Earl Mindell, Ph.D
Antler extracts may one day become accepted in the West as an alternative treatment for generative joint and cartilage conditions."

Ron Teeguarden Master Herbalist
"The special combination of nutrients in antler has been reported to affect metabolism, strengthen muscle contractions, improve nerve impulses, regulate blood pressure, and treat arthritis."

Dr. Peter Yoon Doctor of Oriental MedicineSeoul, South Korea
"Velvet Antler can be applied to most of the diseases but I especially use it for sciatic neuritis, impotence, shoulder pain, neck stiffness and the after effects of paralysis." " We have experimental results which show deer velvet antler has a good effect in preventing respiratory disease such as influenza." Dr. Yoon, prescribes it for kidney disorders, anemia, and for normalizing blood pressure. It is also used to treat impotence and other male sexual problems and menstrual problems, infertility and menopause in women. Also, when a pregnant woman takes velvet powder during Childbirth, it is very helpful for an easy delivery.

Mr. Samson Wong of the Tak Tai Ginseng Farm, Hong Kong
"Asians take velvet as a tonic to maintain good health, cure sickness and strengthen a weakened body". He added that velvet is also used to increase the blood, remedy kidney deficiency and gastro-intestinal disorders, to improve low blood pressure and eliminate anemia. It is also used to promote rapid healing by aiding the regeneration of damaged tissue, to treat menstrual disorders and menopause in women, to relieve lumbago and improve weak bones and sinews.

Dr. Arthur Johnson, University of Minnesota in Duluth
Dr. Johnson discovered that cartilage contains a small Molecular weight protein which has the unique ability to modulate the immune system. This means that, if the immune system is depressed, this particular protein can dramatically improve it. And, if the immune system is overactive, it can reduce activity until it reaches normal range. Velvet deer antler has been shown to be capable of modulating the immune system.

Dr. Arkady Koltun, M.D.,Ph.D., Chairman of the Medical
Committee for the Russian Bodybuilding Federation
For twelve years Dr. Koltun conducted research into anabolic agents that can improve performance, strength and musculature in Russian athletes. In studies with Russian kayakers, weight-lifters, bodybuilders, and power lifters, Dr. Koltun found that velvet deer antler is myotropic (increases muscular strength). He also found that it has powerful neurotropic (nerve strengthening) properties and is beneficial in treating infectious deseases, fatigue, hypertension.

Dr. Koltun revealed that Pantocrine has induced significant increases in endurance in his athletes. After using Pantocrine in the pre-Olympic festival in Russia two of Dr. Koltuns' top kayakers and a world-class record holder in canoeing achieved remarkably improved results. These sportsmen not only stabilized their racing time one week before competition, but dramatically increases their speed in rowing. All received gold metals and established new world records.

Dr. Koltun went on to describe on interesting phenomenon that occurs in athletes that are over trained, even in young athletes. He explained that when athletes train too hard, they develop an electrolyte imbalance in the heart muscle, in which there is a loss of recovery and endurance. He calls this condition "Myocardial Dystrophy" and explained that electrocardiograms show dysphasic and extreme negative T-wave readings which is an image of ventricular repolarization of the cardiac ventricles. Improving Recovery Time

Dr. Koltun contends that sportsmen (and women) with Myocardial Dystrophy have a problem with myocardial and that this, in turn, significantly limits their performance. But there is a good prognosis for them if they lay off their training activity for two weeks. When Pantocrine was given along with inosine and vitamin B-6, he was able to decrease the time of recovery to 10 days. In other words, the athletes recovery time was dramatically reduced. This allows the athlete to participate in many competitions with short recuperation periods in between. Dr. Koltun also mentioned that one of the most significant attributes of velvet antler is the discovery of Dr. Ivan Kinia, who co-authored several studies from the Siberian institution known as Blagoveshemska in 1989. It was shown that among the main bioactive substances in deer antler are the anti-inflammatory prostaglandins, which are especially effective in people who suffer from arthritis.

Growth Hormone Factors
In scientific studies analyzing the medical properties of velvet deer antler, Dr. Peter Fennessey, General Manager of the Invermay Research Center in Otago, New Zealand found that antler extracts improve cell growth and also produce anti-tumor and anti-viral effects. During and investigation into the factors that make antlers grow, The Invermay group measured a natural hormone factor called "Insulin-like Growth Factors-1" or "IGF-1". High levels of IGF-1 were found in deer blood during the antler growth Period as well as IGF-1 receptors in the antlers. Dr. Fennessey's team also discovered that the IGF-1 and IGF-2 (a related hormone) promoted growth in laboratory cell lines from mice.

When we are young, we have a relatively healthy concentration of human growth hormone. In our teenage years, most of us are slim and lean, with low body fat and good musculature. The reason human growth hormone generates lean body mass is its influence on IGF-1. As we get older, our growth hormone levels decrease along with IGF-1, which causes muscular atrophy. Velvet deer antler is a natural source of IGF-1, which can improve muscular development without affecting human growth hormone levels.

Accelerated Wound Healing
Scientists can only speculate about Dr. Fennessey's findings, which may explain (to some degree) the anabolic properties of the velvet deer antler. If there are high concentrations of hormone-like substances in blood, tissue, and bone, accelerated tissue repair after trauma such as intense exercise can be induced by velvet deer antler. But the most important consideration is the cartilaginous concentration of the antler itself. Researchers such as Dr. John F. Prudden discovered (more than 35 years ago) that cartilage contains and element called N-Acetyl-Glucosamine, which has been demonstrated to accelerate wound healing significally.
Cartilage also contains glycosaminoglycans, the up-regulators of cartilage production and turnover. It is also a very powerful regulator of synoviocytes, which regulates the integrity of the joint fluid. Perhaps this is the primary reason that arthritics are helped so much by shark cartilage and velvet deer antler.

In 1974, two Russian doctors found that Pantocrine, the Soviet version of velvet deer antler improved the performance of average healthy sportsmen (athletes). Unadministered athletes on the exercise cycle performed 15kg/m of dynamic work. This is truly a remarkable increase in performance. Another Russian scientist, Dr. Taney, showed in 1964 that the mental capacity of young men (as indicated by a mathematical test) improved significantly following the administration of velvet deer antler.

Another ingredient found in velvet deer cartilage is Chondroitin Sulfate A, an extremely powerful anti-inflammatory agent shown by Dr. Lester Morrison (over 10 years ago) to reverse atherosclerosis and dramatically improve circulation. Dr. Morrison conducted a six-year study demonstrating that Chondroitin Sulfate A reduces the incident of fatal heart attacks and strokes by more than 400%!