Blood Building and Reduction of Blood Pressure

According to modern research, velvet antler stimulates the production of blood by nourishing the bone marrow.

Velvet has long been recognized as being effective for increasing both the volume and the circulation of blood through the body. As a specific remedy in traditional medicine for anaemia it has been shown in experiments to have a potent erythropoietic effect, meaning that it stimulates the formation of red blood cells. Improving the oxygen carrying capacity of the blood and building the iron uptake of the red blood cells may account for its value in treating anaemia.

This "well-accepted erythropoietic activity" which results in improved blood supply may also enhance muscle endurance and stamina both in athletes and in normal healthy people.

Reports from Korea showed that velvet extract increased the erythrocyte count and stimulated red blood cell synthesis in anaemic rabbits.21 The rate of recovery of blood cell counts was faster in anaemic rabbits treated with elk or particularly New Zealand red deer velvet extracts. Experiments also showed that powdered velvet given orally or injected as preparations in rats increased the number of red and white blood cells, and large amounts resulted in a marked increase in the production of red blood cells.

In Jade Remedies we read that velvet antler increases "serum levels of erythrocytes, haemoglobin, leukocytes and reticulocytes" and also "promotes cellular rejuvenation through its ectosaponin content."

While the tradition of women regularly taking tonics to nourish the blood is deeply ingrained in Asian culture, anaemia is very prevalent among women in the West. However, velvet antler could well become part of a new tradition as there are many reports of women taking velvet antler to increase the iron levels in their blood. For example, Dr Suttie recounts the story of a pregnant woman who was suffering from anaemia and took velvet antler. Within 48 hours her blood count was back to normal.

Velvet not only builds blood but research has shown that it also has a strong influence on blood pressure—it lowers the arterial blood pressure, apparently due to its ability to increase the dilation of the peripheral blood vessels. This immediate lowering of blood pressure is a major property of velvet extract and since it is so easily demonstrated, is widely used as a test for its biological activity. It is interesting to note that while velvet extract has this marked hypotensive effect in normal people, it has also been shown to restore blood pressure to normal in both hypo- and hyper-tensive patients.

A Japanese study in which 8 out of 10 patients were given pantocrin resulted in significant and transient reductions in arterial blood pressure. The systolic reading was lowered by 20 to 70 points, and the diastolic by as much as 10 to 20mmHg. Taking into account all the objective and subjective indices, pantocrin was 80% effective.

Pharmacological and clinical research indicates that the use of deer velvet significantly improves the heart function, regulating hearts with arrhythmias and increasing the blood flow in subjects with chronically poor circulation.

The Russian researcher N.A. Albov studied the effects of injectable velvet extract on 13 patients with hypertension caused by heart disorders. After 20 days of injections examinations revealed that 84 percent of the patients had improved. In another trial of 32 patients with high blood pressure caused by obesity or early-onset menopause, after a course of velvet extract given orally or by injection 26 of the patients had measurably lower blood pressure.

Reprinted with permission from:
Velvet Antler - Nature's Superior Tonic by Alison Davidson,
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