When evaluating a nutritional product for use as a systemic tonic, athletic performance data is relevant even for the non-athlete. In addition, results are usually more immediate, rather than at the expected "slow pace of natural." |
Pantocrin, discussed earlier, was observed in the late 1960s to have a postive effect on the endurance of laboratory animals. Based on these findings, trials in Russia included one study in which subjects were given either pantocrin or rantarin (reindeer antler), and the results were then compared with those of controls. Athletes in the antler extract groups out performed the controls by far. |
Another study showed a significant increase in running speed, with time over a 3,000-meter course dropping from 14:48 to 14:04. Although it's not clear if the trial was controlled, the results as reported suggest that a single dose of velvet antler extract was responsible for this improvement, and that further reductions in time were observed after twelve days of use. The benefit was equally distributed across all ability levels. |
Motivated by such an impressive information base, the Russian Bodybuilding Federation picked up the research. Dr. Arkady Koltun added velvet antler to his studies of anabolic agents and their effects on strength, endurance, and muscle composition. It was suggested that the elevated performance levels were due to a velvet antler-induced increase in the ability of muscle tissue to recover from physical or biochemical stress following exertion. |
We mentioned earlier that pantocrin enables test animals to recover quicly from whiplash-like injuries. This effect is believed to be due to increases in glycolysis, a necessary process in the maintenance of healty nerve tissue. Glycolysis is a process whereby your body breaks down certain carbohydrate molecules (usually glucose) to energy. (the suffix lysis means dissolution or disintegration.) It's the first step in glucose breakdown used in anaerobic metabolism. |
In a placebo-controlled trial conducted in New Zealand, the participants were found to experince a slight increase in weight lifting ability after ten weeks of treatment. |
Researchers noted that velvet antler induced red blood cell formation and stimulated increased muscle mass. |
Combined with the antiinflammatory action and reported lactic acid removal efficiency, these effects help to enhance muscle compositon, endurance, and recovery time. |
Lactic acid is produced as a result of exercise, often causing muscle aches and pain. Efficient removal of lactic acid assists in preventing many undesirable effects, including its deleterious actions on central nevous system tissue. |
ref: The Remarkable Healing Power Of Velvet Antler |
By Betty Kamen, PhD and Paul Kamen |
Foreword by Michael E. Rosenbaum, MD |
Chapter 8 |
Athletic Performance |
