GhostRider62

Today, I hit a 3 minute all-time best or at least in the past 10 years. 3 weeks of HMB supplementation.

I have a full 4 weeks of training under my belt and my chronic training load (CTL) is 10.7. (intended to be funny)

I can absolutely feel a difference getting out of the saddle, a little more power but I can apply the power quite a lot longer if that makes sense. I am also more conscious of getting sufficient protein, too. Who knows. But, it is very clear that my legs are stronger. I do not know if that extra strength will convert to better aerobic power because I really am not fit enough to do an FTP test at this time.

prj71

You're not suppose to wear underwear with bike shorts.

rsbob 

Your buddy may need some new pairs of cycling shorts and make sure he only wears them one time and then launder them with antibacterial soap. Wearing underware, unless the weather is extremely cold is not recommended.

Carbonfiberboy 

Heck, I'll chime in, too. What you say is correct, though it's pretty basic. We're the tip of the spear. We'll get some things right and make mistakes on other things, but we'll create a knowledge base for those who come after us. I use a frigging ton of supplements. It's not only that our bodies don't absorb or use the nutrients as well, they also don't make the substances that allow younger folks to do what they do. We have to supplement, eat them. Oue bodies are just chemical factories. Some chemicals are up-regulated by training and down-regulated by age. Just one of the those chemicals is the subject of this thread. There are many more.

Your buddy needs to ditch the underwear and buy good cycling shorts. I recommend these: https://www.castelli-cycling.com/us/...452100622P-010
Yes, they're rather expensive though there are more expensive shorts and you can sometimes find remaindered ones on Amazon. This is what I use. I also get saddle sores, but shorts like these help a lot. We're all different. I didn't have this issue until I was 72. It's just age.

Good chamois cream can be a necessity. The best stuff I've ever found is QM Antifriction Cream: https://www.bikeinn.com/bike/qm-anti...am/135888462/p
I created a recipe to make it myself.

Dudelsack 

Cool thread. Thoughtful responses. Thanks to everybody.

I always wonder about placebo response. I was recently put on a megamysterious intense vitamin B complex, bioavailable biodegradable organic and gluten free. This was for a distal neuropathy I’ve had ever since I went trout fishing in 25 degree weather.

I swear it works. I guess. I have no objective data to support anything, but I thought I noticed an immediate improvement in the neuropathy.

Placebo? Perhaps. I’m good with placebo if it makes me feel better.

GhostRider62

My 5 second power is up 20% over my best for the past year on my upright. I took HMB everyday for about 8 weeks but have been pretty spotty recently. I sprint about once a week and do a VO2 max interval climbing session about every 10 days. The rest is zone 2 riding. Nothing special with my training. Everytime I test, my peak power increases a little. Has to be the HMB. Probably 40% higher than on my recumbent.

Carbonfiberboy 

I really notice a difference in my DH skiing. On decent snow, I can crank harder turns, make more g's than I've been able to in a long time. That's more like 3" power. I'm also chasing my PR on a local sprint hill. 3g/day.

scottfsmith

I'm still quaffing my HMB at 3g/day. I decided to make my own mix of stuff, it includes HMB, creatine and Vitamin K2 as well as my heart vitamins (Centrum Specialist Heart) ground to a powder. I like how I only need to take one thing 2x per day. The vitamin pills were too big for me, they have phytosterols in them for the heart but it makes the pills really big. So I just ground them up in a food processor and added to the other powders. I recently mixed up a 6-month supply.

I think it is helping but I don't really care what I think.. as Dudelsack mentions above it is hard to measure such things.

TennBent

Since this thread has popped back up, I'll chime in again.

I eventually finished my capsules and am now on the powder from Nutricost. Taking 2 grams per day although I think I should go for 3 on hard days. For anyone new to this, I'll back up what others have said. You definitely need to mix the powder with something. On its own, it is rather harsh.

