HMB is an intermediate metabolite of the human essential amino acid leucine, and the human body can produce a small amount of HMB itself. In a normal diet, the human body produces about 300 to 400 mg per day, of which 90% comes from the catabolism of leucine. HMB can be used to promote muscle growth, enhance immunity, reduce cholesterol and low density lipoprotein levels in the body to reduce the occurrence of coronary heart disease and cardiovascular disease, but also to enhance the body's nitrogen fixation ability, maintain protein levels in the body, and prevent muscle decay in bedridden or paralyzed patients. In recent years, because it can reduce the damage of muscle tissue after exercise, repair muscle fibers, increase muscle strength and burn body fat, it has become a star ingredient in sports nutrition products. In addition, HMB has been clinically proven to accelerate wound healing and inhibit inflammation. Studies have shown that Ca HMB can accelerate protein synthesis and slow down protein consumption. Ca HMB combined with glutamine and arginine can improve the negative nitrogen balance of patients and play a positive role in recovery from trauma and surgery.

In 2011, China's former Ministry of Health announced the approval of β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate calcium (Ca HMB) as a new resource food, the use of sports nutrition food, special medical use formula food, the recommended amount is ≤3 grams/day. In 2017, the National Health and Family Planning Commission announced the expansion of the application scope of Ca HMB from the original two applications to nine, and commissioned risk assessment technology institutions to conduct safety assessments. The use of Ca HMB was expanded to include beverages, milk and dairy products, cocoa products, chocolate and chocolate products, candy, baked goods, and special dietary foods, and the recommended amount was still ≤3 g/day, which did not exceed the dosage of human trial volunteers. Ca HMB was recognized as GRAS by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 1995 and is used in medical nutrition foods and special diets. In the past 20 years, Ca HMB has been widely used in dairy products, chocolate products, beverages, energy bars and other foods in the US market. Ca HMB is a food raw material permitted by Japanese regulations, which can be added in many fields such as ordinary food, sports nutrition food, weight loss food, beauty food, etc. It can also be used as a functional ingredient in dietary supplements such as capsules, tablets, solid drinks. For manufacturers and pharmacies, Ca HMB is currently one of the most popular health ingredients on the Japanese market.