Forget the Venison!

Well, hunting season just ended here in Michigan, and people from all over have stowed away their rifles and camouflage after a mediocre hunt. However, a few have captured that huge, prized buck they’ve been after for years. But before you take off that head and mount it on your wall, you may want to get something out of it first. That’s right, the antlers of that buck can be just as important as that juicy meat. I’m talking about a substance that’s becoming more popular –and controversial– now than ever before: deer antler spray.

Increasingly used nowadays, deer antler spray is quickly becoming one of the most popular and scrutinized supplement used by professional athletes. First used in China thousands of years ago for traditional medicine purposes, deer antler spray is now used by athletes in the U.S to help build and repair muscle.

An intricate process goes into creating the spray. While a male deer is growing up, its antlers grow very quickly, and produce a velvety texture on the outside. During this growing phase, some deer get their antlers clipped as to prevent them from getting too hard or sharp later on. When the tip is clipped off, it is then frozen, and sent to manufacturers who create the lucrative spray. “But wait,” you may ask, “what’s so special about the deer’s antlers that help athletes?” The answer lies in the chemical composition of the antlers themselves.

The main reason that deer antlers grow so quickly is that they contain a protein called IGF-1. IGF-1, or Insulin-like growth factor -1, is the same protein that exists in humans, and helps children grow. The protein helps create cells which can “generate new muscle after exercise-induced injury,” according to Business Insider. This process works because the brain’s growth hormone tells the liver to create IGF-1 (shown below), which “binds to the receptors in muscle cells, signaling them to multiply and grow,” according to CBS. When muscles are torn or strained, like NFL linebacker Ray Lewis’ triceps injury in 2012, deer antler spray can be (and is widely) used. Taken by mouth, the spray increases levels of IGF-1 in the body, so cells are created that can help heal damaged muscles faster and thus lead to a quicker recovery time.

IGF-1

Because of its capabilities, deer antler spray was banned by the World Anti-Doping Association. This treats IGF-1 as a performance enhancing drug, like testosterone or HGH. However, the ban was overturned when research showed that the deer antler sprays only contained small amounts of IGF-1. That research certainly didn’t stop athletes from using the product, however, as a supplement seller “Nutronics Labs” reported that hundreds of athletes continue to purchase and use the spray.

For now, deer antler spray is banned by some professional sports organizations, and is becoming more scrutinized as its popularity rockets. What do you think? Should deer antler spray be treated as another PED, or should it be given a little more leeway in locker rooms and training facilities? The “buck” stops here.
_____________________________________________________________________________
Kiran

high school junior

basketball, food, and science enthusiast