We have had bad weather this Spring but it's finally starting to turn warmer and less wet. I'm a fair-weather rider so I have only recently been hitting the road again. I've already done 3 metric centuries which is unheard of for me this early in the season. My speeds are down somewhat as we are having one of those years where the wind is blowing pretty much every day. Yesterday's ride (64.5 mi) had winds of 15-20 mph so riding was difficult but I still managed a respectable 17.4 mph average. I'll take it under those conditions. Overall, I still feel that the HMB is working. It has been years since I've done a metric this early in the season and now I've done 3. I'm also finding that most hills don't get me as winded as before. We'll see how it all goes this next weekend as the ride is a metric with 3200 feet of climbing. I know I can do it if I pace myself. I just hope the wind calms down.

rsbob 

From my experience, all HMB products are not created equal. Have purchased two different products and one seems to be totally ineffective. The original, which did not come in the more expensive capsules, worked well. So If you do decide to try it, you may need to try a few different manufacturers. The one that worked for me is Micro-ingredients Pure HMB powder.

Carbonfiberboy 

Bump

Carbonfiberboy 

Found another study, this one on cycling performance with and without HMB:
https://www.researchgate.net/publica...lic_thresholds

cyclezen

Thanks for the bump.
I just saw this thread - been avoiding 55+... I just have to get better at 'filtering' threads...
Wasn't aware of HMB, but then there's a lot I'm not familiar with, and a lot to learn... WOO HOO!
I'm gonna start HMB, ASAP. I'm not gonna go thru the whole litany, but I'm certain I am far below where I could be, given prior capabilities...
And, I'm having a difficult time getting over the very longish recovery needs and very, very slow, low progress in my 'rebuild'.
I have no issues with using supplements, in fact as others have noted, age needs supplements to help keep the human engine running at it's possible best - given sharp awareness of side effects and effects of overdose.
I'm in no rush, but also aware that I'm not reversing anything.
I'm also conscientious to not throw things at my body and functions like a tidal wave. Make changes slowly and incremental - if it's good, it will become apparent, with some patience.
So, gonna start with 1 g daily, to start, then build after some weeks to the 3g that seems to be what most of you are using... if it provides some positive effect, I'll know.
It's a shame that this thread is only found in 50+, cause it deserves more exposure...
BUT, I'm also sure that were this in a broader forum, the noise and static would be extremely high and possibly submerge the value of everyone's contribution...
Threads here are not just more civil, but also more discussion and not personality bashing - generally what one finds in a group with some extended 'life' experience.
Thanks all for a very interesting read & CFB for starting this all.
Ride On
Yuri
I'll report back when and if I have something to tell...

GhostRider62

There are studies out there showing tremendous strength improvements for Seniors supplementing with HMB

It seems to help me. No way to know for sure unless one believes the studies out there.

My 2015 PR on a certain climb was 4:26 and unlike fine wine, 7 more years on the odometer isn't usually a help. Nonetheless, I did 4:24 this year despite being 15% or so heavier. The circumference of my upper leg is bigger, too. My 5 minute power is about as good as I can remember, it was best in the summer of 2016 but I lost those power files. I do know what I weighed and what my time up that hill was in 2016 and since the hill gradient is 10-12%, I am confident to say my power for 5 minutes is about the same or slightly higher although my peak power for 5 seconds is not as good as then. I also feel my recovery from hard days is a little better this year but could be placebo effect

Carbonfiberboy 

Note the timing in the link in post 112 - 1g 30' before exercise, 1g apparently immediately after exercise, 1g 3 hrs. after. For simplicity and because life can be complicated, I've been taking 1.5g after both breakfast and dinner. I doubt that's optimal, but don't know.

Calsun

You have got to be kidding. Do you wash and disinfect you bike shorts each evening? I have bicycled for weeks at a time and never had a saddle sore of any kind and it is because there is no bacterial buildup in the chamois of the shorts.

Want to improve recovery times what has been shown to work the best for ultra athletes is eliminating animal protein from the diet.

MoAlpha

Recent meta-analysis of a few crummy little trials in older individuals seems to show a signal and there is a valid mechanistic rationale. So hey, what the hell. I’m desperate enough to give it a shot. If I can deadlift 50 more lbs and the wife stops telling I’m too skinny I’ll let you know.

