Have you met the latest addition to our best-selling line of joint & mobility supplements? HMB Healthy Muscle & Strength is a vet-formulated muscle builder for dogs in a brand-new, easy-to-feed granule.
This muscle formula was designed to offer unmatched support for strength, stability, and muscle building in senior dogs, active & performance dogs, and dogs recovering from injury, illness, or other periods of limited movement.
Read on to learn more about muscle formulas for dogs, what HMB is, and how our newest mobility supplement is changing the game for canine muscle growth and maintenance.
Research suggests that most dogs will start to lose muscle mass starting in middle age—for small and medium dogs, that's typically between 7 and 10, but for large-breed dogs, it can be as early as 5 or 6 years old. Studies have found that dogs can lose as much as 20% of their muscle mass in their senior years.
This age-related muscle loss is unfortunately normal, for both dogs and people. Fortunately, there's plenty that pet owners can do to help slow down the process. Healthy, age-appropriate exercise and physical rehabilitation can help strengthen existing muscles and improve flexibility. An appropriate, balanced diet helps to provide all the protein, vitamins, and minerals they need for a strong and active body.
But, if you've noticed that your senior dog is still slowing down or looking thinner in their hind end, vet-formulated muscle builders for dogs can play a big part in promoting muscle gain and maintaining muscle tone, body condition, and mobility.
Muscle formulas like HMB Healthy Muscle & Strength do more than just help maintain existing muscle—they support bone health, help manage the inflammatory response, and support cartilage health and integrity. They can even help slow muscle loss and encourage muscle gain.
HMB (β-Hydroxy β-Methylbutyrate) is a naturally occurring substance that's created in small amounts when the amino acid leucine is metabolized—or broken down—in the body. HMB dietary supplements have been used for over 20 years to help maintain muscle mass in people, but it's only recently found a use in pet supplements.
HMB is a unique muscle-building ingredient for dogs, because it can both increase muscle protein synthesis (how muscle is grown) and decrease muscle protein breakdown (how muscle is lost). This beneficial protein balance helps to better maintain your dog's muscle development, tone, and performance—and can even help reverse the loss of muscle in aging dogs.
In one placebo-controlled, double-blind crossover study, dogs given a daily HMB supplement were found to have increased activity, reduced rest time during exercise, and significant protein metabolism improvements.1
myHMB®, the star ingredient of our HMB Healthy Muscle & Strength formula, is the most clinically proven ingredient for the slowing of age-related muscle loss in both humans and performance animals.
While many products on the market today focus on joint health and mobility, few focus specifically on muscle growth & strength.
And none are as comprehensive as HMB Healthy Muscle & Strength. Along with myHMB®, this vet-formulated muscle supplement is made with four additional active ingredients that combine to offer unbeatable support for muscles, bone health, and mobility.
Collagen is another ingredient that, like HMB, has been used in human studies for decades. It is one of the most abundant proteins in the body, and can be found in the skin, bones, organs, tendons, ligaments, muscles, cartilage, and every kind of connective tissue. While there are 28 identified types of collagen, Type II makes up about 90% of the collagen found in cartilage—the connective tissue that supports joint health and function.
Supplementing with Type II Collagen, especially for aging pets, can have a significant impact on joint health and comfort, and has been heavily studied for its effects on joint pain and stiffness.
The Type II Collagen used in HMB Healthy Muscle & Strength may help to soothe everyday inflammation in joints and muscles and promote normal repair of cartilage. And, since it's a hydrolyzed protein, it's appropriate for pets with sensitivities to common proteins like chicken and turkey.
Type II Collagen is a natural source of hyaluronic acid, which helps to maintain the health and function of existing cartilage by blocking the release of harmful enzymes that break down this important connective tissue. Hyaluronic acid also helps to improve lubrication in joints and support the structure, making joints tougher and more flexible.
Hyaluronic acid also benefits muscle and joint health by helping to manage a healthy inflammatory response. While some inflammation is beneficial for healing, too much leads to pain, discomfort, and stiffness—and even more inflammation.
