Deer Velvet is the velvety new growth of soft bone and cartilage that develops into the antlers of male deer. Deer antlers are the only type of bone in any mammal that is naturally shed, to fully regenerate every year. The annual deer velvet harvest by certified procedure is therefore not considered harmful to farmed deer.

Deer Velvet has been used as a natural health supplement for over 2000 years in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and is increasingly popular in western markets, as dietary supplements and natural health products.

During the stage of rapid growth before it calcifies into solid antlers, deer velvet contains concentrated growth factors, amino acids, minerals, vitamins, essential fatty acids, hormones, and nutrients including:

• Glucosamine – an amino acid used in the production, maintenance and repair of joints and joint structures including cartilage, tendons and bone.
• Chondroitin – Chondroitin is a structural component of joints supporting cartilage elasticity, comfortable movement and healthy joint structure
• Collagen – the main protein in connective tissue, collagen supports healthy skin, hair and healthy joints
• Phospholipids – special nutrients that the body uses to make the outside layer of cells, or cell walls and human brain tissue. Phospholipids help supply nutrients for maintenance of cell membranes and to support healthy brain function.
• IGF 1 and IGF 2 – supports tissue growth including the growth of skeletal muscle, cartilage, bone, liver, and kidney cells.

The range of deer velvet supplements available from HealthPost have been carefully and painstakingly chosen based on ingredient quality and the reputation of the manufacturer. All deer velvet supplements approved for sale at HealthPost have been thoroughly assessed based on their ability to comply with our strict requirements for animal welfare. All velvet is harvested using certified procedures to ensure none of these processes are harmful to farmed deer. These processes maintain very high standards of hygiene and product quality.

New Zealand is the world’s largest producer of deer velvet, producing 450-500 tonnes of red deer velvet annually.