I-HMB iyi-metabolite emaphakathi ye-amino acid leucine yomuntu ebalulekile, futhi umzimba womuntu ungakhiqiza inani elincane le-HMB uqobo. Ekudleni okuvamile, umzimba womuntu ukhiqiza cishe ama-300 kuya ku-400 mg ngosuku, lapho ama-90% avela ku-catabolism ye-leucine. I-HMB ingasetshenziselwa ukukhuthaza ukukhula kwemisipha, ukuthuthukisa ukuzivikela komzimba, ukunciphisa i-cholesterol kanye namazinga aphansi e-lipoprotein e-density emzimbeni ukunciphisa ukuvela kwesifo senhliziyo nesifo senhliziyo, kodwa futhi ukuthuthukisa ikhono lomzimba lokulungisa i-nitrogen, ukugcina amazinga amaprotheni emzimbeni, nokuvimbela ukubola kwemisipha ezigulini ezilele embhedeni noma ezikhubazekile. Eminyakeni yamuva, ngenxa yokuthi inganciphisa ukulimala kwezicubu ze-muscle ngemva kokuzivocavoca, ukulungisa izintambo ze-muscle, ukwandisa amandla emisipha nokushisa amafutha omzimba, isibe isithako senkanyezi emikhiqizweni yokudla kwezemidlalo. Ngaphezu kwalokho, i-HMB ifakazelwe ngokomtholampilo ukuthi isheshisa ukuphulukiswa kwesilonda futhi ivimbele ukuvuvukala. Ucwaningo lubonise ukuthi i-Ca HMB ingasheshisa ukuhlanganiswa kwamaprotheni futhi ibambezele ukusetshenziswa kwamaprotheni. I-Ca HMB ehlanganiswe ne-glutamine ne-arginine ingathuthukisa ibhalansi ye-nitrogen engeyinhle yeziguli futhi idlale indima enhle ekululameni ekuhlukumezekeni nasekuhlinzweni.

Ngo-2011, uMnyango Wezempilo waseChina wangaphambili wamemezela ukugunyazwa kwe-β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate calcium (Ca HMB) njengokudla okusha kwensiza, ukusetshenziswa kokudla okunomsoco wezemidlalo, ukudla okukhethekile kwefomula yokusetshenziswa kwezokwelapha, inani elinconyiwe ngu-≤3 amagremu/ngosuku. Ngo-2017, Ikhomishana Kazwelonke Yezempilo Nokuhlela Umndeni yamemezela ukwanda kobubanzi bokufaka isicelo se-Ca HMB kusukela ezicelweni ezimbili zokuqala ukuya kweziyisishiyagalolunye, futhi yagunyaza izikhungo zobuchwepheshe zokuhlola ubungozi ukuba zenze ukuhlola kokuphepha. Ukusetshenziswa kwe-Ca HMB kwanwetshwa ukuze kufakwe iziphuzo, ubisi nemikhiqizo yobisi, imikhiqizo kakhokho, ushokoledi nemikhiqizo kashokoledi, uswidi, izinto ezibhakiwe, nokudla okukhethekile okudliwayo, futhi inani elinconyiwe lalisengu-≤3 g/ngosuku, elingazange lidlule umthamo wamavolontiya esilingo sabantu. I-Ca HMB yaqashelwa njenge-GRAS yi-US Food and Drug Administration ngo-1995 futhi isetshenziswa ekudleni okunomsoco wezokwelapha kanye nokudla okukhethekile. Eminyakeni engu-20 edlule, i-Ca HMB ibisetshenziswa kabanzi emikhiqizweni yobisi, imikhiqizo kashokoledi, iziphuzo, izindawo zamandla nokunye ukudla emakethe yase-US. I-Ca HMB iwukudla okuluhlaza okuvunyelwe yimithetho yaseJapan, engangezwa emikhakheni eminingi efana nokudla okuvamile, ukudla okunomsoco wezemidlalo, ukudla okwehlisa isisindo, ukudla kobuhle, njll. Ingasetshenziswa futhi njengesithako esisebenzayo ezithasiselweni zokudla ezifana namaphilisi, amaphilisi, iziphuzo eziqinile. Kubakhiqizi namakhemisi, i-Ca HMB njengamanje ingesinye sezithako zezempilo ezidume kakhulu emakethe yaseJapan.