Deer Velvet Antler for Exercise Performance

Research on deer velvet antler for exercise performance is limited and shows mixed results. One mouse study suggests that extracts from the upper portion of velvet antler may reduce fatigue, with the authors proposing that nucleoside content could explain this effect, though animal findings do not necessarily translate to humans. The more directly relevant human evidence comes from a randomized controlled trial in competitive rowers, which found that 10 weeks of elk velvet antler supplementation produced no meaningful improvements in aerobic capacity, rowing performance, strength, or hormonal responses compared to placebo. Overall, the current body of evidence does not strongly support velvet antler as an effective ergogenic aid, and more well-designed human trials would be needed before any firm conclusions can be drawn.