Nutrients Present in Deer Antler Velvet
12/09/2013 10:01
Food supplements come in different shapes, sizes, origins and not to mention that they have different compositions. Plant based supplements derived from plants like ginseng and ginger are pretty common, same as those coming from fish like fish oil. These should not be considered drugs or medicine, however, they are able to treat a variety of diseases and deficiencies. One notable example is anemia, the Iron deficiency, which can be fully treated with Iron supplements and the right diet. Of all the food supplements however, one stands out among the rest: deer antler velvet.
Basically, deer antler velvet supplements are mainly composed of, as their name suggests, deer antler velvet. This is the fuzzy growth on the horns before it fully gets hard and calcify. The velvet is harvested before the deer sheds it. With that said, this is actually a big business, given that there are thousands of farms in New Zealand (where most of the velvet is manufactured and exported) containing over a million deer. Velvet harvesting is done under the supervision of a qualified professional and a veterinarian, so rest assured, no harm will befall the animal. A lot of people are going crazy over this supplement, particularly body builders and athletes. This is so thanks to the nutrients present in the supplement. Let's cut to the chase, what exactly are these nutrients and benefits?
- IGF -1. You can't talk about deer antler velvet without mentioning Insulin Growth Factor. This is actually a hormone that is being produced in the liver. It's main function is to stimulate the production of HGH, or the Human Growth Hormone that is mostly responsible for growth, making this supplement a must for growing children.
- Glucosamine and Chondroitin. These compounds make deer antler velvet an utmost necessity especially to people that are experiencing the complications brought by arthritis. Basically, these promote joint health, recovery and growth, effectively reducing the discomfort and pain caused by joint inflammation.
- Protein. Deer antler velvet contains protein, a nutrient that is pretty vital for growth, especially for children. This nutrient is also essential to people who are looking to bulk up, considering that these help out in the recovery and the strengthening and building of muscles.
- Calcium. As you may have already learned in primary school, this nutrient is essential in the growth and formation of bones. It is also important to people experiencing bone disease.
- Iron. Basically, this nutrient stimulates the blood, increasing its flow, therefore stimulating growth. With that said, it also helps out in enhancing athletic performance.
Deer antler velvet comes in a variety of forms, including sprays, pills and tablets. It could even be consumed raw (and in thin slices), although this practice is rather rare in Western countries. Now that you know the nutrients present in it, are you highly considering availing one? Remember though, you need to have yourself checked by a licensed medical practitioner before doing so, considering that you may have underlying medical complications that could make consuming this damaging to your health. Health complications aside, deer antler velvet is generally safe.