you, and HMB can help.

Why you should take HMB for intermittent fasting

Taking HMB enhances the benefits of intermittent fasting while reducing its downsides.

Let’s take a look at how it does this.

HMB reduces muscle breakdown

Plenty of recent research confirms that HMB supplementation slows muscle catabolism. With a block on protein breakdown in the absence of ready-to-use carbs, you’ve only got one place for energy – fat stores. Taking HMB before fasted training can therefore extend your fat loss and promote muscle gain.

One small caveat: While I know we all wish it were true, you can’t just take HMB and watch the fat fall off. You still have to exercise to cause an energy demand. The harder you work, the more fat you’ll burn with HMB.

Which brings me to another common fasted training concern – poor workouts.

Provides more energy for your workouts

Depending on the length of your fast, you might be exhausted and starving near the end. And then you’re somehow supposed to hit the gym.

This is completely normal. According to medical professionals at UNC Chapel Hill, intermittent fasting lowers insulin levels to limit fat storage. Insulin, however, signals other “hunger hormones” called ghrelin and leptin. It takes time for your body to adapt to these changes, but IF can decrease ghrelin (which causes hunger) and increase leptin, leading to fullness.

HMB helps you get energy from stored fat in the absence of insulin, without breaking your fast. By increasing fat oxidation within your muscles, it bypasses traditional carb metabolism to bring you energy from fats. Bottom line – combine HMB with intermittent fasting, and you’ll likely have more effective fasted training sessions.

HMB lowers cortisol

Researchers out of Texas Tech tested the intersection between intermittent fasting and HMB supplementation. When eleven healthy participants followed a three day vegetarian diet with a 24-hour fast, cortisol dropped by 32% in those receiving HMB.

Now, there’s something to be said about the style of this fast. You’re probably not taking a day off from food every three days, but rather restricting your feeding to a certain daily window. But managing cortisol is always a good thing.

Known as the stress hormone, cortisol helps us react to danger. Thanks to modern life, we’re rarely in enough danger to need it. Also thanks to modern existence, however, we’re under a ton of perceived stress. Chronically elevated cortisol levels lead to widespread pain, inflammation, and general anxiety.

Increase your output with HMB

HMB supplementation has been shown to improve endurance, muscle growth, and overall force production. One meta-analysis showed that HMB increases overall strength, regardless of individual differences like gender or training experience. Another study proved its efficacy in increasing VO2 max in cyclists. Finally, HMB improves isokinetic force and peak aerobic power in elite athletes.

Basically, HMB can help you end your fast on a high, kick ass in your workout, and start building muscle as soon as you eat.

When should I take HMB?

Depending on your height, weight, sex, and more, start by taking 1-3 grams throughout the day. While we’ve discussed HMB before fasted training, it’s actually best to spread your supplementation out. HMB has a relatively short half-life, meaning its effects disappear in a few hours. Research out of the Journal of Nutrition and Biochemistry discovered peak HMB levels about two hours after consumption, and noticed a significant drop after three hours.

So what does this mean for IF?

During intermittent fasting, take ⅓ of your HMB dosage before your workout, a third in the middle of the day, and a third at night. This helps you stay in an anabolic state throughout the day, sending your food directly to muscle and limiting fat storage. It’s always wise to start smaller and then kick the dose up with time.

While HMB is naturally produced within the body, you might want to consult with a medical professional about your specific dose. They’ll be able to advise on the correct dosage according to your health and biological factors.

Where can I get HMB?

Look for a great fat burner complete with clinically-effective doses of HMB. At minimum, you’ll need one gram of HMB in your supplement to control fat loss during intermittent fasting.

But before you scour the internet, consider a few non-negotiable of any supplement:

Purity – Make sure the HMB you select is void of additives, synthetics, or any other banned substances.
Quality – choose from reputable companies who have a history of producing high-quality, natural ingredients.
Efficacy – It needs to work, which in this case means meeting the one gram requirement.
Affordability – No supplement should break your bank! The financial stress of buying a thousand expensive supplements outweighs any benefit of taking them.

Best HMB supplement for intermittent fasting is Performance Lab Fat Burner.

They use elite production method to combine 1000mg of HMB with an all-natural supporting cast of cayenne pepper and Coleus Forskohlii. These two plant-based ingredients increase the breakdown of fat and energy expenditure.

Finally, Performance Lab Fat Burner is only $50, compared to the hundreds you’ll spend on other reputable brands.