With GB 24154 Further Implemented, CaHMB Gains Stronger Recognition as a Core Sports Nutrition Ingredient

As the only mandatory foundational national standard for China’s sports nutrition food industry, GB 24154-2015 National Food Safety Standard — General Standard for Sports Nutrition Foods serves [2] as the core regulatory guideline for product development, formula design, compliant market entry, and industry supervision.

 

Under this national standard, calcium β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate, commonly known as CaHMB, has moved away from its previous overly broad and non-standardized use across the industry. Its application scenario has now been clearly defined, establishing CaHMB as a recommended ingredient specifically for speed- and strength-oriented sports nutrition foods. This provides a reliable, compliant ingredient foundation for differentiated development and more specialized formulation of sports nutrition products.

 

Understanding GB 24154-2015: Redefining Compliance for Sports Nutrition Foods

Since its official implementation in 2016, GB 24154-2015 has fundamentally reshaped the development model of China’s sports nutrition industry. It moved beyond the previous single-dimensional approach to nutrition supplement classification and established a dual classification system based on both “nutrients” and “sports application scenarios.”

 

Under the current regulatory framework, all compliant sports nutrition foods in China are clearly classified into six categories: energy supplementation, energy control, protein supplementation, speed and strength, endurance, and post-exercise recovery.

 

The key strength of this national standard lies in its refined, scenario-based control of ingredients. Based on the nutritional demands and consumption characteristics of the human body in different sports scenarios, the standard clearly defines the mandatory and recommended ingredients for each product category, while also setting strict limits on ingredient dosages. This helps prevent the blind stacking and improper addition of functional ingredients at the source, making product formulations more professional and better aligned with specific sports nutrition needs.

 

Clear Definition under the National Standard: CaHMB for Speed and Strength Sports Nutrition with Defined Dosage Guidelines

According to the national standard, speed and strength sports nutrition foods are mainly designed for individuals engaged in activities such as weightlifting, sprinting, ball games, bodybuilding and body shaping, and resistance training. The core nutritional needs of these high-intensity strength training scenarios are to help maintain muscle mass, enhance muscular power, and reduce post-exercise muscle protein breakdown.

 

For this category, GB 24154-2015 clearly specifies that CaHMB may be added to speed and strength sports nutrition products in compliance with the standard, with a recommended daily intake of 1–3 g.

 

As a natural metabolite of leucine, CaHMB can help inhibit muscle protein loss[1] caused by high-intensity exercise, support muscle maintenance, and closely meet the needs of strength-training consumers for muscle protection and muscle development. It is also one of the few core functional ingredients in the speed and strength sports nutrition segment that has been clearly recognized under the national standard.

 

*Based on safety data considerations, this product is not recommended for infants, young children, pregnant women, or breastfeeding women.

 

Industry Landscape Update: Compliance Drives Targeted Growth for CaHMB

Currently, more than 60% of domestic market demand for CaHMB is concentrated in the sports nutrition sector. With the refined product classification under GB 24154, the standard has helped bring an end to disorderly competition in raw material applications, enabling CaHMB to take root in the speed and strength sports nutrition segment and become a key ingredient for brands to develop differentiated products.

 

1、Strong Demand in Key Applications Supports Continued Market Growth

With the growing popularity of nationwide fitness, the number of consumers engaged in professional strength training, home-based body shaping, and gym-based resistance workouts continues to expand. Consumer demand has also evolved beyond basic protein supplementation toward more targeted nutritional support for muscle protection, strength enhancement, and efficient anti-catabolic benefits.

Guided by the national standard, leading sports nutrition brands are increasingly focusing on the upgrading of speed and strength products. CaHMB is being used as a core differentiating ingredient, often combined with creatine and whey protein to create professional strength-focused formulas. It has been widely applied in mainstream products such as protein powders, muscle-building solid beverages, and strength nutrition powders, driving steady growth in market demand.

 

2、Higher Compliance Standards Are Reshaping the Industry

As market supervision becomes increasingly stringent, compliant formulations aligned with the detailed classification rules of the national standard have become essential for products to establish a solid position in the market. In the past, CaHMB was often used indiscriminately in recovery and endurance products. This non-standard practice has now been effectively addressed, marking the industry’s shift away from broad, undifferentiated ingredient addition toward a more refined development stage where ingredients are matched precisely with product categories.

The clear positioning of CaHMB as an ingredient specifically suited for speed and strength products also gives brands focused on this segment a distinctive compliance-based competitive advantage.

 

 

Advantages of L&P Foods

1. State-Owned Enterprise Background and Strong Technical Expertise

As a high-tech enterprise under Guangdong Environmental Protection Group, L&P Food Ingredient Co., Ltd. (L&P Foods) has been deeply engaged in the food ingredients industry for 40 years. Built on the foundation of the former Guangdong Food Industry Institute, the company has established a provincial engineering technology research center and a postdoctoral workstation, reflecting its strong R&D capabilities and solid technical foundation. Since 2024, L&P Foods has showcased CaHMB at major domestic and international industry exhibitions. Its technical specifications are benchmarked against international standards, demonstrating the company’s commitment to high-quality ingredient innovation.

 

2． Reliable In-House Production and Quality Control

Self-owned production base: Located in Wengyuan, Shaoguan, L&P Foods manages the entire process in-house, from raw material production to finished product packaging. The company is also among the few enterprises in China holding a CaHMB production license.

High purity and low impurity profile: The product offers a high level of purity, while heavy metals and impurity residues are strictly controlled to standards beyond national requirements. This makes it suitable for compliant applications across multiple scenarios, including sports nutrition, dairy products, and foods for special medical purposes.

 

3. Policy-Aligned Solutions with Full-Service Support

After China raised the daily intake limit of CaHMB to 6 g in 2025, L&P Foods quickly optimized its ingredient solutions to help customers upgrade their products accordingly. The company also has mature nutritional premix technology and can provide customized formulations, along with one-stop support covering formula design, process optimization, and label compliance guidance, helping customers reduce R&D and production costs.

 

4. Diverse Product Portfolio and Reliable International Certifications

In addition to CaHMB, L&P Foods has also developed a range of functional ingredients, including phosphatidylserine and oat β-glucan, enabling the company to offer diversified nutrition solutions. Its products are supported by multiple international certifications, including BRC, ISO, and Halal, and comply with relevant domestic and international standards. They have also been incorporated into the supply chains of several leading food companies.

 

GB 24154 has established a solid compliance foundation for CaHMB in the sports nutrition sector by clearly defining its ingredient positioning and usage requirements. Together with the policy benefit of an increased daily intake limit, CaHMB is becoming a core ingredient in sports nutrition foods with strong growth potential, high compliance value, and broad market recognition, helping brands gain an early advantage in this fast-growing segment.