Does Velvet Deer Antler Increase Testosterone Levels In Humans?

The University of Alberta sports medicine researcher Brian Fischer reported both in the Edmonton Journal and the Calgary Harold that results of a preliminary test on velvet antler could be very promising.

Analysis of the blood from city police recruits and the University of Alberta football players showed that, as a possible result of taking velvet antler, they could have had as much testosterone in their blood as if they had it put there by injection.

Even more interesting was the fact that the velvet antler capsules used were independently tested to make sure that they didn't have any anabolic steroids (testosterone).

Testosterone is thought to have two primary effects in the body. One is androgenic which is a masculinizing effect and the other is anabolic (muscle-building). The androgenic action produces a greater degree of maleness, a deeper voice, broader shoulders, etc. The anabolic features actually build various tissues of the body, primarily muscle. This can occur from the body's own natural reaction to muscular work, proper nutrition, or nutraceuticals that increase testosterone levels. This particular hormone is also essential for growth and repair.

The muscle-building effects of testosterone are well known by scientists and work at least as well as synthetic steroids. In a study conducted by Dr. Gilbert Forbes and colleagues in 1992 at the University of Rochester New York, normal subjects gained an average of 16 Y2 pounds of lean body mass in just 12 weeks.

In the Edminton study, Dr. Fisher noted that once velvet antler administration was stopped, testosterone levels could fall back to normal very quickly. According to Eugene Shippen, M.D. in his book The Testosterone Syndrome, he states that testosterone is far more than just a hormone. Testosterone travels to every part of the human body. There are receptors for it in our brains and toes.

As a testimonial to the possible potential healing power of velvet deer antler, I had the unique experience of working with the trainer for Akebono (Chad Rowan) our Hawaiian-born Sumo Grand Champion. In the Nagoya Tournament a few years ago, Akebono sustained injuries to both knees. The assistant trainer for Akebono called me in to meet with Akebono's orthopedic surgeon to use a series of natural products to speed up the healing process. Once Akebono's physician had determined that the damage was not due to a torn ligament but rather a soft tissue injury, he gave the okay to use velvet deer antler, which could contain Poly-Nag. Within a matter of days, not weeks, Akebono was doing his full exercise program. As a matter of fact, in the next Basho (Sumo tournament) I received a phone call from Akebono who excitedly stated that not only did he go on to win the tournament easily throwing 450-pound men out of the ring, but he also made a comment that he had thought his vitality & stamina had improved, too. The fast recovery of Akebono's injured knees is potentially due to a combination of anti-inflammatory agents within the velvet as well as IGF-1.

^{Excerpt adapted from: Velvet Deer Antler: The Ultimate Antiaging Supplement by Dr. Alex Duarte, 2000.}