At some point in your life you've probably seen a picture or a video of a deer with soft, furry antlers. Many people assume that these are simply young deer, which is why their antlers haven't fully developed yet. Actually, though, these are known as "velvet antlers" and male deer (known as bucks) grow them once a year after they shed their previous antlers. These velvet antlers are believed to have numerous health benefits.
Most species of bucks shed their antlers immediately after the rut when they are no longer needed to compete with others in hopes of mating with a female deer (doe). This process typically happens somewhere in between the months of December to March. After the buck sheds his antlers, he immediately begins to grow velvet antlers which are simply antlers covered in blood vessels that supply them with nutrients and vitamins to help stimulate their regrowth.
A transcript was found in the Hunan Province of China which dates back to nearly 2,000 years ago that contained what are believed to be medical benefits of deer antler velvet. Still to this day, traditional Chinese medicine adamantly promotes the use of deer antler velvet for medicinal benefits of all kind. In fact, it's the most prominently used medicine in the culture, only second to ginseng.
So, what kind of health benefits does deer antler velvet provide? Well, research is still ongoing, but studies have suggested it to be primarily effective as an anti-inflammatory agent. This is due to the high concentration of hormone-like substances that are the precursor for rapid tissue growth, which makes sense because deer antlers are the fastest growing tissue known in the animal kingdom.
Some people swear that deer antlers have cured or greatly reduced the magnitude of their arthritis, which may be linked to its anti-inflammatory properties. A simple internet search of "antler velvet arthritis" will reveal just how popular it is for treating this condition, although many supplement companies may try to take advantage of this by marketing antler velvet as a cure for arthritis.
Other benefits that antler velvet is believed to have include boosting the immune system, improving mental clarity, stimulating tissue repair, and even increasing libido. Although, it's important to note that none of these benefits have been scientifically proven.
You may be wondering how you consume antler velvet. It's not like you can go find some antlers and start eating them. Typically, the velvet antlers, when they are about 2/3 fully developed, are cut off from the base and crushed into a powder. This extract is then used in teas, capsules, and drinks. Most of the deer from which they are harvested from live in a closed area and are unharmed during the process.
Find out more about deer antlers and the whitetail deer by visiting us on the web.
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