Deer Antler Drops
Deer Antler is considered to be one of the "big three" ultimate herbs of China - Ginseng, Reishi Mushroom and Deer Antler. All three are tonic herbs that have been used since pre-historic times to prolong life, improve energy, to protect the body and to promote wisdom. Deer Antler is a Yang Jing herb, but it also tonifies Yin Jing, Qi, Blood and Shen. The deer are NOT killed to harvest their antlers. They are humanely collected in the early summer from male deer. The deer then grow new antler. Dragon Herbs deer are farmed in New Zealand, where there has been no incidence of any of the diseases that may be of concern to humans, and are certified by the New Zealand and Australian governments to be safe.
Like all yang herbs, Deer Antler is used to strengthen the back, knees and waist, but deer antler is considered to be the most powerful such agent and is usually the main herb in any formula in which it is included. Deer Antler is used by athletes around the world to improve muscular strength, and to help increase muscle mass. Deer Antler extract is rich in IgF-1, a vital substance closely related to human growth hormone that regulates metabolism, hormone functions and plays a role in retaining youthful bodily functions. It is used to strengthen the skeletal structure in both adults and children. It is also widely used to improve mental power. Deer antler has also been demonstrated to improve cardiovascular function and to strengthen the nervous system. Deer Antler extract is rich in hyaluronic acid, a natural substance produced in the human body that maintains elasticity of the skin and connective tissue. Deer Antler is rich in mucopolysaccharides that promote the regeneration of tissue. Deer Antler is also well known as a sexual tonic for both men and women. Deer Antler is suitable to both men and women, though men will generally consume Deer Antler in larger quantities. It is widely believed in Asia to possess powerful anti-aging benefits.
Dragon Herbs Deer Antler is a unique product in the U.S. market. It is the ONLY product made ENTIRELY from Deer Antler tips. Deer Antler grows from its tips. As it grows, the soft antler hardens, while the tip remains soft and bio-chemically rich. It has been estimated that 90% of the active constituents of the ENTIRE antler is contained in just the last inch of the antler, known as the "tip." Deer Antler tips are more expensive than the lower parts of the antler; however, since it contains most of the active constituents of the entire antler, it is in fact a fabulous value. Again, Dragon Herbs ONLY uses TIPs (the soft last inch of the deer antler to make its Deer Antler products, including Deer Antler Drops. We never use the "middles" or "bottoms" since these parts are dry and lack the chemical components that make Deer Antler active in humans.
Part of the Antler Used: Various segments of young deer antler of the two species described are used. Most deer are not killed in order to obtain their antler. In fact, since the deer are so valuable and since deer antler is essentially a renewable “crop,” deer are highly protected in all Asian countries. They thrive under the conditions established. The antler is cut off the live deer when the antler has developed either two or three branches, yet remains soft and covered by “velvet,” usually in the month of June in China and in January in New Zealand, another major source of high quality deer antler.
A deer antler, as sold in a Chinese herb shop, is divided into three divisions, tips, middles and bottoms. That part growing closest to the end, usually the last two inches of each branch of the antler, is called the tip. The segment from that beginning of the tip to the fork(s) of the antler is called the middle and the main trunk of the antler is called the bottom. All three segments of the deer antler are used in Chinese tonic herbalism. The bottoms, because they are the largest segment, are most commonly available and most widely used in commercial products. The middles and tips are generally only available in herb shops, except in rare products that feature these segments.
Primary Functions: To tonify the Kidney Qi and fortify Yang. Also tonic to Yin Jing and Blood, and strengthening to the sinews and bones. Benefits the heart and mind.
Treasures: Jing (Yin and Yang), Qi (especially Blood) and Shen
Atmospheric Energy: Warm
Taste: Sweet and salty
Organ Associations: Liver and Kidneys. Also tonifies the Heart and Brain, and the Governing, Conception, Penetrating and Belt Channels of the Extraordinary Channels system.
Uses
Deer Antler is the most precious and the most potent of the substances that fortify the yang energy of the Kidney. Deer antler is widely used in Asia, and now throughout the world, to strengthen adrenal, reproductive and brain functions. It is universally believed in the Orient to build sexual strength and to increase virility and fertility. Deer antler is available in the Asian market in a wide variety of expensive elixirs and combinations that are essentially claimed to be aphrodisiac. In the imminently regarded tenth century Taoist manual on health and sexual conduct, The Essence of Medical Prescriptions, compiled by a Chinese physician living in Japan by the name of Tamba Yasuyori, it is said that: “There is nothing better than deer antler to cause a man to be robust and unaffected by age, not to tire in the bedroom, and not to deteriorate either in energy or in facial coloration.”
Deer antler is commonly used in combination with most of the major Qi tonic herbs such as Ginseng and Astragalus, and with all of the major Yin and Yang Jing-building herbs such as Lycium (Goji Berry), Morinda root, He Shou Wu, Epimedium (Horny Goat Weed), Schizandra, Mountain Ant, etc.
Although deer antler has always been used to help build blood and improve circulation, modern research has supported deer antler’s reputation as a heart tonic. Particularly the alcohol extract of deer antler, known as pantocrin, is consumed for this purpose. Deer antler is tonic to the marrow, which produces blood. Marrow tends to degenerate as we age and deer antler is believed to slow down or reverse this process. This is a major aspect of deer antler’s youth preserving ability.
