Velvet Antler

Velvet is the word used to describe the elk antler before it has started to calcify. In the Orient, velvet has been used for over 2,000 years as a natural remedy for a variety of ailments. In North America velvet is marketed as a dietary supplement. Research promotes the following abilities of velvet antler: reduce inflammation, influence body metabolism, support immune function, protect damaged tissues, and improve blood, liver and kidney function.

There are numerous old and current studies, articles and manuscripts written about velvet antler. Some of them are available below. It would seem that there is a synergistic balance of the components, as they exist naturally in velvet antler. Although nobody is certain WHY velvet works so well in so many different areas, one of the working theories is that our diets are lacking in the essential nutrients that are needed for our bodies to properly work. Velvet antler supplement gives the body what it needs to work properly, thus allowing it to fix itself.

Components of Velvet / A Dietary Supplement / Historical Claims

Can I Give This Product to My Pets? / Hard Antler

Components of Velvet

Components of Velvet
Prostaglandin's Stimulate contractibility of smooth muscles Collagen type II Amino Acids Tryptophan Valine Lysine Methionine Histidine Isoleucine Arginine Leucine Hydrozyproline Tyrosine Aaspartic Acid Phenylalanine Threonine Cysteic Acid Serine Taurine Glutamic Acid Urea Proline Sarcosine Glycine Glucosamine	Fatty Acids Plamitic Oleic Plamitoleic Linoleic Stearic Minerals Aluminium Phosphorous Antiomony Potassium Barium Silicon Boron Sodium Calcium Strontium Cobalt Tin Copper Titanium Iron Vanadium Manganese Zinc Magniesium Molybdenum	Sugars Arabinose Glucose Deoxyribose Mannose Fructose Ribose Galactose Xylose Steroids Estone Testosterone Sphingolipids found in nerve tissues also in high concentration in the brain

Elk Velvet Antler—A Dietary Supplement from Yesterday for Today

Author: Jeong S. Sim, Ph.D., Hoon H. Sunwoo, Ph.D. and Robert Hudson, Ph.D.
University of Alberta, Edmonton

Introduction
The elk farming industry is based on antler production. Yes, there is a potential market for meat and trophy sales, but antlers are what make elk unique and very valuable.

Elk velvet antler (EVA) products are made from the collagenous matrix that forms the rapidly growing antler structure before it turns to bone. All cervids, the members of the deer family, grow and shed antlers every year. In most species, only the males grow antlers. Antlers are a measure of the strength and ability of the male. In order to grow large antlers (weighing up to 8% of total body weight in exceptional individuals), deer and elk must be strong and in excellent health and must be successful in competition for nutrients and territory.

Farmers in China, Russia, and more recently in New Zealand, Australia, Europe, the United States, and Canada, annually harvest velvet antler. Velvet antler grows at an incredible speed. In fact, of all living tissues, only some mushrooms grow faster than antler. It is considered the perfect renewable resource because of its ability to grow back year after year. From the time the velvet antler begins to grow until the time it is harvested is about two to three months. In that short time period, an elk bull may grow over 50 pounds of antler! That kind of growth of nutrient-dense material is almost magical.

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is one of the oldest recorded health systems known, a system still used by over 50% of the world's population. The Chinese have used velvet antler for over 2,000 years. The theory of TCM is based on observing the forces of nature that affect the human body. TCM treatment principles are designed to bring the person back into balance with the forces of nature. The basic premise of TCM is to treat the body as a whole. Our bodies are amazing organisms that can fight toxins, viruses, and all the other "bugs" on their own. TCM helps in that fight, by treating the cause, not the symptom. Natural ingredients are used to promote health and wellness. TCM practitioners are paid only if patients remain in good health. If you become sick, you stop paying-the exact opposite of Western medicine. In traditional medicine, hundreds of years of observation have proven the various diagnoses and treatments.

The Market for Velvet Antler
The velvet antler market is difficult to quantify, largely because customs classifications and agricultural statistics vary from country to country. Korea and Hong Kong are major importers of whole antlers, and they process and re-export sizeable quantities to Europe and North America. Korean imports seem to account for about 85% of the international export market and are currently valued at more than $1 billion. A much larger quantity, possibly as much as ten times as much, is consumed in the producing countries.

New Zealand is a major supplier of antler to the world market. Exports from that country approached 600 tonnes (200 tonnes dried) in 1996. China has greatly expanded its productive capacity to over 400 tonnes fresh weight, but expert opinions seem to vary greatly each year. Russia has produced about 80 tonnes of excellent quality antler in past years, but this has changed with the restructuring of the country. Recently, larger quantities of product of variable quality have been offered to international buyers. Product from Eastern Europe also has increased sharply. North America is still a small player, producing about 100 tonnes in 1997.

With the increasing affluence of all Asian countries, consumption of "luxury" nutraceuticals like velvet antler is expected to increase. Here in North America, we have all witnessed a rise in popularity and confidence in nutraceuticals and natural medicines of all kinds. Velvet antler fits in well with that trend, especially with the long and deep history it brings.

The primary obstacle that our industry faces in accessing the North American market is the lack of solid evidence based on "Western science" to substantiate the knowledge provided by traditional Asian medicine. We have begun, but only just.

The ASPT Symposium
Leading researchers around the world from many different disciplines have begun to look at antler beyond its traditional herbal medicinal uses; however, seldom do they have the opportunity to meet and share their expertise and research findings in these diversified disciplines. Dr. Sim organized and hosted the first International Symposium on Antler Science and Product Technology (ASPT) in Banff, Alberta, April 9-12, 2000.