Skullo

Starting using about two grams a day back in November. Got a smart trainer and rode six days a week all winter. Did not gain any weight over winter as usual. My legs look and feel stronger.
Part of it is I rode trainer consistently. Never was able to keep at it on dumb trainer. Down to 146 and look thin ,don’t want to lose more. My legs are strong but I am not faster. Climb well and have great endurance.Got the mountain bike down and have starting hitting some Utah trails. I think it helped some. Very little muscle pain and I never need more than one rest day.I ride solo and don’t care if I get faster .

rsbob 

Have been using it for 6 months and seem to be gaining a bit of strength but it could also be the amount of cycling. Have been beating PRs right and left without killing myself. Will be off it and beet root for 3 weeks since am traveling and will see when I return if it made a difference. However getting COVID in Oslo will have to be factored in. Hopefully will be over it by the time I return.

cyclezen

so, it just doesn't seem likely that anything could make changes as quickly as this stuff does...
I've been dealing with some seriously persistent DOMS these past 3 weeks. Doing everything I can to mitigate it.
All my rides except for the Sunday Hard group ride have been mostly 'recovery' rides. Giving enough time/distance to really work out the muscles.
I've always found that the best/quickest way for me to deal with DOMS is to do 3 days of 'recovery' rides. Well almost 20 days, and nothing gets better...
Not just the soreness, but power and endurance have suffered greatly...
Started 1000mf HMB on Thursday evening. Then 1000mg on Friday morning, go for a recovery ride (which felt quite a bit better than the previous 19 daus...) and another 1000 mg in midafternoon.
Felt much better at end of ride. Another 1000 mg on Sat morning, then my usual 'fingers' short and steep climbs... Felt really good ! Best I've done the Sat ride on months!
Took another 1000 mg mid-afternoon...
Sunday is always a tough ride (for me these days...) Took 1000 mg just before Breakfast. The ride is a mixed group of A and B riders... Which breaks up early into at least 2 groups... Legs felt OK, and when the A guys started to motor off the front, I hesitated... but then decided to give A a try. I bridged up 50 yds to A, which was going a steady 25-26. And continued to hold the wheel, desperately... LOL!
Best I've ridden in quite a few years. Was badly shelled on the climbs, but not as badly as before...
It just seems so unlikely that the HMB could do this, and so quickly. But, really, I can;t say I've ever had DOMS this severe nor recovered from DOMS this quickly.... HMBis the only thing different from these prior weeks, except the overwhelming need to do almost nothing except 'recovery rides'.
Back now a couple hours - legs feel tired, but absolutely no real soreness. Muscles are more supple than they've been on months. All on 2x 1000mg of HMB in 2.5 days...
Gonna stay with the 2x 1000 mg daily, and see how the coming weeks work out. Is it all 'in my head'? Who cares, it sure seems to be making a big difference!
Ride On
Yuri

GhostRider62

I'm going to buy you some Carriage Returns for Christmas. Your posts are unreadable.

GhostRider62

I had not done much sprinting in the past few months, so after reading this thread again, I decided to do some.

My best 5 second power last year was 925 watts. Today, I just did 1004 watts for 20 seconds. My peak is only 1150 ish. I have no idea how much of these gains are due to HMB but some are. I have been intentionally riding in the hills a lot this year, almost every single ride is hilly. I don't sprint on hills but there is no avoiding sometimes having to get out of the saddle on the little grunters.

rsbob 

Holy guacamole! You are one incredibly strong man.

GhostRider62

More like, "No brain, no pain".....

TennBent

I'm glad this thread has been bumped because it made me realize something.

After experiencing the initial gains, I seem to have plateaued or possibly even regressed a bit. Now that the thread has resurfaced, I have discovered that I had lazily let my dosage drop over time. When I first started, I was taking 1.5 to 2 grams per day of the capsules. After the capsules were gone, I switched to the powder and I would put it into a mix of other powdered supplements that I drink everyday. On exercise days, this is consumed about 15-30 minutes prior to exercising. The problem is that the powdered HMB is stored with those other powdered supplements and not with my pill-form supplements. Thus, when I take my pills at other times during the day, the HMB isn't there and I forget about it. This has caused my HMB consumption to drop to 1g per day and is most likely the cause of my issues. I've been trying to do more riding and working out on less HMB.

So, I have just started taking at least 2g per day and I'll be taking 3g when doing a long ride. I may even go to 3g per day no matter what. It's just a matter of making it part of my daily routine. Hopefully, this will get me back on track.

Thanks again for bringing this topic back up.