Whatever type of exercise you do, you need to fuel your body. Energy and muscle stores rapidly deplete when you work out, so it is important to saturate your levels before you work out and replenish them afterward.
That is why many athletes and gym-goers choose to take additional supplements to support their fitness regimes. When it comes to your muscles, the supplements creatine and HMB can particularly be useful.
In the following insightful article, you will find out exactly what creatine and HMB are, what happens when the two supplements are combined, how they can affect your muscle protein, who should take the supplements, and more.
What is creatine?
Creatine is produced by the body and absorbed by the body through eating protein-rich foods like fish and meat. Inside the body, creatine is turned into creatine phosphate. In turn, the creatine phosphate makes a substance called adenosine triphosphate. ATP gives your body the energy it needs for muscle contractions.
In the 1970s, scientists found taking creatine as a supplement could enhance physical performance. By the 1990s, athletes had started to use creatine supplements after seeing how much their performances were boosted.
Creatine is used to increase lean muscle mass and help muscles recover more quickly when working out, in addition to helping to improve your overall strength.
What is HMB?
HMB, or beta-hydroxy-beta-methyl butyrate, to give the substance its formal and complicated name, is made in your body from the amino acid called leucine. Leucine is a powerful nutritional supplement that can increase muscle protein, decrease body fat, and enhance overall strength.
It is also widely used for preventing muscle fatigue and soreness. HMB supplements are increasingly being used by athletes as much as creatine, and many athletes are starting to catch on that a combined creatine HMB supplement is the way forward.
What happens when creatine and HMB supplements are combined?
Creatine supplements can help you to gain muscle mass and also assist you in increasing your energy output. Meanwhile, HMB supplements are widely used by athletes to increase muscle protein, prevent muscle breakdown, and aid recovery.
So, it should be obvious that combining the two can have a powerful effect. Studies have shown that by combining both supplements, you can increase endurance, decrease fat mass, prevent lean muscle loss, and enhance your overall strength.
There are also strong indications that creatine and HMB reinforce the effects of each on muscle mass, which is good news for any athlete who wants to boost their performance. Recent studies have also shown that combining creatine with HMB could increase testosterone production, which of course means more strength and more muscle growth.
For instance, according to a recent study performed by the University of the Basque Country and the University of Valladolid, a combination of both supplements over a period of ten weeks increased the participants’ levels of testosterone and the effects were significantly higher compared with isolated supplementations or placebos.
The study also found that a combination of both promoted faster muscle recovery from high-intensity activity. Basically, the study found that a combination of the supplements increases testosterone production and confirmed that the effect of taking both together had more positive effects than taking the two separately.
But it found other interesting things, too. For instance, a rowing test enabled researchers to conclude that a combination of the two supplements created greater aerobic power.
Who should take creatine and HMB supplement combos?
Seeing as the positive effects of creatine and HMB are now widely known, it is no surprise that you can find supplements that contain both creatine and HMB. But who should take these supplements? Well, they can benefit pretty much anyone who has some kind of athleticism.
Whether you perform for fun or are a professional athlete, and whether you are a weightlifter, a gymnast, a runner, or an Olympic athlete, a combined supplement can enhance your performance.
The supplement is particularly popular among football players, hockey players, and wrestlers. If you are looking for a way to gain lean muscle mass and have effective muscle recovery, you should certainly consider taking supplements that combine creatine with HMB.