HMB free acid alone was found to enhance strength and power and prevent declines in performance, while ATP alone boosted strength and power, and improve fatigue, according to findings being presented at the International Society of Sports Nutrition Annual Meeting in Colorado Springs, CO.
Prof. Jacob Wilson from the Human Performance and Sports Nutrition Laboratory at The University of Tampa, and lead researcher on the study, told us: “Theoretically the combination of the two might therefore be synergistic in nature. This is exactly what we found.
“After 12 weeks of training with ATP, HMB free acid, or both, the combination group demonstrated synergistic gains in the most extreme performance activities suggesting that these two may be an ideal combination."
A new & untapped category in sports
Larry Kolb, president of TSI USA (co-sponsors of the study), said the research establishes the clear performance benefits with oral supplementation of PEAK ATP at a higher dose.
“As a result, TSI has tremendous opportunities to create a new and untapped category in sports, Muscular Excitability. We look forward to continuing our work with Dr. Wilson and other leading researchers to pioneer the benefits offered by oral ATP."
Study details
Dr. Ralf Jäger, president of Increnovo LLC and co-researcher on the study, explained that only limited research exists that examined HMB in highly trained athletes, particularly under high intensity extreme training regimens. In addition, there is a lack of long-term research of oral ATP administration investigating its potential benefits on power and strength due to its vasodilating effects and increases in muscular excitability, he said.
The new study used powerful athletes during one of the most intense training regimens found in the literature. Subjects were randomly assigned to receive either 3g per day of HMB in the free acid form (Metabolic Technologies), 400mg per day of Peak ATP (TSI USA), or a combination of the two.
Results showed that HMB not only enhanced hypertrophy, strength, and power, but also prevented declines in performance in over-trained athletes. ATP increased strength and power and improved fatigue.
“The combination of ATP and HMB showed synergistic effects and seems to be a supplement extremely useful to those pushing their limits,” said Dr Jäger.
Dr Shawn Baier, COO of Metabolic Technologies (co-sponsor of the study), welcomed the study as “critical for the understanding of the proper use and efficacy of this new delivery form of HMB.
“As we continue our long-standing commitment to quality research with the help of experts in their field of study, such as Dr. Wilson, we are discovering the added benefits and synergies of combining efficacious compounds like ATP and HMB."
Source: International Society of Sports Nutrition Annual Meeting
“Effects of 12 Weeks of Beta-Hydroxy-Beta-Methylbutyrate Free Acid, Adenosine Triphosphate, or a Combination on Muscle Mass, Strength, and Power in Resistance Trained Individuals”
Authors: R.P. Lowery, J. Joy, J.A. Rathmacher, S.M. Baier, J.C. Fuller, R. Jäger, S.M.C. Wilson, J.M Wilson