Deer antler velvet is one of the few male enhancement ingredients that come from animal sources. As the name implies, this male enhancement ingredient comes from the soft, velvet-like covering that deer antlers have before they turn bony. Deer antler velvet is known as a good source of amino acids, anti-inflammatory peptides, gangliosides, glycosaminoglycans, hormones, minerals, and proteins.
But don’t worry about the People for the Ethical Potential Treatment of Animals (PETA); male enhancement supplement manufacturers that use deer antler velvet are not about to be denounced by PETA and other animal rights groups because the antlers of the stags and the nerves inside them regenerate each year.
The removal of the antlers from male deer is strictly regulated. The stags are brought once a year into specially designed facilities for the process. Local anesthetic is used to ensure that the removal is swift and painless. The deer are freed within 24 hours after the removal. The removed velvet antlers are either dried or frozen before being transported. The dried or frozen antler velvets are then processed to produce extracts, powder, or slices.
An ancient document found in a tomb in Hunan, China dating back 2,000 years documented dozens of different conditions that could be treated using deer antler velvet. Though not an herb, deer antler velvet is listed in Compendium of Materia Medica, a great collection of Chinese herbal medicine in the 16h century, as one of the most prized natural medicinal substances. Deer antler velvet has been used to potentially treat erectile dysfunction, knee weakness, skin conditions, and urinary problems.
Deer antler velvet can be ingested directly or as a tea. Nowadays, it is included in the formulation of a number of natural male enhancement supplements. Its use in Asia rivals that of Ginseng, another known male enhancement ingredient. It is believed to help boost the immune system, fight cancer, reduce inflammation, and enhance athletic performance.
Some manufacturers of male enhancement supplements claim that deer antler velvet can help boost libido and sexual stamina. Russian researchers discovered that pantocrin, an extract from deer antler velvet, can help stimulate sexual behavior in rodents more than Ginseng.
Deer antler velvet has also been shown to boost the blood’s ability to effectively exchange oxygen for wastes. Poor blood circulation or cellular oxygen for waste exchange is associated with certain conditions including sexual dysfunction, which is another reason why deer antler velvet has been added to the formulation of some male enhancement supplements.
There are no side effects associated with ingesting deer antler velvet. Athletes and bodybuilders use it to boost their stamina and to aid in muscle recovery.
