The Effects of HMB, ATP, and HMB Plus ATP on Muscle Mass, Strength, and Power in Resistance Trained Athletes

The purpose of this study is to

• determine the effects of 12 weeks of HMB free acid gel, ATP, and HMB free acid gel plus ATP supplementation in trained individuals during a periodized training program on skeletal muscle hypertrophy, body composition, strength, force, velocity, and peak power during loaded and unloaded vertical jumps.

Additionally, the study will determine if either supplementation protocol prevents the typical decay seen in performance following an overreaching cycle performed in the 9th and 10th weeks of the study.

Finally, the study will elucidate the mechanisms of action of supplementation on protein breakdown by analyzing serum indices of muscle damage (CK, LDH) and anabolic status (Testosterone:Cortisol ratio) as well as a urinary indicator of protein breakdown (3-methylhistidine).

We hypothesize that under these conditions that the supplementation protocols will augment skeletal muscle hypertrophy, strength, and power and that HMB will blunt increases in serum indices of muscle damage, and urinary indices of protein breakdown.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Healthy Experienced Weight Training Males
• Intervention / Treatment: Dietary supplement: Placebo; Dietary supplement: HMB; Dietary supplement: Peak ATP and HMB; Dietary supplement: ATP

Detailed Description

In a randomized and double blind study the subjects will consume either placebo supplements, HMB supplement, ATP supplement, or HMB plus ATP supplements for 12 weeks. While consuming the supplements the subjects will undergo an extensive resistance training program designed to train all major muscle groups. An additional overreaching training cycle during weeks 9 and 10 which will involve a high-volume, hypertrophy style training program.

Subject testing will consist of the following:

• Strength and power at weeks 0, 1, 4, 8, 9, 10, and 12
• Range of motion and muscle soreness at weeks 0, 1, 8, 9, and 10
• Body composition and muscle assessments at weeks 0, 1, 4, 8, 9, 10, and 12
• Body fat assessments at weeks 0, 4, 8, and 12
• Blood biochemical measurements at weeks 0, 1, 4, 8, 9, 10, and 12
• Urinary analysis for protein breakdown (3-methylhistidine) at 0, 1, 8, 9, and 10 weeks

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 44
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Florida
    • Tampa, Florida, United States, 33606
      • University of Tampa

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 14 years to 26 years (Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: Male

Description

Subjects must meet all of the inclusion criteria to participate in the study.

• Have 3 years minimum of free weight training experience
• Can squat a minimum of 1.5 times their bodyweight
• Can bench press a minimum equal to their bodyweight
• Can deadlift a minimum of 1.5 times their bodyweight
• Are free of musculoskeletal injuries
• Have not taken creatine or HMB supplements for 6 weeks
• Are not taking amino acid supplements
• Are not using anabolic or catabolic hormones
• Are not taking medications that may interfere with study measurements
• Are not users of tobacco products

All candidates meeting any one of the exclusion criteria will not be enrolled into the study.

• Do not have 3 years minimum of free weight training experience
• Can not squat a minimum of 1.5 times their bodyweight
• Can not bench press a minimum equal to their bodyweight
• Can not deadlift a minimum of 1.5 times their bodyweight
• Are not free of musculoskeletal injuries
• Have not taken creatine or HMB supplements in the past 6 weeks
• Are currently taking amino acid supplements
• Are using anabolic or catabolic hormones
• Are taking medications that may interfere with study measurements
• Use of tobacco products

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Basic Science
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Double

Number of Arms

4

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Placebo Comparator: Placebo	Dietary supplement: Placebo; An oral placebo capsule will be taken each morning and three dosages of a placebo gel containing polydextrose will be taken 3 times daily for 12 weeks.
Experimental: HMB	Dietary supplement: HMB; A placebo capsule will be taken each morning and three dosages of HMB gel, each providing 1 g of HMB, will be taken daily for a total of 3 g HMB per day for 12 weeks.
Experimental: ATP and HMB	Dietary supplement: Peak ATP and HMB; One capsule containing 400 mg of Peak ATP will be taken in the morning and three dosages of HMB gel, each providing 1 g of HMB, will be taken daily for a total of 3 g HMB per day for 12 weeks.
Experimental: ATP	Dietary supplement: ATP; One capsule containing 400 mg of Peak ATP will be taken daily in the morning and three dosages of a placebo gel containing polydextrose will be taken 3 times daily for 12 weeks.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Time Frame
Increased muscle strength, force, and power after intense weight training	12 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Time Frame
Increased muscle hypertrophy	12 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Metabolic Technologies Inc.
• Collaborators: University of Tampa
• Investigators: Study Director: John A Rathmacher, PhD, Metabolic Technologies Inc.

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Wilson JM, Joy JM, Lowery RP, Roberts MD, Lockwood CM, Manninen AH, Fuller JC, De Souza EO, Baier SM, Wilson SM, Rathmacher JA. Effects of oral adenosine-5'-triphosphate supplementation on athletic performance, skeletal muscle hypertrophy and recovery in resistance-trained men. Nutr Metab (Lond). 2013 Sep 22;10(1):57. doi: 10.1186/1743-7075-10-57.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: January 1, 2012
• Primary Completion (Actual): October 1, 2012
• Study Completion (Actual): October 1, 2012

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: January 9, 2012
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 9, 2012
• First Posted (Estimate): January 11, 2012

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): August 1, 2017
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 28, 2017
• Last Verified: July 1, 2017

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: HMB beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate; ATP (adenosine-triphosphate); trained athletes
• Other Study ID Numbers: MTI2012-CS01