Common Name: Deer Antler Velvet
Synonyms: Antler velvet

Overview:

Deer antler velvet has been a part of traditional Chinese medicine for over 2,000 years. Traditional medicine values antler velvet for its ability to:

1. Increase the libido and sexual energy of both men and women
2. Increases overall vitality
3. Improves metabolism
4. Improves circulation
5. Sharpen mental awareness

Deer shed their antlers every year. Deer antler velvet is named after the velvety soft tissue that protects the soft new antlers as they grow and harden. These velvet covered antlers are harvested in the spring from deer, elk, and moose or caribou herds. This is the time of new antler growth when the hormone precursors and anti inflammatory prostaglandins are at their peak. Harvesting laws are in place to ensure that the animals experience little pain or discomfort. Collection process is done under a local anesthetic usually by veterinarians with the animals with techniques that are designed to prevent anxiety, injury and pain to the animals. Once the antlers are harvested the deer are returned to their natural habitat.

Benefits

The western world is only just beginning to take advantage of deer antler velvet’s many contributions to optimal health. Deer antler velvet is high in:

1. prostaglandins
2. hormones
3. amino acids
4. proteins
5. glycosaminoglycans, one of which is glucosamine sulfate
6. Insulin –Like Growth Factor-1 or IGF-1
   

Studies are showing that deer antler velvet is a very useful tool in reversing the aging process.

1. A 1986 study in China showed that the hormone LH (leuteinizing hormone) was increased after deer antler supplementation. LH is a hormone that is secreted by the pituitary gland to signal the body to increase testosterone production.
2. The cartilage contains prostaglandins, that in vitro (in the lab), are more potent than the steroids usually used to treat the inflammation of arthritis.
3. Japanese animal studies showed that antler velvet increased testosterone levels.
4. Still other studies done in Japan showed the improvement of liver function in animals given deer antler velvet.
5. Still other studies in Japan showed that deer antler velvet inhibited the production of enzyme called MAO-B. This enzyme’s production increases with age and contributes to age related atherosclerosis, arthritis, dementia and depression.
6. Several studies done in New Zeeland at the Invermay Research Institute have shown that deer antler velvet has antiviral and antitumor properties.
7. Deer antler velvet contains extremely high levels of the growth promoting hormones IGF-1 and IGF-2. These hormones stimulate the pituitary gland to release HGH. The amount of HGH released is age dependant. Its levels can drop by more than 20% by 60 years of age. This drop in HGH leads to many of the physical symptoms of aging. Symptoms such as muscle atrophy, loss of strength, loss of libido and sexual function. Studies conducted in Russia, showed that supplementing their Olympic athletes with deer antler velvet increased not only their muscle mass and strength but allowed fro quicker recovery time from strenuous workouts. This has lead to the regular use in Russia of deer antler velvet to decrease recovery time after surgery.

Recommended Dosage:

The recommended dosage for deer antler velvet is 500mg twice a day.

Precautions

Deer antler velvet is generally considered as safe.

Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding should consult a health care provider before using deer antler velvet. The affects of deer antler velvet on children and those suffering from liver or kidney disease have not been studied. It is recommended that in children and people with liver or kidney disease citrulline supplementation not be used

Printed Reference Material

1. Houpt J.B., McMillan R., Wein C., Paget-Dellio S.D. Effect of Glucosamine Hydrochloride in the Treatment of Pain of Osteoarthritis of the Knee. J Rheumatol 1999; 26:2423-30.
2. Ghosh P., Smith M., and Wells C. Second Line Agenda Osteoarthritis. In Dixon, J.S. and Furst, D.E., EDA Second Line Agents in the Treatment of Rheumatic Disease, Marcel Dekker, New York, p. 383, 1992.
3. Roden L. Effect of Hexosamines on the Synthesis of Chondoitin Sulfuric Acid in vitro. Ark Keml 1956