Update 7/30/19. When I first heard about Ensure Clinical Strength, also called Ensure Revigor and Ensure Muscle Health, I was intrigued. I was intrigued because Ensure Muscle Health contains a very interesting ingredient called HMB, which several studies have shown can reduce muscle tissue breakdown. Because many people (but not all) drink Ensure because they are either older and have a poor appetite, or are sick and can't eat much, to me, the addition of HMB sounded like such a win-win combination. In this review, let's take a look at HMB and then Ensure Muscle Health with HMB so you can get a better idea of it's right for you.
What is HMB?
HMB stands for beta hydroxy betamethyl buterate.
Small amounts of HMB are naturally created when we breakdown the amino acid leucine. So, you are making HMB all the time, just not very much of it. Leucine is one of the branch chain amino acids and is found in any “any food that had a mother” such as chicken, fish, steak, etc.
Studies show that HMB may help reduce muscle protein breakdown. As such, HMB was at one time popular among bodybuilders. Athletes however quickly stopped using this supplement after research started to show HMB worked best in beginners – not experienced weight lifters.
This fact is what made adding HMB to Ensure such an interesting idea to me. Most older adults and sick folks don't exercise very much – if at all. In theory, they would be prime candidates to benefit from HMB supplements.
People who have cancer, HIV and other serious illnesses often experience a muscle-wasting disease called cachexia. Research has shown that HMB might help reverse cachexia in some people when used in conjunction with the amino acids, arginine, and glutamine.
HMB can also be found on Amazon as a stand-alone supplement, for those who want to just take it without Ensure.
What's in Ensure Clinical Strength?
The Nutrition Facts Label for Ensure Revigor tells us it contains the following ingredients:
| Serving size | 1 bottle ( 8 oz) | Percent of daily value |
| Calories | 250 | |
| Calories from fat | 100 | |
| Total fat | 11 grams |
17% |
| Saturated fat | 1 gram |
5% |
| Polyunsaturated fat | 4 grams | |
| Monounsaturated fat | 6 grams | |
| Sodium | 240 milligrams |
10% |
| Potassium | 840 milligrams |
24% |
| Total carbs | 51 grams |
17% |
| Dietary fiber | 3 grams |
12% |
| Sugars | 20 grams | |
| Protein | 13 grams |
26% |
Notice Ensure has 250 calories. When I purchased Ensure for this review, my bottles said 350 calories. Thanks to one of the readers in the comments, I was alerted to the change to 250 calories.
While the label does not say how much HMB is in Ensure Muscle Health, I called Abbott Labs, the maker of Ensure and asked them. They told me that each bottle contains 1.5 grams of HMB. They recommend people use 2 bottles a day, which would give people a total of 3 grams of HMB. 3 grams of HMB is what has been used in many clinical studies to have positive effects.
The studies of HMB I mentioned above found that 3 grams of HMB worked best. This is why Abbott Labs recommends drinking 2 bottles of Ensure Revigor per day – to get the maximum effect of HMB.
Why Do They Call It Revigor?
To me, revigor sounds like the word reinvigorate. In other words, drinking Revigor will reinvigorate you. It's a catchy name.
Other Effects of HMB?
While most of the clinical research on HMB has been directed at testing how it might help decrease muscle breakdown, other studies have hinted that it may help lower cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and systolic blood pressure. This is preliminary research only and will remain this way until other studies replicate these findings.
HMB Side Effects
HMB appears to be safe. No study to my knowledge has shown any negative side effects. That said, if you take any medicine (blood thinners etc), talk to your pharmacist and doctor.
What Does “Clinical Strength” Mean?
Since two bottles contain 3 grams of HMB – the amount used in clinical studies – I understand why they would call it clinical strength. And, its good marketing too.
Who Might Ensure Revigor Help?
I believe Ensure Revigor is probably best for people who:
1. Are older and do not exercise
2. Are older and just starting to exercise
3. Those who have cancer, HIV or other serious health issues
4. Anyone experiencing muscle-wasting conditions
Can You Take Ensure But Not Exercise?
Exercise has many benefits. Any physical activity you can do will help HMB work better.
Why Don't They Make Revigor Ensure Any More?
I have no idea. Ensure Revigor is no longer listed on the Abbott Labs website. When I called Abbott Labs, I was told it was a company decision to stop making Revigor. As an alternative they told me to look at Ensure High Protein. This version does not contain HMB.
Ensure Revigor: Closing Thoughts
I was saddened Abbott Labs no longer makes Ensure Revigor. It sounded like a good addition to the Ensure line up. I wish it was around when my 104-year-old grandmother was still alive. That said, Ensure is still a fine product and for those who want to add HMB to their shakes, this is possible. HMB comes in both powder and capsules. For those who don't like swallowing capsules, you can open them up and add them to food or any shake you like to drink.
Maureen, technically it would be something you would take regularly. In healthy people (not sick /not older) HMB works best in beginners. When people are used to lifting weights, it doesn’t work as well. Therefore, it might be something that might work best for the first 12 weeks or so of a strength training program.
I think if you were using it along with exercise and then stopped taking it but still continued lifting weights, I don’t think you would lose all of the muscle you built up.
