Velvet deer antler, aphrodisiac
velvet deer antler, aphrodisiac
A 2,000-year-old scroll discovered in a tomb in Hunan
Province, China, listed dozens of different diseases that could be treated with
deer velvet. The 16th century "Materia Medica," a standard text of Chinese
herbalists, lists deer velvet as one of the most highly prized natural medicinal
substances.
Antler removal is ideally done under
strict regulatory processes. Once a year, male deer are brought into specially
designed facilities for antler removal. The process is quick and painless, using
local anesthetic, and within minutes of antler removal, the deer are back with
their herds grazing. After removal, antlers are frozen and transported under
sanitary conditions. The product is then dried and processed, which can include
powder, extracts or slices.
Deer Antler Velvet, Planetary Formulas
Deer Antler Velvet Supplement Facts:
Amount Per 2 tablets:
Calcium - 260 mg
Deer Antler Velvet - 500 mg
Suggested Use: one deer antler velvet tablet in the morning before breakfast a
few times a week or as directed by your doctor.
Deer Antler Velvet is available at Physician Formulas.
You will also find a complete list of top quality products
What's in Deer Antler?
Deer antler is named after the soft, velvet-like covering
that deer antlers have before they turn bony. Antlers are organs of bone which
regenerate each year from the heads of male deer. In addition to bone, support
tissues such as nerves also regenerate. Nerves grow up to 1 cm each day. Antler
velvet contains many substances including
amino acids, minerals, proteins,
anti-inflammatory peptides, hormones, gangliosides and glycosaminoglycans, and
Insulin-like Growth Factor-1. The composition of velvet supplements depend on
the diet of the deer, climate, time of year, age of stag and the various
concentrations of substances in different regions of the antler velvet itself.
Velvet Deer Antler as an
Aphrodisiac
Research studies with deer antler velvet in relation to
sexual function are quite limited. A Russian study with pantocrin, an extract
from deer antler velvet, showed the extract to stimulate sexual behavior in
rodents more than ginseng. Another study showed velvet to have anti-inflammatory
properties and potentially helpful in rheumatoid arthritis. No toxic effects
have been found with deer velvet when tested in rodents. A recent study done in
Canada did not find deer antler velvet to have muscle strengthening or exercise
enhancing potential with this substance.
For more information on another aphrodisiac,
mucuna pruriens.
Deer Antler Availability
Deer antler velvet is sold in a variety of dosages, most commonly 250 mg.
Since deer antler velvet products are available from many countries and regions,
one can expect variations in composition between different products. I don’t yet
have any personal experience with deer antler velvet and I don’t have any
recommendations on its use.
Deer Antler Velvet Research Update
The effects of deer antler velvet extract or powder supplementation on aerobic
power, erythropoiesis, and muscular strength and endurance characteristics.
Sleivert G, Burke V. University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, New Brunswick,
Canada E3B 5A3.
Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2003 Sep;13(3):251-65.
To determine the effects of deer antler velvet on maximal aerobic performance
and the trainability of muscular strength and endurance, 38 active males were
randomly assigned in a double-blind fashion to either deer antler velvet extract
(n = 12), powder (n = 13), or placebo groups (n = 13). Subjects were tested
prior to beginning supplementation and a 10-week strength program, and
immediately post-training. All subjects were measured for circulating levels of
testosterone, insulin-like growth factor, erythropoietin, red cell mass, plasma
volume, and total blood volume. Additionally, muscular strength, endurance, and
VO2max were determined. All groups improved 6 RM strength equivalently, but there was a greater increase in isokinetic knee extensor
strength and endurance in the powder compared to placebo group. There were no
endocrine, red cell mass or VO2max changes in any group. These findings do not
support an erythropoetic or aerobic ergogenic effect of deer antler velvet.
Further, the inconsistent findings regarding the effects of deer antler velvet
powder supplementation on the development of strength suggests that further work
is required to test the robustness of the observation that this supplement
enhances the strength training response and to ensure this observation is not a
type I error.
Deer antler velvet
supplement questions
Q. Are there any problems combining deer antler velvet supplement along
with mangosteen herb?
A.
The combination should be fine as long as the dosages are low.
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