Deer antler velvet has been lauded as the next miracle cure, with doses for sale on the internet going anywhere from twenty dollars to over a grand, which is a lot of money to burn if it turns out to be snake oil. But there must be something to it; the supplement is currently on the banned substances list for the NFL and most major sports leagues. The facts are simply this:

• The velvet is harvested from the tips of deer antlers and turned into a supplement
• The supplement contains the compounds Neurotrophin-3 and IGF-1
• IGF (insulin-like growth factor) has been linked with muscle and bone development
• Neurotrophin-3 has been linked with neurological regeneration and growth

Normally when the term Deer Antler Velvet is placed in a search engine what gets cranked out is information for athletes and bodybuilders (along with questionable citation-lacking opinions) but there never seems to be any information about the effects for people who genuinely need healing, such as disabled veterans coming back from service overseas.

Deer Antler Velvet on Neurology

Deer antler velvet contains a compound known as Neurotrophin-3, which according to a trial run by the University of Munich, was able to cause sprouts to grow in the spines of rats in the corticospinal tract. This is important because in the trial, the rats’ spines were previously covered in lesions, and after the trial the rats tested positive for an antibody linked with regeneration of neural fibers.

The department of Veterans Affairs claims there are as many as 332,000 Americans living with spinal cord injuries, with more than 22,000 being veterans and unfortunately the number of both increases each year. If there is any chance that Neurotrophin-3 can help people this needs more funding and research immediately.

Deer Antler Velvet On Skeletal Muscles

IGF-1, a key compound in Deer antler velvet, has been linked to increased strength and stamina, with mixed results; however for disabled veterans it is the muscle regeneration of skeletal muscles that may prove to be more helpful. There is also been correlating research between IGF-1 and bone density increase which would be beneficial to persons with osteoporosis or brittle bone disease (osteogenesis imperfecta).

According to Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science, a trial was conducted involving hatched chickens two weeks of age, the muscle mass increase 10% to 24% and the contractile force was increased by 14% to 22%.

Finally, please know the material found on this website and blog are informational only. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.