{ "dataset": "hmb-cost-by-brand", "title": "HMB (β-Hydroxy β-Methylbutyrate) Supplements Compared — cost per 3g/day dose", "sourcePage": "https://verifiedsupplementdata.com/hmb/best-overall/", "license": "CC-BY-4.0", "licenseUrl": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "attribution": "Verified Supplement Data (2026), HMB Cost Comparison", "dateModified": "2026-07-19", "methodology": "HMB is sold as two chemically distinct forms: HMB-Ca (calcium salt, the older/cheaper/slower-absorbing form) and HMB-FA (free acid, a newer, faster-absorbing, patented, pricier gel/softgel form). Every product tracked here discloses its HMB content directly per serving — no salt-conversion math needed. Products are ranked by costPer3gDose = costPerGram x 3 (costPerGram = price / totalGrams, totalGrams = servingsPerContainer x mgPerServing / 1000), matching the near-universal 3g/day dose used across every human HMB trial reviewed, from Nissen 1996 through Wilson 2014. Cheapest per 3g dose (BulkSupplements.com HMB Powder, Unflavored (250 g), $0.276/day, HMB-Ca (calcium salt)) is roughly 6.3x cheaper than the priciest product (MuscleTech Clear Muscle (BetaTOR HMB-FA, 42 Liquid Softgels), $1.731/day, HMB-FA (free acid)). HONESTY NOTES (from the verified evidence pack, gates passed 2026-07-19): (1) HMB's famous trained-athlete \"muscle-building\" trials (Wilson 2014, PMID 24599749; Lowery 2016, PMID 24714541) were funded by and co-authored with Metabolic Technologies Inc. (MTI), the company that patented and sells HMB — never cite those numbers without disclosing that funding/authorship tie. (2) Independent meta-analyses with no MTI affiliation found trivial-to-null effects in the same trained-athlete population: Rowlands & Thomson 2009 (PMID 19387395, \"all strength outcomes were trivial\" in trained lifters) and Sanchez-Martinez 2018 (PMID 29249685, \"no effect of HMB supplementation on strength and body composition in trained and competitive athletes\"). (3) The more defensible signal is in untrained lifters, older adults, and clinical bed-rest settings, where HMB modestly attenuates muscle LOSS rather than building new muscle (Deutz 2013, PMID 23514626; Wu 2015, PMID 26169182) — this is NOT a disease-treatment claim for sarcopenia or cachexia. (4) HMB-FA reaches peak plasma concentration roughly 3.4x faster and about double the peak concentration of HMB-Ca (Fuller 2011, PMID 21134325, 100% MTI-authored) — but nothing independent in this evidence base shows that kinetic advantage translates into a better real-world strength or muscle-mass outcome. This statement has not been evaluated by the FDA; these products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.", "headline": { "productsCompared": 6, "cheapestPer3gDoseBrand": "BulkSupplements.com", "cheapestPer3gDoseProduct": "HMB Powder, Unflavored (250 g)", "cheapestPer3gDose": 0.276, "cheapestForm": "HMB-Ca (calcium salt)", "priciestPer3gDoseBrand": "MuscleTech", "priciestPer3gDose": 1.731, "priciestForm": "HMB-FA (free acid)", "spreadX": 6.3, "standardDoseG": 3, "note": "Ranked by cost per 3g/day HMB dose — never by commissions. HMB-Ca and HMB-FA are chemically distinct forms with a confirmed pharmacokinetic difference but no independently confirmed outcome difference." }, "columns": [ "brand", "product", "slug", "form", "hmbForm", "mgPerServing", "servingSize", "servings", "totalGrams", "price", "costPerGram", "costPer3gDose", "certification" ], "units": { "mgPerServing": "mg HMB", "totalGrams": "g HMB", "price": "USD", "costPerGram": "USD/g", "costPer3gDose": "USD per 3g/day dose" }, "citations": [ { "claim": "RCT, n=20 completers, resistance-trained males, 3g/day HMB-FA, 12 weeks: lean body mass +7.4±4.2kg vs +2.1±6.1kg placebo (p<0.001). COI (quoted, PMC4019830): \"This research was funded in part through a grant from Metabolic Technologies Inc. ... JR, JF, and SB are employed by Metabolic Technologies, Inc.