The Efficacy and Functions of Deer Antler
Traditional Chinese medicine holds that deer antler possesses a sweet and salty taste with a warm nature.It enters the Liver and Kidney meridians, possessing the efficacy of fortifying kidney yang, replenishing qi and blood, nourishing essence, and strengthening tendons and bones. It is used for conditions such as deficiency of essence and blood, dizziness, tinnitus, deafness, impotence, seminal emission, soreness and weakness in the lower back and knees, and failure of the fontanelle to close. In recent years, it has also been applied to treat thrombocytopenia, leukopenia, aplastic anemia, and blood disorders caused by chronic benzene poisoning.
The medicinal use of deer antler was first documented in the Han Dynasty's Divine Farmer's Classic of Materia Medica, where it was classified as a medium-grade herb praised for its ability to invigorate qi, strengthen willpower, promote tooth growth, and delay aging. The Supplement to the Classic of Famous Physicians introduced it for treating consumptive diseases, emaciation, limb soreness, lumbar and spinal pain, frequent urination, hematuria, nocturnal emission, abdominal blood stasis, calculi-induced dysuria, and abscesses, noting that long-term use delays aging.During the Tang Dynasty, Zhen Quan noted that deer antler supplements men suffering from kidney deficiency-cold in the lower back, weakness in the legs and knees, nocturnal dreams of ghostly intercourse, and spontaneous semen leakage. For women, it addresses uterine bleeding, leukorrhea, and vaginal discharge. In the Ming Dynasty, Li Shizhen stated: Deer antler generates essence and nourishes marrow, enriches blood and strengthens yang, fortifies tendons and bones, treats all forms of deficiency, deafness, dim vision, dizziness, and deficiency-type diarrhea.
Modern medical research indicates that deer antler contains estrogen, fatty acids, cholesterol, phospholipids, antler gelatin, glycolipids, osteocalcin, proteins, and minerals including sodium, calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium.