Supplement

Velvet Antler

Velvet antler is the soft, skin-covered tissue of a growing deer or elk antler, which supplies the proteins and minerals behind its fast growth. People mostly look at it for rowing performance, but the evidence is very limited, and a study of 46 people found no clear difference in anaerobic capacity. Other small trials on aerobic fitness and rheumatoid arthritis symptoms also found no clear difference.

Sources: PMID 14669926

Updated 30 September 2026
How we grade
5 studies cited

Best evidence: Grade D
Conditions studied: 10
Outcomes: 63
Graded outcomes: 00010

Evidence by condition

Strong
Moderate
Limited
Very limited

10 conditions

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA): outcomes studied for Velvet Antler
Grade	Outcome	Effect	Size	Studies	People	Studies list
	Rheumatoid Arthritis Symptoms No effect		NoneNo effect	2 studies	208 people
Studies that measured rheumatoid arthritis symptoms Elk velvet antler in rheumatoid arthritis: phase II trialBiol Res Nurs · PMID 12003439 A randomized clinical trial of elk velvet antler in rheumatoid arthritisBiol Res Nurs · PMID 18077778

General Athletic Performance

General Athletic Performance: outcomes studied for Velvet Antler
Grade	Outcome	Effect	Size	Studies	People
	Aerobic Exercise Metrics No effect		NoneNo effect	1 study	38 people
Studies that measured aerobic exercise metrics The effects of deer antler velvet extract or powder supplementation on aerobic power, erythropoiesis, and muscular strength and endurance characteristicsInt J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab · PMID 14669926
	Testosterone	Improves (the measure goes up)		1 study	84 people
Studies that measured testosterone Effect of elk velvet antler supplementation on the hormonal response to acute and chronic exercise in male and female rowersInt J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab · PMID 16286669
	Anaerobic Capacity	Improves (the measure goes up)			46 people
	Erythropoietin	Improves (the measure goes up)			38 people
	Growth Hormone	Improves (the measure goes up)			46 people
	IGF-1	Improves (the measure goes up)			38 people
	Muscle Mass	Improves (the measure goes up)			38 people
	Power Output	Improves (the measure goes up)			84 people
	Red Blood Cell Count	Improves (the measure goes up)			38 people

Female Sexual Dysfunction

Follicle-Stimulating Hormone
Testosterone: improves
Free Testosterone: improves

Female Sexual Dysfunction: outcomes studied for Velvet Antler
Grade	Outcome	Effect	Size	Studies	People
	Follicle-Stimulating Hormone No effect		NoneNo effect	1 study	24 people
Studies that measured follicle-stimulating hormone Effect of deer velvet on sexual function in men and their partners: a double-blind, placebo-controlled studyArch Sex Behav · PMID 12807299
	Testosterone	Improves (the measure goes up)		1 study	24 people
Studies that measured testosterone Effect of elk velvet antler supplementation on the hormonal response to acute and chronic exercise in male and female rowersInt J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab · PMID 16286669
	Free Testosterone	Improves (the measure goes up)			24 people
	Libido	Improves (the measure goes up)			48 people
	Luteinizing Hormone	Improves (the measure goes up)			24 people
	Prolactin	Improves (the measure goes up)			24 people
	Sexual Function	Improves (the measure goes up)			24 people

Male Sexual Dysfunction

Follicle-Stimulating Hormone
Testosterone: improves
Free Testosterone: improves

Male Sexual Dysfunction: outcomes studied for Velvet Antler
Grade	Outcome	Effect	Size	Studies	People
	Follicle-Stimulating Hormone No effect		NoneNo effect	1 study	24 people
Studies that measured follicle-stimulating hormone Effect of deer velvet on sexual function in men and their partners: a double-blind, placebo-controlled studyArch Sex Behav · PMID 12807299
	Testosterone	Improves (the measure goes up)		1 study	24 people
Studies that measured testosterone Effect of elk velvet antler supplementation on the hormonal response to acute and chronic exercise in male and female rowersInt J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab · PMID 16286669
	Free Testosterone	Improves (the measure goes up)			24 people
	Libido	Improves (the measure goes up)			48 people
	Luteinizing Hormone	Improves (the measure goes up)			24 people
	Prolactin	Improves (the measure goes up)			24 people
	Sexual Function	Improves (the measure goes up)			24 people

Aerobic Exercise Performance

Aerobic Exercise Metrics
Testosterone: improves
Erythropoietin: improves

Aerobic Exercise Performance: outcomes studied for Velvet Antler
Grade	Outcome	Effect	Size	Studies	People
	Aerobic Exercise Metrics No effect		NoneNo effect	1 study	38 people
Studies that measured aerobic exercise metrics The effects of deer antler velvet extract or powder supplementation on aerobic power, erythropoiesis, and muscular strength and endurance characteristicsInt J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab · PMID 14669926
	Testosterone	Improves (the measure goes up)		1 study	38 people
Studies that measured testosterone Effect of elk velvet antler supplementation on the hormonal response to acute and chronic exercise in male and female rowersInt J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab · PMID 16286669
	Erythropoietin	Improves (the measure goes up)			38 people
	IGF-1	Improves (the measure goes up)			38 people
	Muscle Mass	Improves (the measure goes up)			38 people
	Power Output	Improves (the measure goes up)			38 people
	Red Blood Cell Count	Improves (the measure goes up)			38 people

