CaHMB supplementation during caloric restriction in adults with obesity: a randomized controlled trial
Calcium beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate (CaHMB) supplementation preserved skeletal muscle mass over 12 weeks of energy restriction in Chinese adults with obesity.
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What the study showed
The CaHMB group maintained skeletal muscle mass (median +0.7 kg), whereas the control group lost muscle (median -0.6 kg), yielding a between-group difference of 1.3 kg (95% CI: 0.5–1.9; p < 0.001). A greater proportion of CaHMB participants gained ≥ 0.5 kg of muscle mass (52.9% vs. 11.8%; OR = 8.44). Secondary outcomes related to visceral fat and metabolic biomarkers are referenced in the abstract but full data are unavailable.
How it was done
Double-blind RCT enrolling 102 Chinese adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 28 kg/m²), randomized 1:1 to CaHMB-enriched supplement (65 g/day; 3.0 g/day CaHMB; 24 g/day protein) or isocaloric maltodextrin control for 12 weeks under standardized dietary restriction. Primary outcome assessed by multifrequency bioelectrical impedance; intention-to-treat analysis.
Risk of bias
The sample is exclusively Chinese (n = 102), restricting generalizability to other ethnicities. Multifrequency BIA is less precise than DEXA or MRI for muscle mass quantification, and full-text access is unavailable to evaluate secondary outcomes and safety data.
What this study does NOT prove
This trial does not prove that CaHMB improves long-term functional outcomes, prevents sarcopenia, or outperforms other muscle-preservation strategies beyond the studied population.
In clinical practice
Results suggest CaHMB plus protein may attenuate muscle loss during hypocaloric dieting in obesity, but clinical adoption should await replication in diverse populations using imaging-based body composition methods.
Limitations
The sample is exclusively Chinese (n = 102), restricting generalizability to other ethnicities. Multifrequency BIA is less precise than DEXA or MRI for muscle mass quantification, and full-text access is unavailable to evaluate secondary outcomes and safety data.
Technical appendix
Version history
- 1.0 · 2026-07-16 — Auto-generated under Evidence Standard v1.0
Paid access: structured summary from public metadata; consult the original study at the source.