Mito Caps

After taking Mito Caps my urine has an unusual smell. Is this normal?

The R-alpha lipoic acid and DMAE components in Mito Caps have a naturally occurring smell that can best be described as a sulfur-to-slightly-vinegar smell. It is completely normal and safe.

Am I getting too much vitamin E?

Q: I noticed that there’s vitamin E in Premium Insurance Caps, Race Caps Supreme, and Mito Caps. If I’m taking all three products, will I be getting too much?

A: The answer to this question requires a bit of information, but the short answer is “no”, you won’t be oversupplying your body with too much vitamin E.

There are numerous studies, far too many to list even a fraction of them, that show that Optimum Daily Intake (ODI) amounts of vitamin E supplementation have multiple benefits. Still, there are some who believe that higher vitamin E intake is unnecessary and may, in fact, be detrimental. Dr. Bill Misner suggests otherwise, stating, "The only warning for limiting Vitamin E intake is if you are taking a prescription anticoagulant. In that case, you should follow your physician's counsel. The therapeutic dosage of Vitamin E commonly used by athletes seeking to prevent free radical damage during and following exercise is 1,200 IU per day. Dosages of up to 3,200 IU of Vitamin E have been used daily in a wide variety of subjects for periods of up to two years without any unfavorable side effects occurring.”

Vitamin E has many, many benefits including:

• Maintaining cell membrane integrity and helping reduce cellular aging
• Acting as a fat-soluble free radical scavenger
• Maintaining healthy platelet aggregation
• Protecting ocular (eye) health
• Helping delay cognitive decline
• Enhancing immune function

All of the above-listed reasons are why this important vitamin exists in Premium Insurance Caps, Race Caps Supreme, and Mito Caps. It’s important to remember that your body will be depleting vitamin E as it neutralizes free radicals, and also as it donates an electron to a “used up” antioxidant such as the coenzyme Q10 in Race Caps Supreme and the R-alpha lipoic Acid in Mito Caps, effectively renewing its antioxidant properties and capabilities (the is one of the main reasons why vitamin E is in Race Caps Supreme and Mito Caps). This means that your body is not storing all the vitamin E you're ingesting, but rather using it up as it utilizes its antioxidant properties (donating part of its molecular structure) in counteracting the negative effect caused by free radical production and accumulation, as well as regenerating used up/electron-missing antioxidants.

Each capsule of Premium Insurance Caps supplies approximately 38.22 mg/57 IU of vitamin E (d-alpha tocopherol), each capsule of Race Caps Supreme supplies 89.33 mg/133 IU, each capsule of Mito Caps supplies 8.33 mg/12.5 IU.

On a daily basis, if you are taking (for example)…

• 4 Premium Insurance Caps
• 2 Race Caps Supreme
• 2 Mito Caps

… you are consuming approximately 348 mg/519 IU of vitamin E per day. The Optimum Daily Intake (ODI) for vitamin E is 400 - 1200 IU daily. I believe that 400 - 800 IU daily is a sufficient amount for general health purposes, with the lower amount being adequate for sedentary people. For athletes, however, because they are generating several times more free radicals than sedentary people do, an amount upwards of 1200 IU daily is rational.

Why are nutrients that used to be measured in International Units (IU) now measured in milligrams or micrograms?

Q: Why are nutrients that used to be measured in International Units (IU) now measured in milligrams or micrograms, and what is the difference between these two measurements?

A: International Units (IU) was historically used to measure vitamin A, beta-carotene, vitamin D, and vitamin E. However, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) required that supplement facts labels change IU to metric units, which is why you now see milligrams (mg) or micrograms (mcg).

It’s important to know that even though there is a new standard of measurement, the amounts of the nutrients have not changed in any of the affected Hammer Nutrition products.

Beta-Carotene – 1 IU = 0.6 mcg beta-carotene
Example: 7-capsule dose of Premium Insurance Caps contains 7,500 IU of beta-carotene, now expressed as 1800 mcg of beta-carotene.

Vitamin E – 1 IU = 0.67 mg vitamin E (d-alpha tocopherol)
Example: 3-capsule dose of Race Caps Supreme contains 400 IU of vitamin E, now expressed as 268 mg.

Vitamin D – 1 IU = 0.025 mcg
Example: 1 softgel of EnDuro D contains 2,000 IU of vitamin D, now expressed as 50 mcg.

What kind of diet should I be looking at for prediabetes?

