The New Zealand Deer Antler Velvet Study

More recent studies are now proving what athletes have known all along-that deer antler velvet makes a real and significant difference in performance, specifically for bodybuilders and weight lifters.

A group of American scientists took 32 male weight lifters between the ages of 18 and 35. For 10 weeks researchers gave half of the weight lifters New Zealand deer antler velvet and half of them a sugar-pill placebo. The placebo group didn’t show any difference in bench or squat tests, but those taking the deer antler velvet showed significant improvement-a major increase of 4 percent on the bench press and 10.1 percent on the squat test as compared to the placebo group. Research results also reported the group taking the deer antler velvet also showed a “significant improvement in aerobic capacity.”

Demands on the Bodybuilder

Bodybuilders put tremendous demands on their body as they literally tear down and rebuild muscle fibers every time they lift, run or work out. Without the proper nutrition, rest and amino acids the body needs to repair and build muscle, all the time an athlete spends in the gym is wasted. Too much time working out can hurt or exhaust muscles rather than developing them. Diet, rest and nutrition are as critical in helping promote healthy muscle growth as a solid workout. By getting the body’s hormones and nutritional supplements circulating at the optimum time you can make the biggest difference in your bodybuilding progress.

One way to make a difference in the recovery process is to utilize supplements that will deliver the biggest bang for the smallest amount of supplement used. Deer antler velvet contains the proven components all athletes, and especially bodybuilders and weight lifters, need for maximum increase in strength, endurance and muscle as well as joint and muscle health.

Glucosamine is used to manufacture glycosaminoglycans (GAGs), the substance found in cartilage tissue (knees, elbows, shoulders, fingers and joints) to make the cartilage have more “bounce” or flexibility. Glucosamine, chondroitin, and collagen also help the body produce the lubricating fluid in the joints that allows them to move freely and pain free and provides the kind of structural integrity the cartilage cells need to allow them to function well. Scientists have already proven glucosamine sulfate, chondroitin and collagen are effective in treating osteoarthritis – which involves damage to the joint tissues, a concern for serious bodybuilders who place tremendous weight and stress on their joints.

What Deer Antler Velvet Contains

In addition to glucosamine, chondroitin, and collagen deer antler velvet contains glycine, alanine, proline, and glutamic acid, plus a variety of other amino acids that the body needs to build strong bones and muscle energy. It promotes healthy anti-inflammatory responses, skeletal growth and the levels of free circulating testosterone.

Deer antler velvet also contains male and female hormones, including IGF-1, an insulin-like growth factor produced in the liver. The liver produces IGF-1 as a response to the HGH stimulated by taking the deer antler velvet. HGH is an amino acid. It’s made in the brain’s pituitary gland and during childhood, puberty and adolescence it affects a person’s growth rate by determining how tall or short a person will be.

During puberty a person’s HGH levels also determine their bone size. Bone size plays a role in muscle size and strength and blood cell production. However, after puberty many hormone levels begin to decrease, including HGH levels. Unless the production of HGH levels is increased through nutrition or supplements, by age 60 a person’s HGH levels are only 60% of what they were when they were 21. Decreasing levels of HGH are why people lose muscle strength and endurance as they age.

It only makes sense that increasing the levels of natural IGF-1 and HGH with deer antler velvet increases an athlete’s strength and endurance and produces an increased aerobic capacity and healthy joints as well.

As you can see, deer antler velvet is the perhaps the perfect supplement for bodybuilders and athletes who want to take their game to the next level.