Does resistance training improve muscle strength and thickness in older men without HMB supplements?

The evidence we’ve reviewed includes 120 separate assertions, all supporting this idea, with none contradicting it. In one set of findings, older men who performed resistance exercises saw increases in muscle strength and thigh muscle size without any HMB supplementation, suggesting the training itself played the central role ¹. In another, healthy men over 65 who trained without HMB supplements still gained muscle strength and thickness after just six weeks ^[2]. These results indicate that the physical stimulus from lifting weights or similar activities may be enough to trigger these adaptations, even in older age.

We don’t know if these changes continue long-term or how they compare to other types of training, but what we’ve found so far suggests that resistance training alone can lead to meaningful improvements in muscle health for older men. No study we reviewed showed a lack of benefit when HMB was omitted.

For older men looking to stay strong and maintain muscle, this means that simply doing regular weight-based exercises — even without special supplements — may be enough to help preserve or build muscle over time.