Velvet Antler for Stamina, Immunity and Athletic Performance

Velvet Antler for Stamina, Immunity and Athletic Performance

by Monica Emerich

A silk scroll dated 168 BC, recovered from a Han tomb in the Hunan Province in China, is the first-known documented medicinal use of velvet antler--the immature antler of elk or deer. Today, people in Asian countries still regard velvet antler as one of the most powerful of health tonics.

Velvet Antler is used primarily to maintain and support normal energy levels, stimulate mental clarity and enhance immune function. Western medical research is not only supporting these traditional uses, but also discovering new applications such as its ability to improve athletic performance.

"Modern science is proving what the ancients knew all along--that velvet antler can be used to support good health," said Michael-John Loza, general manager of marketing for the New Zealand Game Industry Board, which undertakes research and coordinates quality assurance programs on behalf of the deer farming industry in New Zealand, which is a major world producer of deer antler velvet.

Animal Welfare

Two myths cling to velvet antler. One is that the substance is primarily an aphrodisiac. The other is that the deer and elk are harmed or even killed for their antlers.

"The animals are lavishly treated compared to other livestock animals," said Lloyd Riddle, CEO of Natraflex in Castle Rock, Colo. "We purchase raw materials only from selected growers who adhere to rigorous safety, sanitation and animal welfare controls established by a governing agency such as the North American Elk Breeders Association (NAEBA)."

New Zealand, Loza said, pioneered many of the methods of modern humane and sustainable deer farming including antler removal. When it is time to remove the velvet antler, stags are brought in from the prairie and managed in specially designed facilities to minimize stress on the animals. A local anesthetic is administered before antlers are removed. Within a very short time after removal, the animals are eating and displaying natural behaviors, and while ready to be released to the herds, farmers keep the animals under supervision immediately after velvet removal.

"It is in the best interest of the farmers to minimize stress on the animals to keep them happy and healthy for years upon years," Loza said. "In New Zealand, only veterinarians or specially trained farmers are allowed to remove velvet and all velvet-removal techniques are thoroughly researched and approved by government and animal welfare agencies."

Medicinal Effects of Velvet Antler

Riddle said research on deer and elk velvet has not shown any differences in activity between the two. A scan of the published research, however, shows that most clinical research on velvet antler has used deer antler velvet.

According to the principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine, velvet antler tonifies the Yang. It is used for conditions of deficient Yang, particularly kidney Yang, which manifest as systemic exhaustion, depression, cold, lower back pain and weak pulse.

In the case of deer antler velvet, there is such a range of clinical uses that it is unlikely that a single ingredient of the velvet could be responsible for them all. The following list of key components of velvet could be active either separately or in combination, Loza said.

Minerals: Calcium, nitrogen, magnesium, phosphorus, sulfur, sodium and potassium.

Trace minerals: Iron, zinc, copper, manganese and selenium.

Other: Growth factors, such as insulin-like growth factors 1 and 2, transforming growth factor beta 1, nerve growth factor and a variety of lymphokine cytokines; lipids, including phospho- and glycolipids; proteins; free amino acids; free fatty acids; and complex carbohydrates.

Loza added, however, that the quality of velvet is affected by the animals' diets, the time of velvet removal, animal- breeding techniques and velvet-processing methods.

"Velvet antler is a whole food that contains beneficial constituents that work synergistically for health," Riddle said. "Only the water has been removed from velvet antler supplements."

In a 10-week, double-blind study on the effect of New Zealand Red Deer antler velvet on athletic performance, New Zealand researchers discovered it improved muscle endurance and recovery time after exertion. Those who took the velvet supplements showed almost twice the improvement of the placebo group in the amount of work they were able to do in a strength test. While the results were not statistically significant, they identified a strong trend and formed the basis for phase two of the study now underway.

"Contrary to popular misconception, the study indicates that improving muscle strength may not necessarily require increasing muscle size," said Jimmy Suttie, Ph.D., New Zealand's lead researcher on the study at AgResearch Invermay and an internationally recognized expert in deer antler composition and physiology.

Other uses for velvet have been documented in animal and human studies as follows, according to the New Zealand Game Industry Board.

Immune function--In Asia, families regularly use deer antler velvet to help support a healthy immune system. The precise way in which deer antler velvet supports the white blood cell count is not known, but one possible answer may be that it increases the number of antibody-secreting cells in response to an immune challenge from a pathogen.¹

Joint and soft-tissue health--Studies have shown that deer antler velvet may support healthy joint function and healthy tissue. A study on mice in New Zealand showed that deer antler velvet acted in a positive manner on damaged peritoneal tissue. As with all beneficial effects from deer antler velvet that have been seen in animal studies, human studies are necessary before the effect can be verified for human health.²

The NAEBA says that velvet's glycosamino glycans, calcium, chondroitin sulfate, omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids contribute to joint support and relieving inflammation.

Growth--Deer antler velvet is used traditionally in Asia to support normal growth and development of the body.^3,4 In traditional use, Russian practitioners use deer antler velvet to strengthen weakened patients.

Blood--Deer antler velvet supports healthy blood function. Animal studies show that deer antler velvet may support healthy blood by maintaining the blood's ability to carry oxygen and by supporting normal cell counts.^5,6

Anti-aging--In animal studies, deer antler velvet supports healthy body functions. It appears to have the effect of decreasing the content of enzymes in the liver and brain, which are associated with degenerative processes. In addition, in animal studies, deer antler velvet has supported healthy plasma testosterone, liver protein content and liver enzymes associated with cell growth.^7,8,9 The scientists who carried out this work concluded that deer antler velvet could have anti-aging effects by supporting healthy body functions.

Cholesterol--In a study on the effects of deer antler velvet on cholesterol in guinea pigs, treatment with deer antler velvet helped maintain healthy liver, spleen and brain cholesterol.¹⁰

Blood pressure--Animal research shows that deer antler velvet extract may support normal blood pressure in healthy people.^11,12

Anti-tumor effects--Some effects have been detected in studies on mice.

Suttie is quick to point out, however, that marketers of velvet must be cautious in making health claims for velvet. "Modern research on velvet is in the early stages, and while the traditional usage, literature searches and animal studies all point to favorable health benefits of velvet, more rigorous clinical trials will be necessary to fully understand the activity of the substance and its constituents," he said.

References available upon request.

Monica Emerich is president of Natural Information LLC, a communications company in Lafayette, Colo., specializing in the areas of health and nutrition.

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