RACE CAPS SUPREME - THE MIRACLE SUPPLEMENT

Steve's Prefatory comments:

For more than 38 years, Race Caps Supreme (formerly Race Caps) has been marketed as a primary supplement used by many athletes seeking to improve performance using legal, non-stimulant ingredients. It has also been used by non-competitive, health-conscious individuals to support general health. The product’s development began with Brian Frank’s early use of Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10). The account below describes how that began and how the product was subsequently developed.

In 1983, I (Brian Frank) was a high school student in Long Beach, California. I trained 3–5 hours a day in water polo and motocross, maintained a 3.8 GPA in honours and accelerated classes, and worked two or three jobs to fund my racing.

I often ran out of energy before the end of the day. This occurred despite eating a whole-foods diet high in protein and avoiding refined sugars, high carbohydrate foods, and chemical additives.

At the suggestion of my father, the late Jerry Frank D.C., I began taking high doses of CoQ10 along with vitamin E and inosine. I noticed a substantial change in my perceived energy, endurance, and recovery.

I continued using these three micronutrients, along with my other regular vitamins, for the remainder of high school. I also continued using high doses of CoQ10 during university in San Francisco, where I took up road cycling as rehabilitation following my second knee surgery. During long rides over the Golden Gate Bridge and into the Marin Headlands, I concluded there may be demand for these nutrients among triathletes, cyclists, and endurance athletes of different ages. This led to the creation of E-CAPS in 1987, with support from my father.

At that time, CoQ10 was not widely known by the public, and research was still developing. The article states that today CoQ10 is the most studied nutrient and is widely used globally for cardiovascular health.

Based on this background, the reader is directed to Steve’s article, which argues for the specific CoQ10 formulation used and presents it as a preferred choice for regular use.

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) – the “miracle nutrient”

In 1957, Dr Frederick Crane identified a quinone in the mitochondria of beef heart that became known as Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10). The article links this discovery to subsequent research, including Dr Peter Mitchell’s Nobel Prize-winning work, describing CoQ10 as a naturally occurring nutrient involved in cellular ATP (energy) production, which the body uses to support normal function. [1, 2]

CoQ10 is classified as ubiquinone, a term derived from “ubiquitous”, defined as “present, appearing, or found everywhere”. CoQ10 is given this name because it is present in every cell in the body.

The article states that nutritional scientists broadly agree CoQ10 is important and includes the following quotations:

• “Without CoQ10 or a good substitute, human life quickly ends.”
  • James South, MA
• “That CoQ10 plays a crucial role in aging is beyond doubt. The same applies to CoQ10's role in the immune system. And there is a vital connection between the immune system and aging that cannot be ignored.”
  • Emile G. Bliznakov, MD
• “CoQ10 is energy on call. I have long considered CoQ10 a wonder nutrient because of its ability to support heart health.”
  • Dr Stephen Sinatra
• “Ubiquinone (CoQ10) is possibly the hub around which life processes revolve in the human body.”
  • Dr William V. Judy

The article states that CoQ10’s role in energy production and its antioxidant properties make it relevant for athletic performance and recovery, as well as for broader health support. It also notes that more than 38 years ago CoQ10 was not widely recognised, but Hammer Nutrition (known as E-CAPS at the time) incorporated CoQ10 (ubiquinone) into a product called Race Caps.

The article states that Race Caps became well known among endurance athletes in the late 1980s and 1990s as a legal supplement used to support endurance. As CoQ10 became more widely available, Hammer Nutrition revised the Race Caps formula in 2003 and renamed it Race Caps Supreme.

For more on CoQ10’s benefits, the article refers readers to More Pep in Your Step. 

Race Caps Supreme — CoQ10 and additional ingredients

The article states that Race Caps Supreme contains CoQ10 plus additional nutrients beyond standard ubiquinone or ubiquinol-only supplements, and that these are intended to further support endurance, recovery, and general health.