Curcumin, an extract of natural turmeric root, is a powerful ingredient for muscle health and comfort, soothing everyday aches and pains by maintaining a healthier inflammatory response. CurcuVet® (Curcumin Indena Phytosome®) is a unique, highly bioavailable form of curcumin that's more easily absorbed and used by the body than turmeric alone, for faster, more visible effects.
CurcuVet® is included in this formula in appropriate therapeutic doses—since this form of curcumin is more bioavailable, smaller amounts work harder.2
Vitamin D is one of the most critical ingredients for bone health. It helps to support the absorption of calcium to ensure that the body can properly utilize this essential mineral to build and maintain strong, healthy bones.
Vitamin D3 also works in combination with HMB to boost the effects of HMB, compared to the effects of HMB alone.
What's the difference between a VetriScience® muscle builder formula and a joint supplement?
First, there are some important similarities:
But, these two types of mobility supplement for dogs offer plenty of unique benefits, too. Learn more to see which of these supplements would be the best fit for your dog.
A muscle formula like HMB Healthy Muscle & Strength is specifically formulated to target muscle loss in dogs—the unique combination of ingredients helps boost muscle growth and slow how quickly muscle is lost. While some ingredients work to help support joints as well, muscle formulas are designed to support mobility through muscle growth and maintenance.
Joint supplements like the Healthy Hip & Joint line are formulated for full-body joint support. Ingredients are hand-selected by vets and nutrition experts to help lubricate joints and promote healthy cartilage, help manage healthy inflammation, and add important compounds like glucosamine, MSM, and chondroitin into the body. While joint supplements can help dogs build muscle through improving comfortable mobility, these are designed specifically to support joint health and function.
While both HMB Healthy Muscle & Strength and Healthy Hip & Joint supplements offer unique benefits, pet parents may find the absolute most benefit by combining both muscle and joint supplements for dogs in a multi-modal care plan:
Give HMB Healthy Muscle & Strength with...
Ultimate Strength Healthy Hip & Joint for powerful support for overall mobility at any age. Recommended for highly active and competition dogs.
Senior Healthy Hip & Joint for senior-specific mobility support with softer chews. Recommended for all senior and geriatric dogs.
Veterinary Strength Healthy Hip & Joint for a powerful combination of ingredients that support healthy inflammation. Recommended for dogs recovering from orthopedic surgery or injury.
Veterinary Strength Comfort & Ease for a powerful combination of ingredients that support healthy levels of inflammation. Recommended for dogs struggling with joint discomfort.
VetriScience® has been leading the way in pet mobility since 1981, when we launched the very first GlycoFlex® joint health supplement. (It was also the first time that a glucosamine supplement for dogs was readily available to pet owners!) In 2003, we were the first company to unlock the power-packed benefits of green-lipped mussel in combination with glucosamine and MSM.
So, you could say that we know a thing or two about canine mobility and keeping dogs moving comfortably long into their golden years—and our new HMB granules represent the next step into the future of comfort and longevity!
Our HMB Healthy Muscle & Strength granules were first taste-tested by dozens of VetriScience® staff pets to make sure they'd be enjoyed by dogs of all breeds, ages, and sizes. (Staff Dog Annie recommends sprinkling the granules over kibble lightly soaked in bone broth for a truly magical sensory experience.) The mouth-watering pork flavor is a fan favorite, and it's appropriate for dogs who have sensitivities to common flavors like chicken.
Maintaining muscle mass and supporting healthy joint function are two of the most important factors for healthy aging in senior dogs and active dogs alike. Loss of muscle and limitation of movement can lead to unhealthy weight gain, increased inflammation and discomfort, decreased overall quality of life, and can even affect cognition!
Explore all dog mobility supplements by VetriScience® to find the perfect daily routine to keep your best bud feeling, and moving, their best.
1Beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate (HMB) improves daily activity and whole-body protein metabolism in Duchenne muscular dystrophy dogs: a pilot study
2Comparative absorption of a standardized curcuminoid mixture and its lecithin formulation