The deer velvet antler has been in use for more than 2000 years in traditional Chinese medicine and remains an essential part of it.
It is also used in countries of Europe, America, and Asia as a beneficial treatment for various health conditions. Research has shown that it stimulates the body’s immune system, strengthens and restores its functions.
The deer antler velvet is used for its supposed ability to increase testosterone levels to treat decreased libido (low sexual drive), infertility, and erectile dysfunction in men.
It is used in combination with other herbs to treat sexual dysfunction and hormonal dysfunction in men and women and is also used to treat conditions resulting from a deficient kidney.
Some people use it because of its renowned prestige as an aphrodisiac and enhancer of muscle strength.
It is also sometimes prescribed to help alleviate the symptoms of abstinence in the treatment of morphine addiction.
Is Deer Antler Velvet Safe?
For anyone who is wondering about the risk of health dangers from taking this supplement, such fears are understandable.
This is because this high-impact bodybuilding product, which has actually been in use in some cultures for as long as 2000 years, has recently been sold in a way which makes it appear very similar to anabolic steroids, and Steroids are not only illegal, they can also be incredibly dangerous when abused.
While deer antler velvet products can produce similar effects to synthetic growth hormones, they are different with different safety indications.
Deer Antler Spray and legality
A ban on deer antler sprays was once put in place by WADA, the World Anti-Doping Agency, as well as the NFL.
These agencies had prohibited deer antler products due to their main ingredient, which is the human growth factor IGF-1.
The IGF is prohibited in all professional sports, because there are possibilities that the players who use it will have an unfair advantage over those who don’t use it, being that the hormone naturally occurs in the human body, and is part of the cell division process that leads to muscle growth when working out.
However, a new investigation saw WADA made a new ruling that deer antler products were deemed acceptable, and the game is not impacted by its use.
Thus, while IGF is still on the restricted list, deer antler spray’s mechanism for delivering the hormone does not constitute a violation of ethics or safety risk and is allowed to be used by players.
Comparing Deer Antler Velvet to Steroids
Steroids are illegal and prohibited for use in professional games, as they are dangerous and have negative consequences for long-term health.
When used excessively, they can create conditions for cancerous tumors and outgrowths.
At the minimum, they cause testicular contraction, mood swings, and the appearance of secondary female sexual characteristics that can even be observed in men.
You can see that steroids can be addictive, and can create powerful psychological dependency which is hard for athletes to break, unlike the deer antler velvet, which is much safer and poses less risk of abuse.
Furthermore, the IGF-1 found in deer antler extracts is natural and not synthetic and is comparable to hormones already present in human blood.
The question then will be: Is it possible to overdose this hormone through the use of sprays?
Well, the answer appears to be no, as it’s not possible to create a harmful dose with this delivery method since the kinds of negative side effects witnessed with steroids would require direct injection of large doses of IGF or HGH.
Following comments on discussion boards across the web, very few side effects if any have been mentioned.
Safe Dose of Deer Antler Velvet
The deer antler spray, when taken in liquid form through a spray bottle, is very safe to take every day, or only during intense exercise and weight training days.
The typical dose is 50 to 100 nanograms of IGF-1, which converts into 3 to 5 sprays. The overdose of IGF-1 would take about 100 times that amount.
Conclusion
When it is used properly by healthy individuals, the deer antler extract is generally considered safe.
Whether or not this amount of the supplement will produce gains in bodybuilding or substantial benefits in other areas is still a matter of assumption.
It is also important to bear in mind that not all-natural products are necessarily safe and the dosage is serious.
Therefore, follow the proper directions on the products’ labels and also consult your doctor or pharmacist before using such products.