Idebenone

Idebenone is described as an analogue of CoQ10 (the “good substitute” referenced in the earlier quotation) and a complementary ingredient. The article states that some consider idebenone to be more powerful than CoQ10. One nutritional scientist is quoted as saying that idebenone provides the same core functions as CoQ10 (supporting ATP production and acting as an antioxidant) plus distinct features related to its chemical structure.

Features listed include:

• Improved cognition and mood; reduced damage from Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease; and a potential role in preventing damage caused by excitotoxins (substances associated in the article with MSG and some artificial sweeteners) that may impair neuronal function.
• Support for liver mitochondrial function, suggesting support for liver detoxification processes.
• Operation under hypoxic (low oxygen) conditions, supporting energy production while limiting free radical formation. The article contrasts this with CoQ10, stating that under low oxygen conditions CoQ10 may act as a pro-oxidant, whereas idebenone may help prevent free radical damage while still supporting ATP production.

Vitamin E

The article states that energy production produces free radicals as a normal metabolic by-product and that these can contribute to tissue and cellular damage. Vitamin E is described as a key part of the formula due to its antioxidant role, working alongside CoQ10 and idebenone to neutralise free radicals generated during energy production. Vitamin E is also described as supporting general health, particularly cardiovascular and circulatory system function.

The article references animal research stating that vitamin E supplementation alone reduces inflammation by lowering C-reactive protein (CRP), and that higher CRP levels are associated with increased cardiovascular risk. It also states that co-supplementation with CoQ10 increases the anti-inflammatory effect of vitamin E. [6]

Oxy-Assist

Oxy-Assist is described as a blend intended to:

• enhance oxygen utilisation
• optimise fat burning
• increase energy production
• buffer against acid build-up

It includes the following components:

• Trimethylglycine (TMG): described as supporting conversion of fatty acids to energy; used to treat muscular weakness and degeneration; involved in transporting oxygen to muscle tissue; described as an antioxidant; and noted for potentially lowering elevated homocysteine levels associated with cardiovascular disease.
• Inosine: described as supporting increased oxygen-carrying capacity of blood, delivering more oxygen to working muscles and reducing fatigue.
• Krebs cycle intermediates: described as supporting the Krebs cycle (citric acid cycle / tricarboxylic acid cycle) by supplying specific intermediates (malate, citrate, aspartate, lysinate, glycinate) that also act as chelators for calcium, magnesium, and potassium. Alpha-ketoglutarate is also included.

The article also states that Race Caps Supreme contains:

• BioPerine® (a patented black pepper extract)
• an enzyme blend (Amylase, Lipase, Phytase, Protease, Glucoamylase, Cellulase, Sucrase, Maltase) intended to support digestion and absorption of the nutrients.

Summary

The article states that Race Caps Supreme provides a broader ingredient profile than stand-alone ubiquinone or ubiquinol CoQ10 supplements. It describes the combination of nutrients as intended to support consistent, efficient energy production and enhanced recovery over long-term use. It also states that the product’s athletic performance benefits are unmatched among athlete-specific supplements.

The article further states that regular use may provide general health benefits. For individuals seeking both athletic performance support and broader health support, it recommends consistent supplementation with Race Caps Supreme, and states that it is beneficial for athletes and non-athletes.

 

References (as provided)

[1] FL Crane, Y Hatefi, RL Lester, C Widmer (1957) Isolation of a quinone from beef heart mitochondria. Biochim Biophys Acta 25: 220–221.
[2] FL Crane (1989) Comments on the discovery of coenzyme Q. Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1000: 358–361.
[3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7146408/
[4] https://wholefoodsmagazine.com/columns/vitamin-connection/coenzyme-q10-research-confirms-ubiquinone-and-ubiquinol-are-nearly-equally-absorbed-compounds-the-physical-form-and-companion-ingredients-make-the-bioavailability-and-absorption-difference-in-coenz/
[5] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10715596/
[6] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1356523/
[7] https://www.hammernutrition.com/blog/more-pep-in-your-step