Erectile Dysfunction

Follicle-Stimulating Hormone
Testosterone: improves
Free Testosterone: improves

Erectile Dysfunction: outcomes studied for Velvet Antler
Grade	Outcome	Effect	Size	Studies	People
	Follicle-Stimulating Hormone No effect		NoneNo effect	1 study	24 people
Studies that measured follicle-stimulating hormone Effect of deer velvet on sexual function in men and their partners: a double-blind, placebo-controlled studyArch Sex Behav · PMID 12807299
	Testosterone	Improves (the measure goes up)		1 study	24 people
Studies that measured testosterone Effect of elk velvet antler supplementation on the hormonal response to acute and chronic exercise in male and female rowersInt J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab · PMID 16286669
	Free Testosterone	Improves (the measure goes up)			24 people
	Libido	Improves (the measure goes up)			48 people
	Luteinizing Hormone	Improves (the measure goes up)			24 people
	Prolactin	Improves (the measure goes up)			24 people
	Sexual Function	Improves (the measure goes up)			24 people

Muscle Size Strength

Aerobic Exercise Metrics
Testosterone: improves
Erythropoietin: improves

Muscle Size Strength: outcomes studied for Velvet Antler
Grade	Outcome	Effect	Size	Studies	People
	Aerobic Exercise Metrics No effect		NoneNo effect	1 study	38 people
Studies that measured aerobic exercise metrics The effects of deer antler velvet extract or powder supplementation on aerobic power, erythropoiesis, and muscular strength and endurance characteristicsInt J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab · PMID 14669926
	Testosterone	Improves (the measure goes up)		1 study	38 people
Studies that measured testosterone Effect of elk velvet antler supplementation on the hormonal response to acute and chronic exercise in male and female rowersInt J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab · PMID 16286669
	Erythropoietin	Improves (the measure goes up)			38 people
	IGF-1	Improves (the measure goes up)			38 people
	Muscle Mass	Improves (the measure goes up)			38 people
	Power Output	Improves (the measure goes up)			38 people
	Red Blood Cell Count	Improves (the measure goes up)			38 people

Running Performance

Aerobic Exercise Metrics
Testosterone: improves
Erythropoietin: improves

Running Performance: outcomes studied for Velvet Antler
Grade	Outcome	Effect	Size	Studies	People
	Aerobic Exercise Metrics No effect		NoneNo effect	1 study	38 people
Studies that measured aerobic exercise metrics The effects of deer antler velvet extract or powder supplementation on aerobic power, erythropoiesis, and muscular strength and endurance characteristicsInt J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab · PMID 14669926
	Testosterone	Improves (the measure goes up)		1 study	38 people
Studies that measured testosterone Effect of elk velvet antler supplementation on the hormonal response to acute and chronic exercise in male and female rowersInt J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab · PMID 16286669
	Erythropoietin	Improves (the measure goes up)			38 people
	IGF-1	Improves (the measure goes up)			38 people
	Muscle Mass	Improves (the measure goes up)			38 people
	Power Output	Improves (the measure goes up)			38 people
	Red Blood Cell Count	Improves (the measure goes up)			38 people

Muscle Size & Strength

Aerobic Exercise Metrics
Testosterone: improves
Erythropoietin: improves

Muscle Size & Strength: outcomes studied for Velvet Antler
Grade	Outcome	Effect	Size	Studies	People
	Aerobic Exercise Metrics No effect		NoneNo effect	1 study	38 people
Studies that measured aerobic exercise metrics The effects of deer antler velvet extract or powder supplementation on aerobic power, erythropoiesis, and muscular strength and endurance characteristicsInt J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab · PMID 14669926
	Testosterone	Improves (the measure goes up)		1 study	38 people
Studies that measured testosterone Effect of elk velvet antler supplementation on the hormonal response to acute and chronic exercise in male and female rowersInt J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab · PMID 16286669
	Erythropoietin	Improves (the measure goes up)			38 people
	IGF-1	Improves (the measure goes up)			38 people
	Muscle Mass	Improves (the measure goes up)			38 people
	Power Output	Improves (the measure goes up)			38 people
	Red Blood Cell Count	Improves (the measure goes up)			38 people

Rowing Performance

Anaerobic Capacity
Testosterone: improves
Growth Hormone: improves

Rowing Performance: outcomes studied for Velvet Antler
Grade	Outcome	Effect	Size	Studies	People
	Anaerobic Capacity No effect		NoneNo effect		46 people
	Testosterone	Improves (the measure goes up)		1 study	46 people
Studies that measured testosterone Effect of elk velvet antler supplementation on the hormonal response to acute and chronic exercise in male and female rowersInt J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab · PMID 16286669
	Growth Hormone	Improves (the measure goes up)			46 people
	Power Output	Improves (the measure goes up)			46 people

Key findings

Rheumatoid Arthritis SymptomsRheumatoid Arthritis (RA)
Aerobic Exercise MetricsGeneral Athletic Performance
Follicle-Stimulating HormoneFemale Sexual Dysfunction

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Third-party tested Velvet Antler products. The evidence above is limited, so read it before you buy.

Grade D

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Studies cited

5 studies from PubMed

The effects of deer antler velvet extract or powder supplementation on aerobic power, erythropoiesis, and muscular strength and endurance characteristicsInt J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab · PMID 14669926
Effect of elk velvet antler supplementation on the hormonal response to acute and chronic exercise in male and female rowersInt J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab · PMID 16286669
Effect of deer velvet on sexual function in men and their partners: a double-blind, placebo-controlled studyArch Sex Behav · PMID 12807299
Elk velvet antler in rheumatoid arthritis: phase II trialBiol Res Nurs · PMID 12003439
A randomized clinical trial of elk velvet antler in rheumatoid arthritisBiol Res Nurs · PMID 18077778

Evidence by condition

Muscle Size Strength

Key findings

Shop Velvet Antler

Studies cited

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