This symposium, the first of its kind, was designed to assist in linking the West to the East, connecting producers to consumers and uniting scientists with the business community. The meeting attracted an internationally diverse group of people: business professionals, scientific researchers, public health professionals, processors, farmers and consumers from eight different countries. It was an unqualified success.

The meeting has earned overwhelming support and enthusiasm from the industry and the scientific community. It was a true example of team effort between the university and the industry. The symposium attracted over 300 delegates from 14 different countries. Over 27 invited plenary speakers contributed the highest quality scientific papers and 31 poster presentations in a wide range of antler science and product technology disciplines. A video media release on the symposium, funded by NAEBA and the Alberta Elk Association, is available to associations for use in public relations events. And a book of the proceedings of the benchmark meeting, which contains all of the science presented, is now available.

Historical Claims of Velvet Antler

The 3000-year-old book of the "Yellow Dragon"

Boost the will
Strengthen the muscles and bones
Cure general debility
Cure impaired vision
Cure impaired hearing
Treat rheumatism
Osteomyelitis
Delays the onset of senility

1930 Russian Study

Renders a therapeutic effect in various neurasthenic conditions
Vegetative neuroses
Correct functional disorders of the alimentary organs ( stomach, intestines)
Corrects some forms of hypertensive vascular disease
Occasional reference to use in helping with bone fractures.

Wong and Wu- 1936

Reported velvet antler to be sweet and warming with stimulant, diaphoretic, antiperodic, and astringent properties
Prescribed for convulsions with fever, colds, arthritis, deafness, dimness of vision and vertigo
Raises the tone and vigor of the human organism, improving the heat action, eliminating fatigue and weakness of the heart muscle.
Hastens the healing of abrasions
Patients given velvet antler show increased capacity for work, improved appetite, loss of apathy and nervousness>

Li and Soon

Mention applications for the kidneys, lover, muscles, and bones
Properties include stimulating growth increasing red blood cells and enhancing the recovery of broken bones

Literature on Tibetan Medicine

Recommends use for children with diarrhea, vomiting, whooping cough and malaria

Nikitina 1974

Treats anemia, over fatigue, weakness of humans after infections
Treats failure of the heart and vascular systems
Accelerated healing of infected wounds

Skulkova 1982 "Handbook of Medicinal Preparations"

Licensed velvet antler for use in the USSR for cases of over-fatigue, neurasthenia, neurosis, weak condition and after acute infectious illnesses

Luick 1981

Shows effectiveness in cases of epilepsy, anemia, gout, deafness rheumatism, ulcers, headaches
Shows relief of hypertension
The alleviation of convulsions
Improvement in the rate of wound healing
Dissolving of bladder stones

Can I Give This Product to My Pets?

Author: Clinton Balok, DVM

In today's society, pets have become and integral part of the family structure. Because of the importance of pets, owners have become very conscientious about the health and quality of life of those pets. With the average person far outliving their pets, the want for health and longevity of the family pet is certainly understandable.

In North America, millions of pets suffer from chronic arthritis and other aging diseases. The vast array of conventional drugs used to treat these conditions often has serious and even fatal side effects. Because of these side effects, animal health care providers are continually seeking quality alternative treatments. In Gallup, New Mexico, velvet antler, which has no known side effects, has had remarkable results on almost 80% of the 200 animals with clinical arthritis.

In addition to regenerative effects on joint cartilage and joint fluid, velvet antler also has a positive effect on the immune system. This boost often creates a feeling of well being, which affects the appetite and attitude of animals under treatment.

Why does velvet antler work better than some single nutrient natural products on the market? The combination of nutrients available in velvet antler provides a synergistic effect. The result of combining efforts of many nutrients shows a much greater gain than the effort of a single nutrient.

Some more positive effects of velvet antler in animals are:

Improved hair coat.
Improved kidney function.
Increased reproductive performance.
Accelerated wound healing.

All are important issues for pets from young to old.

Average daily cost for an owner to supplement his/her pet with velvet antler is generally cheaper than a cup of coffee.

Work is currently underway to study effectiveness of velvet antler in young animals of breeds that have a high incidence of hip dysplasia. Hip dysplasia is an inherited disease of the hip and elbow joints. The joints begin deteriorating early in life, leading to severe pain and loss of function. Some breeds, such as the German Shepherd and Labrador, have a greater risk than smaller breeds. Velvet antler appears to slow the progression of the disease and increases the animal's quality of life.

There is also some indication that velvet antler's use in puppies promotes bone and muscle growth. With athletic animals, velvet antler is useful in speeding up muscle recovery and preventing soreness after hard workouts.

In horses, positive effects are being noted in musculo-skeletal conditions, hoof and hair growth, and wound healing.

Velvet antler is not a panacea or cure-all, but it can definitely improve the quality of life for animals in a safe and affordable manner. It has a place in the diet and nutritional supplementation program of pets and is a natural and annual renewable resource that every pet and horse owner should consider.

Hard Antler

"Hard antler" refers to elk antlers that have calcified. Each set of antlers, shed annually by bull elk, is unique.

Antler Art:
Artists create beautiful items from these wonders of nature. In antler art, no two pieces are exactly alike because each is made from a natural, distinctive item.

The graceful chandeliers, coffee tables, and lamps created from hard antler complement many styles of furnishings. Some elk breeders sell sheds or harvested trophy antlers to companies that manufacture and sell antler art, and some create their own products to sell by mail order or at local outlets. Hard antler is also used to produce decorative items such as knives, jewelry, and buttons.

Traditional Chinese Medicine:
Hard antler is also exported, where it is washed, dried, ground and reprocessed in the form of antler glue that is used in Traditional Chinese Medicine to promote blood flow, lactation deficiency in women and body weakness

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