TSI Group touts myHMB as a muscle maintenance solution for GLP-1 consumers

06 Mar 2024 --- The Health science company TSI Group highlights the benefits of β-Hydroxy β-methylbutyric acid (HMB) for muscle preservation as GLP-1 appetite suppressants become an increasingly popular weight-loss intervention.

“Part of the concern is that the population using GLP-1s for weight loss appears to skew younger,” TSI VP of business development Shawn Baier, MS, MBA, tells Nutrition Insight. “When these drugs shut off appetite, there is a dramatic reduction in caloric intake. The body breaks down its stores of fat and muscle for energy. Without nutritional intervention, this may lead to excessive amounts of muscle loss.”

“The use of GLP-1 receptor agonists for weight loss is projected to become a billion-dollar industry. TSI has always educated consumers about the importance of muscle health. Now that muscle loss is a common topic, we are ready to support them on all fronts of product development. We are a B2B-4C company, which has become more important than ever,” he adds.

Weight loss without muscle loss 
HMB is naturally produced in the body as part of the essential amino acid leucine metabolism, found in many high-protein foods such as soybeans, beef, alfalfa and fish. According to TSI, myHMB supplements the body’s needed HMB levels for optimal muscle function. 

The reduction of caloric intake causes the body to break down its stores of fat, but also muscle for energy.A study published in Nutrients found that myHMB may contribute to increasing muscle mass independently of exercise. 

“That specific double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study evaluated 43 healthy women aged 45-60 years who were randomly assigned to one of four groups: placebo or calcium HMB + D supplementation during 12 weeks of non-exercise sedentary control or a progressive resistance exercise training program,” explains Baier.

“Investigators also measured participants’ vitamin D levels at baseline and at intervals throughout the study. Using state-of-the-art equipment to measure muscle composition, they determined HMB + D appears to maintain muscle size in sedentary conditions and to decrease IMAT in middle-aged women with Vitamin D3 sufficiency, independent of exercise.”

A recent study investigating the benefits of HMB supplementation on people experiencing sarcopenia and age-related muscle and strength loss found that it can increase muscle quality and reduce symptoms. 

Fat utilization 
Another study on the effect of myHMB published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that, during fasting for weight loss, the supplement may additionally promote body fat mass loss.

“Body composition improvements have previously been seen with myHMB, but this randomized, placebo-controlled study was the first study to quantify those benefits in such a well-controlled environment,” Baier details. 

“While all groups increased muscle mass due to the exercise protocol, and both time-restricted feeding groups tended to decrease fat mass, only the group supplementing with myHMB showed a significant decrease in fat mass and body fat percentage,” he continues.

“The study indicates that myHMB may have dual mechanisms during caloric reduction: preferential maintenance of muscle mass at the cost of fat loss through better fat utilization.”

Briar poses: “If you do nothing to help preserve muscle mass, what will this do to the body’s ability to function and to the user’s quality of life down the road when they start losing muscle mass due to age?”

MyHMB recently secured regulatory approval by the relevant South Korean authorities as the nation’s sports nutrition market flourishes. 

By Milana Nikolova