Overall, deer antler is mainly used as a rejuvenating agent. Short term use is believed to quickly build strength and power, while consistent long-term use is believed to re-build deep life force, preserve youthfulness and to enhance longevity.
Quality
Selecting high quality deer antler is an art. There are many grades, cuts and qualities --- and there are some counterfeits. The antler plays a major part in male sexual role of the male deer. Larger antlers are produced by deer who are more sexual and this deer antler is more potent. However, size alone will tell you little about the quality of a selection of deer antler. Dragon Herbs has used the same established source of deer antler tips for over twenty years.
Deer Antler can have a number of origins. Deer Antler entering the American market may originate in China, Russia, Mongolia, Alaska or New Zealand. All of these places have robust Deer Antler businesses. They all produce excellent deer; however, the quality may differ depending on the processing and the variety of deer. Red deer antler is now abundant because Red deer are grown in abundance just for that purpose in New Zealand. Red deer antler is also widely used and in today's market is the best choice. This is because this variety of deer is currently raised in New Zealand in very clean mountainous conditions.
The quality of the antler from New Zealand is the best in the world at this time. New Zealand is free from the major animal diseases that are prevalent in almost all other countries of the word. These diseases include foot and mouth disease, rabies, chronic wasting disease, bovine spongiform encephalopathy, rinderpest, lumpy skin disease, rift valley fever, vesicular stomatitis, sheep pox/goat pox and New Zealand has been free from scrapie since 1954.
The tips are by far the most precious and most expensive part of the deer antler.
Scientific Knowledge
Deer antler is a rare type of organ in the higher animal kingdom. It is one of the few complex organ structures which regenerates in an annual rhythm and which will regenerate if cut or broken off. This regenerative power is what has most intrigued scientists in recent years, just as it has the Asian people through the ages.
Studies conducted in Europe indicate that the ability to regenerate is due to the rich supply of substances known as ectosaponins. This complex chemical agent is are found more abundantly in lower animals, in which the ectosaponins cause a wide variety of tissue to regenerate. The ectosaponin in deer antler is very similar to ectosaponins found at the tail bases of many lizards, such as the Gecko lizard, and in the legs of star fish. Just as in the case of deer antler, if the tale is broken off a Gecko or similar lizard or the legs broken off a starfish, these appendages re-grow --- bone, nerves blood vessels, flesh and all. The ectosaponins extracted from deer antler, as well as from Gecko and star fish all have shown remarkable regenerative effects on all types of tissue, including nerve tissue, which generally does not regenerate significantly. For example, experiments have been done by administering these ectosaponins (as pantocrin) to frogs and mice whose limbs have been amputated, resulting in imperfect, but impressive, re-growth of the limb including the paws and toes.
Research indicates that moderate doses of the alcohol extract of deer antler benefits cardiovascular function by helping to regulate heart rhythm and by improving circulation in people with chronically poor circulation.
Numerous studies done in China, Japan and Korea have shown that pantocrin increases work capacity, decreases muscular and mental fatigue, improves sleep and improves appetite. Deer antler has been shown to increase the oxygen uptake of the brain, liver and kidneys in laboratory animals. It also significantly increased red and white blood cell production in laboratory animals, with the effects increasing as dose was increased.
Deer antler extract provides minerals, amino acids, and other nutrients including insulin-like growth factor IGF-1.
Clinical trials have shown IGF-1 to:
- Promote immune functions
- Increase muscular strength and endurance
- Possess anti-inflammatory properties
- Possess growth-stimulating properties
- Help regulate low and high blood pressure.
- Promote sounder, more refreshing sleep.
- Improve eyesight, including night vision.
- Reduce cholesterol and triglycerides.
IGF-1 is causing a great deal of excitement among bodybuilders. According to researchers, IGF-1 increases lean body mass, reduces fat, builds bone, builds muscle, and builds nerves.
IGF-1 is also an important potential nutrient for people interested in reducing the symptoms of aging and for those people interested in living the longest, healthiest, and most active life possible.
"One of the most exciting uses for IGF-1 is that it can repair nerve damage that occurs in injury or illness. These nerves can regenerate to some extent. Severe damage of more than one-half inch may result in permanent injury. However, IGF-1 has repaired and reconnected severed nerve endings up to a distance of six millimeters. This has never, heretofore, been done." This may explain part of Deer Antler’s ability to regenerate nerve tissue in deer.
Also, IGF-1 Plus "contains a small-molecular-weight protein that has the unique ability to modulate the immune system. This means that if the immune system is depressed, this protein can dramatically improve it. And if it is overactive, it can reduce it into a normal range.
Traditional Function: Reinforcing Kidney Yang, tonifies Yin Jing, tonifies blood.
Who Can Use It? Those who wish to increase primal Yang energy.
Concentration: 4:1
Specifications: 2 fl. oz.
Ingredients: Deer Antler Tips
Other Ingredients: Water and alcohol
Usage: 3-12 droppers per day or as directed by your health care practitioner.