\"", "source": "Wilson JM, et al. 2014, Eur J Appl Physiol", "pmid": "24599749" }, { "claim": "Independent meta-analysis (no MTI affiliation), 9 studies, n=394: \"In trained lifters, all strength outcomes were trivial.\" Authors' conclusion: \"HMB effect on body composition is inconsequential.\"", "source": "Rowlands DS, Thomson JS 2009, J Strength Cond Res", "pmid": "19387395" }, { "claim": "Independent meta-analysis (no MTI affiliation), 6 RCTs, n=193 trained/competitive athletes: \"This meta-analysis found no effect of HMB supplementation on strength and body composition in trained and competitive athletes\" (all ES ~0, p>0.05).", "source": "Sanchez-Martinez J, et al. 2018, J Sci Med Sport", "pmid": "29249685" }, { "claim": "RCT, n=19 evaluable healthy older adults, 3g/day Ca-HMB, 10 days bed rest: control group lost 2.05±0.66kg lean body mass (p=0.02); HMB group's loss was only 0.17±0.19kg (between-group p=0.02) — attenuates muscle LOSS, not proof of building.", "source": "Deutz NE, et al. 2013, Clin Nutr", "pmid": "23514626" }, { "claim": "Meta-analysis, 7 RCTs, n=287 older adults (65+): \"greater muscle mass gain in the intervention groups compared with the control groups\" (SMD=0.352kg, p=0.004); no significant fat-mass difference; strength/function NOT shown.", "source": "Wu H, et al. 2015, Arch Gerontol Geriatr", "pmid": "26169182" }, { "claim": "Randomized crossover PK study, n=8: HMB-FA reached peak plasma concentration in 38 min vs 128 min for Ca-HMB, at roughly double the peak concentration (249 vs 131 µmol/L, p<0.0001). All 5 authors employed by Metabolic Technologies, Inc.", "source": "Fuller JC Jr, et al. 2011, Br J Nutr", "pmid": "21134325" } ], "products": [ { "brand": "BulkSupplements.com", "product": "HMB Powder, Unflavored (250 g)", "slug": "bulksupplements-hmb-powder-1g", "form": "Powder", "hmbForm": "HMB-Ca (calcium salt)", "mgPerServing": 1000, "servingSize": "1 scoop (1 g)", "servings": 250, "totalGrams": 250, "price": 22.97, "costPerGram": 0.092, "costPer3gDose": 0.276, "certification": "Third-party tested, cGMP" }, { "brand": "Primaforce", "product": "HMB Powder, Unflavored (200 g)", "slug": "primaforce-hmb-powder-1g", "form": "Powder", "hmbForm": "HMB-Ca (calcium salt)", "mgPerServing": 1000, "servingSize": "1 scoop (1 g)", "servings": 200, "totalGrams": 200, "price": 18.5, "costPerGram": 0.093, "costPer3gDose": 0.279, "certification": "None stated" }, { "brand": "BulkSupplements.com", "product": "HMB Capsules (360 ct, 3,000 mg serving)", "slug": "bulksupplements-hmb-capsules-3000mg", "form": "Capsule", "hmbForm": "HMB-Ca (calcium salt)", "mgPerServing": 3000, "servingSize": "6 capsules (3,000 mg)", "servings": 60, "totalGrams": 180, "price": 23.97, "costPerGram": 0.133, "costPer3gDose": 0.399, "certification": "Third-party tested, cGMP" }, { "brand": "Nutricost", "product": "HMB 1,000 mg (240 Capsules)", "slug": "nutricost-hmb-1000mg", "form": "Capsule", "hmbForm": "HMB-Ca (calcium salt)", "mgPerServing": 1000, "servingSize": "2 capsules (1,000 mg)", "servings": 120, "totalGrams": 120, "price": 19.5, "costPerGram": 0.163, "costPer3gDose": 0.489, "certification": "3rd-party tested (ISO lab)" }, { "brand": "Optimum Nutrition", "product": "HMB 1000 Caps (90 Capsules, 3,000 mg serving)", "slug": "optimum-nutrition-hmb-1000-caps-3000mg", "form": "Capsule", "hmbForm": "HMB-Ca (calcium salt)", "mgPerServing": 3000, "servingSize": "3 capsules (3,000 mg)", "servings": 30, "totalGrams": 90, "price": 39.99, "costPerGram": 0.444, "costPer3gDose": 1.332, "certification": "cGMP; reputable manufacturer" }, { "brand": "MuscleTech", "product": "Clear Muscle (BetaTOR HMB-FA, 42 Liquid Softgels)", "slug": "muscletech-clear-muscle-hmb-fa-1000mg", "form": "Softgel", "hmbForm": "HMB-FA (free acid)", "mgPerServing": 1000, "servingSize": "1 liquid softgel (1,000 mg)", "servings": 42, "totalGrams": 42, "price": 24.24, "costPerGram": 0.577, "costPer3gDose": 1.731, "certification": "cGMP; reputable manufacturer" } ] }