Hunters Haven Lodge
About Velvet Antler

We did a little hunting through magazines and other publications to answer these questions. Please read Footnote near page bottom.*

1. Velvet Antler....What's that?
2. What is Good about it?
3. How does it Work?
4. What is the History of Velvet Antler?
5. What do studies show?
6. Is Velvet Antler safe?
7. Can Velvet Antler be used for Pets?

Velvet Antler is a wonderful product, carefully and humanly harvested from live elk. Domesticated elk have been raised to provide Velvet Antler products in other countries for centuries, and elk ranching is a growing industry in North America. Harvesting elk antler can be compared to harvesting wool from sheep. As an example, elk provide a renewable product without threatening the animals well-being. In contrast, most "natural" joint care products that contain chondroitin and glucosamine are made from cattle, swine and even shellfish remains, and in those cases requires destruction of the animal source.

In the wild the antlers of elk bulls are used as weapons for defence or to keep control of their domain territory. Normally these males shed their antlers each fall after breeding season, with new regrowth coming in the following year. But in a human protected domestic environment and due to the males natural aggressiveness, hard antlers can be a serious danger to other animals in the herd as well as their human caretakers. Therefore, annual antler harvesting of domesticated animals is beneficial to the domesticated beasts, their caretakers, as well as for the humans who use this by-product.

In North America, the main source of velvet antler is from the domesticated North American Elk. The antlers are harvested while still in the velvet stage, that is why this by-product is often called "Velvet Antler". During this period of antler growth is when this natural supplement is reported to have best properties to: improve joint mobility with reduced inflammation for arthritis sufferers and athletes, provides enhancement to the immune system, enhances performance and endurance for the athletic, improve muscular development and glandular function, increase blood production hence enhance sexual function.

The best form of Velvet Antler product is careful cleaned and prepared to be freeze dried, ground, and placed into gel capsules with no added ingredients. Since velvet antler is a annual renewable resource, for that reason it is very important to take humane precautions to maintain the health and the well being of each of the animals who's antlers are being harvested.

Velvet Antler uses traditionally include strengthening tendons and bones, nourishment for the blood and strengthen the kidneys to promote sexual function. Today in modern times, the benefits of Velvet Antler has been broaden to a larger range of applications. These include reducing inflammation, improving joint mobility, providing immune system support, boosting muscle development and glandular function, enhancement of athletic performance and strength, preventing viral infections, libido, preventing viral infections, decreasing stress, enhancement of mental function, increasing the production of blood and energy boosting. Velvet Antler could possibly even have benefits to cardiovascular applications and anti-tumor activities as well.

Rich in nutrients, containing nearly 40 compounds that have been shown to aid a number of body functions and systems. Velvet Antler includes:

• Bone morpogenetic protein, which speeds bone growth.
• Calcium, which benefits bones, teeth and nervous function.
• Chondroitin sulfate, which strengthens and protects cartilage.
• Collagen, which binds joints, a main component of articular cartilage.
• Glucosamine sulfate, a reported anti-inflammatory and building block of cartilage.
• Insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I0, which accelerates the body's natural restorative process by stimulating cells to regenerate.
• Lipids to build cells booting energy.
• Magnesium that help cells restore, release energy.
• Monoamine-oxidase inhibitors, which enhance mood.
• Phosphorus, that helps build bones and teeth, a key component of metabolic reactions.
• Polysaccharides, that reduce the blood's tendency to clot, improving circulation, decreasing stroke risk and boosting general cardiovascular health.
• Potassium, which benefits muscles and nerves.
• Prostaglandins, which regulate muscle realization or contraction, reduce inflammation, reduce swelling, and reduce blood clotting.
• Selenium, which reduces infections and benefits blood cells and organs, including the heart, liver and lungs.

The fact that elk antler is used as a helpful aid to towards a wide variety of conditions doesn't mean that it is some wonder cure, but rather that many illnesses occur because of a common cause and supplements such as velvet elk antler could be used to help these imbalances before serious illnesses develop. Many people choose to take herbals and other natural medicines such as velvet elk antler because they find them effective, often more gentle than over-the-counter cures and rarely have any side effects from taking them.

The use of velvet antler historically dates back to the Han Dynasty, called "Lu Rong", it was used for treating impotence, wounds, pain, and arthritis. The first documented medicinal use of velvet antler is from China's Hunan Province and appeared on a silk scroll dated 168 BC. Velvet Antler has been and still is an essential component of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Many Korean people take Velvet Antler faithfully and consider it a life long ingredient for good health, for reasons of both its preventative and curative powers. They believe it enhances metabolism, protects and restores damaged tissues, and slows the ageing process. Dr. Yoon, a highly regarded doctor of Oriental medicine in Seoul, South Korea, has used elk antler to help improve the growth of children and in the elderly for the prevention and treatment of arthritis and osteoporosis.

Other cultures, including ancient Rome and Northern Europe, also used antler for a variety of conditions for thousands of years. In the west, research continues to explore the various nutritional and medicinal properties of velvet antler. These results will no doubt continue to support and strengthen the authenticity of velvet antler and should tell us someday, what the eastern cultures have already known for 2000 years, Velvet Elk Antler is a fundamental ingredient for good health.

Research on the use of velvet antler began in the Soviet Union in 1931, this was when pantocrin was discovered, which is an extract prepared from velvet antler.

Studies show that glucosamine, which is a key compound in velvet antler, helps repair damaged cartilage and inhibits cartilage degradation. A double-blind study of glucosamine on 40 patients with osteoarthritis showed that glucosamine had significantly longer-lasting benefits than ibuprofen.

