Deer Velvet Usage

In the 1960s, an injectible form of deer velvet was used by Japanese physicians to treat male sexual dysfunction . Deer velvet first began to become popular in the U.S. beginning in the late 1990s. Today, numerous books and websites claim that deer velvet can enhance sexual performance by increasing levels of male hormones. However, these claims are based on extremely preliminary research. Only double-blind, placebo-controlled studies can actually prove a treatment effective, and the one study of this type reported for deer antler failed to find evidence of benefit. (For information on why double-blind studies are essential, see Why Does This Database Rely on Double-blind Studies? )

In this study, 32 healthy men age 45–60 were given either deer velvet (1 gram daily) or placebo for 12 weeks. ¹ The results showed no significant change in sexual function or male hormone levels in the treated group as compared to the placebo group.

A 6-month, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of 168 people with rheumatoid arthritis failed to find that elk velvet antler enhanced the effectiveness of conventional treatment for rheumatoid arthritis . ² Deer antler contains cartilage . On this basis, as well as one study in dogs, it has been promoted as a treatment for osteoarthritis ³ ; however, cartilage is not a proven treatment for this condition. Numerous other proposed benefits of deer velvet are based on test-tube studies or other forms of evidence that are too preliminary to rely upon at all. These include cancer prevention , drug addiction support , immune support , liver protection , osteoporosis treatment , pain control, sports performance , and bodybuilding enhancement. ^{4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11}