Hi Joe,
how long do you have to keep drinking it, do you just drink it for a few weeks and then stop? or is it something you have to keep taking long term? and if you build muscle from it, does it go away if you stop drinking it?
Hi Robyn
your right I never saw anything on HMB and MS either. The only thing I can think of is what you likely already know – vitamin D. I’m sure you are aware of the link between low vitamin D and MS. there are receptors for vitamin D on muscle cells but how much that impacts MS muscle loss I am not sure. I wish I had a better answer for you. If I ever find anything I will be sure to write about it here.
Hi. I have MS, have lost 80 pounds over the past year, and despite working out regularly, I don’t seem to be building a whole lot of muscle. I was intrigued by this product, so I’ve done a little research, but haven’t found anything that suggests that HMB would help someone with MS build, or at least not lose, muscle. Are you aware of anything?
Stephanie I agree. For people who cannot drink a larger volume of fluid Ensure does make some sense. Ensure has a lot of calories in a small volume. People where Ensure makes sense include older adults and people who are very sick (like cancer). For healthy people there are indeed other options.
Ensure and other similar drinks have far too much sugar in them. I’d rather make my own…..
Ensure® Clinical Strength is the 350 calorie version that includes the Muscle AND the Immune formulas.
Ensure® Muscle Health is the 250 calorie version.
Hi Will, give it a try for a couple of weeks and see how you feel. The exercise research on HMB finds that it tends to work best in beginners. Since you work out 3x a week I’m not sure if it would help or not so that’s why I say give it a shot. if you do feel better let me know. I’m curious to know if it helps you.
Sir,
I am in the military and older. I am finding it harder each day to keep up like I use to. Do you think this product would help me. I do exercise at least 3 days a week. Please let me know.
Thanks,
Will
Tom, I’ll have to check but you may be able to get HMB pretty cheap esp if you get it online. I get my frozen fruit a BJs. 1 bag of yoplait at BJs is about $10 but I only use 1/2 bag so it lasts longer. The blueberries and strawberries are only about $6 I think. those will last me over a month.
If I mix Dymatize chocolate protein powder, HMB, Yoplait smoothie mix and milk, how close would I be to having a shake with much like a Ensure muscle drink. At $2.25 a bottle, Ensure is not exactly a bargain……
Tom
Hi Marie, Breakfast is very important so you could use ensure muscle health. It wont hurt you. A can is only 8 oz so it won’t fill you up very much so if you use it, add 8 oz of water to increase the volume. The advantage of shakes is they are easy to use if you dont have the time to eat. If you have 10 minutes you can make a shake yourself if you have a blender. Try this. I use this recipe myself:
1 orange (peal it)
1 bag of Yoplait triple berry smoothie mix
1 scoop Dymatize chocolate protein powder (that’s about 20 grams of protein-more than Ensure).
add water and blend
This has more volume and more protein and you get the a good amount of fiber. The fiber and protein help to fill you up. Hope that helps 🙂
Hi Joe ,
I was wondering if I could start drinking ensure clinical strength every morning (just one) since I don’t usually have breakfast and just eat maybe 2 times a day. I am a healthy 27 year old woman, with just 10 pounds overweight. I eat healthy but I still have that feeling that you are just missing some nutrients and energy. Do u think this is appropriate for me? Or which one would you recommend for me? The regular, plus, or any other .
Thank you
Marie
Patty, you are right. I was at Walmart yesterday and took a look at Ensure Muscle Health with Revigor and it said 250 calories. The odd thing is when I bought it, it was 350 calories. There is an Ensure with Revigor for immune support that is 350 calories but that’s not what I originally purchased. Maybe they have decreased the calories since those who use the Muscle Health formula are exercising – and they often dont want extra calories?
Either way thanks much for letting me know about the change in calories. I’ve changed my Ensure review to reflect the change 🙂
Hi Patty. I just double checked and at the ensure website it says ensure muscle strength has 350 calories. When I bought it, the label also said 350 calories. Odd your bottle says 250. Maybe there is a lower calorie version of ensure? If you find out let me know.
You stated that an 8 oz bottle contains 350 calories. I have the bottle in front of me. The calorie count is 250 calories.
Yes! John is right…it’s been such a long time since that stuff was around,I got confused.Thanks John for clearing that up.
Joe, it sounds like Judy is referring to Gama Hydroxy Butyrate, GHB, not HMB.
Judy. I never heard any of that about HMB. I knew bodybuilders took it but I never heard it was for the reasons you mentioned. I’ve read a lot of HMB research and I don’t remember seeing any study that showed it helped you sleep better. Do you have any references that HMB was at one time banned in the US? Id be curious to read that. Every study I’ve ever seen on HMB found it was safe. most studies use the amount of 3 grams of HMB which is what’s in Revigor.
I remember back in the early 90’s,some competitive bodybuilders I knew took HMB in a powder form and then when that was banned it was available in a liquid form.It was my understanding that it was supposed to put you into the REM state of sleep where your body naturally releases growth hormone-I do recall some of the guys used to take excessive doses to “get high”and it was my understanding that it became the “date rape drug” because it was said to be undectable in the body if a blood test was performed.I’m sure the very low dose in ensure will not harm anyone,and I don’t intend to scare anyone from buying it. I’m just curious if you have heard any of these”grapevine” stories