Let’s talk about stacking MuscleTech’s Clear Muscle (HMB Free Acid) and Platinum 100% Creatine—a killer combo for boosting your gains! Individually, these supplements are powerhouses: creatine monohydrate supercharges your energy and strength, while HMB Free Acid helps protect your muscles from breakdown. Together? They can take your performance, muscle growth, and recovery to the next level. Here’s the science-backed breakdown, with all the juicy details, in a conversational yet expert vibe.
Table of contents
1. Sports Performance: Power Up Your Game
Stacking creatine and HMB can seriously amp up your strength and anaerobic performance, often outshining either supplement alone. A 10-week study with elite male rowers (Fernández-Landa et al., 2020, Nutrients) tested creatine (0.04 g/kg/day, ~3–4 g/day) plus HMB (3 g/day, calcium form). The combo group dominated, showing bigger jumps in power output during an incremental rowing test—at anaerobic threshold (p=0.01), 4 mmol/L lactate (p=0.008), and max effort (p=0.008)—compared to placebo, creatine-only, or HMB-only groups. Why? Creatine fuels your ATP system for explosive efforts, while HMB’s recovery benefits let you train harder, longer. This synergy is a game-changer for athletes chasing peak performance. Note: Clear Muscle uses HMB Free Acid, which absorbs even faster than the old calcium HMB used in the study.
2. Body Composition: Build Muscle, Shed Fat
Want more lean mass and less fat? This stack’s got potential. A meta-analysis (Nissen & Sharp, 2003, Journal of Applied Physiology) found that HMB (3 g/day) boosts lean mass by ~0.7–1.2 kg over 3–6 weeks with resistance training, while creatine (3–20 g/day) adds ~0.9–1.5 kg. Combining them can be even better. A 3-week study (Jówko et al., 2001, Nutrition) showed that creatine (20 g/day loading, 5 g/day maintenance) plus HMB (3 g/day, calcium form) increased fat-free mass (FFM) by ~1.7 kg, outpacing creatine alone (~0.9 kg) or HMB alone (~0.4 kg), with slight fat mass reductions (~0.3–0.5 kg). Clear Muscle’s HMB Free Acid may enhance these effects due to better bioavailability. It’s like creatine pumps up cell volume and training capacity, while HMB shields muscle protein—different angles, bigger results.
3. Variability and What to Watch For
Not every study shows the same results, and that’s worth keeping in mind. Highly trained athletes, like elite rowers or rugby players, sometimes see smaller gains because they’re already near their genetic ceiling (Fernández-Landa et al., 2020). Your results depend on training intensity, experience level, and dosing precision. MuscleTech’s Platinum 100% Creatine (5 g/scoop) and Clear Muscle (1 g HMB Free Acid per serving, 3 g/day) make hitting the sweet spot easy.
The Bottom Line
Stacking MuscleTech’s Clear Muscle and Platinum 100% Creatine is a solid strategy for boosting strength, endurance, and lean muscle, especially if you’re grinding through a serious training block. The combo often outperforms either supplement alone, thanks to creatine’s energy surge and HMB’s muscle-saving power. To maximize this stack, pair it with a 5-day lifting plan and a 500-calorie surplus, and get ready to crush it!
References
- Fernández-Landa, J., et al. (2020). Effect of ten weeks of creatine monohydrate plus HMB supplementation on athletic performance tests in elite male endurance athletes. Nutrients, 12(1), 193. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12010193
- Jówko, E., et al. (2001). Creatine and β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate (HMB) additively increase lean body mass and muscle strength during a weight-training program. Nutrition, 17(7–8), 558–566. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0899-9007(01)00540-8
- Nissen, S. L., & Sharp, R. L. (2003). Effect of dietary supplements on lean mass and strength gains with resistance exercise: a meta-analysis. Journal of Applied Physiology, 94(2), 651–659. https://doi.org/10.1152/japplphysiol.00755.2002
- Peeters, B. M., et al. (1999). Effect of oral creatine monohydrate and creatine phosphate supplementation on maximal strength indices, body composition, and blood pressure. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 13(1), 3–9.
- Wilson, J. M., et al. (2014). The effects of 12 weeks of beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate free acid supplementation on muscle mass, strength, and power in resistance-trained individuals: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 114(6), 1219–1228. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-014-2854-5
- Crowe, M. J., et al. (2003). Effects of β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate and creatine monohydrate supplementation on the aerobic and anaerobic capacity of highly trained athletes. International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, 13(4), 504–520. https://doi.org/10.1123/ijsnem.13.4.504
