Health Benefits of β-Hydroxy-β-Methylbutyrate (HMB) Supplementation in Addition to Physical Exercise in Older Adults: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis

Systematic review with meta-analysis of 10 studies involving 384 participants. Adults were aged 50 years and older, predominantly healthy community-dwelling individuals, although some trials included people with frailty, mobility limitations such as hip fracture rehabilitation, or chronic conditions; ethnicity was not reported.

HMB supplementation was evaluated as an oral add-on to exercise programs, most commonly as calcium HMB. In the extracted Berton (2015) active arm, participants received 1.5 g/day Ca-HMB for 8 weeks alongside a twice-weekly mild fitness program at public gyms with aerobic exercise and a small resistance component.

HMB supplementation added to exercise showed no or fairly low impact on body composition, muscle strength, or physical performance compared with exercise alone. Across the included studies, no cognitive outcomes were reported. The review concluded that current evidence does not show clear added value for HMB in older adults and highlighted the need for future randomized trials, especially in people aged 80 years and older or those with frailty, cognitive impairment, or limited mobility.

The evidence base was small, with only 10 studies and 384 participants, and trial populations and exercise protocols were heterogeneous. Most studies were short term and focused on physical outcomes, with no cognitive data reported and limited evidence in very old or frail adults. Reporting was incomplete for some arm-level details, limiting precision and generalizability.