The metabolite beta-aminoisobutyric acid and physical inactivity among hemodialysis patients.

•Physical inactivity was highly prevalent among patients on hemodialysis (HD).•Sixty-one percent of inactive patients reported three or more barriers to physical activity.•Beta-aminoisobutyric acid (BAIBA) circulating levels were significantly lower in HD patients than in healthy individuals.•Patients with the two most frequent barriers showed the lowest BAIBA levels.•BAIBA could be useful when assessing and monitoring physical activity and its barriers in HD patients.