Q: I’ve been diagnosed with prediabetes. What kind of diet should I be looking at, and what supplements may help me?

A: As far as diet is concerned, there’s an excellent article from Johns Hopkins Medicine. In that article there’s a link to the Mediterranean Diet, which, unsurprisingly, in 2023 received the #1 rating for “Best Diet Overall” for the 6th straight year. Following that diet as much as possible will be the most important thing you can do.

Regarding supplements, the magnesium in Essential Mg is excellent for a plethora of reasons; it provides so many benefits, including playing a role in stabilizing blood sugar. Studies have shown that magnesium participates in insulin secretion and function, and low magnesium levels are correlated with insulin resistance. Other research reveals that magnesium levels are significantly more common in people with diabetes and impaired glucose tolerance compared with the general population, and higher magnesium levels correlate with lower HbA1C (see What is HbA1C for more on HbA1C). Other research suggests that higher magnesium intake is associated with decreased risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Another key nutrient for protecting against diabetes is the trace mineral chromium (Chromemate), and it works in tandem with the magnesium in Essential Mg.

Vitamin C is excellent for lowering post-meal blood sugar levels, elevated post-meal blood sugar level surges being especially problematic for prediabetics and diabetics. Of the dozens of naturally occurring compounds in citrus fruit (aka bioflavonoids), there is one bioflavonoid called hesperidin that is especially beneficial, with one research study concluding, “Digestion of hesperidin produces a compound called hesperetin along with other metabolites. These compounds are powerful free radical scavengers and have demonstrated anti-inflammatory, insulin-sensitizing, and lipid-lowering activity.” Our Endurance C is the best, most complete vitamin C on the market, and it includes an outstanding amount of hesperidin.

EndurOmega contains omega-3 fatty acids. These healthy fats are found in fish and some nuts and seed. Research concluded that “diets rich in omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to promote weight loss, enhance insulin sensitivity, and reduce death from cardiovascular disease by reducing inflammation, improving lipid profiles, and reducing blood clotting. When omega-3 fats are incorporated into cell membranes, they make the cell surface more fluid and pliable and appear to enhance cells’ ability to remove glucose from the bloodstream.”

The r-alpha lipoic acid in Mito Caps plays numerous important roles in human health. Research shows that this powerful antioxidant decreases oxygen free radicals, which in excess promote endothelial dysfunction and contribute to diabetes, high blood pressure, and cardiovascular disease.

Are your supplements 3rd party tested?

Yes, every Hammer Nutrition supplement is 3rd party tested in compliance with the FDA’s regulations, 21 CFR Part 111 – Dietary Supplements. All the raw materials for each supplement we produce are tested for purity, strength, identity, and integrity. In addition to raw material testing, every Hammer Nutrition supplement is also tested in every stage of production—blending, encapsulation / powder-filling, packaging components and finished goods—before being released for distribution.

What is ergothioneine, the newest addition to Mito Caps, and how does it benefit me?

Ergothioneine (aka l-ergothioneine), an amino acid found primarily in mushrooms, is a natural for inclusion in Mito Caps. Interestingly, perhaps the biggest research paper on ergothioneine was written by Dr. Bruce Ames, whose original studies are the reason why Mito Caps exists.

Some (of many) Studies
One study compared the average daily intake of ergothioneine among several developed countries. The countries with the lowest intake, such as the United States, had a lower average life expectancy. [1]

Additional studies are showing that higher blood levels of ergothioneine are associated with lower incidence of:

• Cardiovascular disease [2]
• Cognitive decline/mild cognitive impairment [3]
• Parkinson's disease [4]
• Crohn's disease [5]

Supports Mitochondrial Health
Ergothioneine has a sulfur-containing group that puts it in a class related to glutathione, one of the most powerful antioxidants produced in the body. In cells, ergothioneine concentrates in the mitochondria, an organelle vulnerable to oxidative stress. Preclinical evidence shows that ergothioneine can help neutralize oxidizing compounds before they damage mitochondria and other cellular structures. [6-9]

Maintaining Longer Telomeres
Another contributor to the aging process is the loss of telomere structure, the protective caps on the ends of chromosomes. [10] With advancing age, these structures are shortened, which is a marker of cellular aging, loss of function, and eventual cell death. A study published in 2020 found that ergothioneine significantly reduced the rate of telomere shortening and decreased the number of short telomeres in cells exposed to oxidative stress conditions. [11]

References available on request.