Studies have also shown that chondroitin sulfate, which is another main compound in velvet antler, reduces symptoms of osteoarthritis. In one study of 146 patients with knee osteoarthritis, patients who received chondroitin showed a marked reduction in pain and other symptoms of osteoarthritis, with effects that continued up to three months after the study ended.

Also found in velvet antler is collagen, which has shown to relieve the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. One double-blind study of 60 affected rheumatoid arthritis patients showed a remarkable significant reduction in joint swelling and pain with collagen added to their daily intake. Four patients even claimed remission from the condition. Patients who received a placebo reported no reduction in symptoms. In another study using collagen in the treatment of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, eight out of 10 patients receiving collagen reported less swelling, less morning stiffness, less pain, increased grip strength, and ambulatory endurance.

A link to cardiovascular health with velvet antler use, has been shown on several studies. Test subjects who used velvet antler were able to increase work load and had shown a shorter recovery time needed between test exercises. Other studies have shown increase in heart strength and the volume of blood pumped among subjects who used velvet antler, and a decrease in cholesterol levels.

One study reportedly found that chondroitin sulfate (a key compound of velvet antler) can reduce the risk of fatal heart attacks and stroke by more then 400 percent, and can help regulate blood pressure.

In a study of the effects of velvet antler on blood pressure, 8 out of 10 patients who received pantocrin showed a significant reduction in blood pressure. Systolic readings were as much as 20 to 70 points lower, as were diastolic readings 10 to 20 points lower. Another study reported that velvet antler lowered blood pressure an average of 20 to 23 points in test animals.

Studies on human and animals have shown that velvet antler can increase performance and endurance. Studies of anabolic agents and their effects on endurance, strength and muscle composition, velvet antler has been shown to help increase muscle restoration following exertion, and appears to have properties which help the body to recoup. Interestingly, pantocrin has also been shown to help animals recover quickly from whiplash-like injuries.

A study of New Zealand Athletes also proved interesting. One group of volunteers for 10 weeks, received 70mg of velvet antler per day. A control group received a placebo for same 10 weeks. Both groups underwent moderate training over that 10 week period. The group taking velvet antler showed twice as much muscle endurance, and lost more body fat than those in the control group. The researchers suggested that antler extract works by improving blood supply to muscles or by acting as an anti-inflammatory, allowing athletes to recover faster.

One study seems to have found that animals who were given velvet antler grew significantly faster and as much as 12 percent more than a control group. Interesting was the fact that the velvet antler group showed increased liver weight and higher bone calcium content, and velvet antler appeared to decrease the excretion of calcium. Another animal study showed that velvet antler increased growth rate slightly, enhanced food conversion, increased weight of testes and reduced the weight of the thyroid.

Appearing to be a monoamine oxidase inhibitor, in animal studies velvet antler has been shown to enhance mood. Monoamine-oxidase inhibitors prevent the breakdown of neurotransmitters (like norepinephrine and serotonin), allowing them to be available to the brain longer.

Velvet antler may help prevent or reduce both shock and stress responses. Test animals given velvet antler showed quicker recovery times to shock and stress than those who did not receive velvet antler

Studies also suggest velvet antler may help treat inflammatory liver and kidney diseases. On study it appeared that damaged liver tissue was able to recover after treatment with velvet antler. Other studies suggest that Velvet antler enhanced protein formation in both the liver and kidney.

A study with rats and the effects of velvet antler on immunity also proved interesting. Those given velvet antler showed an increase in monocytes, necessary to immune function. Another study on mice, showed that velvet antler appears to increase neutrophil levels, which boost the body's ability to fight injuries and disease. Yet another study on mice have shown that pantocrin (a key compound in velvet antler) enhanced phagocytosis and immunoglobulin levels in mice.

One study with mice showed that compounds found in velvet antler increased the survival rate of mice with cancerous tumors as much as 40 percent. Another study found that mice with tumors lost less weight and suffered less kidney damage than those treated with with a frequently-prescribed anti-cancer drug. Interesting was the fact that mice that received a combination of velvet antler extract and anti-cancer drugs survived longer. But also had fewer side effects than those given anti-cancer drugs alone.

Velvet antler may also have helpful applications in brain function. Animal studies on mice given velvet antler seems to show improvements in measurements of senility. Other studies suggest increases testosterone levels and appear to help prevent conditions associated with aging.

There has been no long-term toxicity studies conducted yet on velvet antler. However, there have been no reported side effects, and because of its long historical use with the Orientals, velvet antler is considered safe. There is suppose to be over 250 documented studies supporting its use in human health. Recommended is the use of freeze dried velvet antler, which is suppose to be far superior to heat-dried antler, because the heat de-natures or damages the active nutrients found in antler.

Many people have reported giving velvet antler to their pets, with results similar to what many people seem to experience. A practicing Veterinarian in New Mexico has a study involving over 200 animals, mostly dogs. The results are very good. Especially for those who have osteoarthritic and musculoskeletal conditions, or those animals that became injured and need nutrients found in velvet antler for better healing. Many of the animals given velvet antler became more active, show less pain, and show good healing to injuries. It is said not all animals respond, but then aspirin also does not work on all headaches. Some new studies are being planned for all species of animals. Some people report giving their medium sized arthritic dogs 600mg daily for first two weeks and drop down to 300mg daily afterwards, with satisfactory results showing on their pets.

*Note: Coteau Springs Elk Ranch has not had any testing done to confirm the above statements that are derived from various sources and publications. Also, the above statements derived from various sources and publications, may not have been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration concerning Velvet Antler. Coteau Springs Elk Ranch makes NO claims that Velvet Antler is intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Please use your own discretion, good judgement and caution, concerning the nature of these above statements.