There are literally thousands of deer antler velvet products on the worldwide marketplace. We tried nearly all the most popular and respected brands over the years to assist buyers in their search for the highest quality deer antler velvet products.

Here is our curated list of the very best deer antler velvet manufacturers and their products.

#1 – ANTLER FARMS **OUR TOP CHOICE**

Antler Farms is a New Zealand producer of high end, exceptional quality deer antler velvet products. New Zealand is world’s biggest producer of farmed velvet and the leader in deer antler velvet research. The main deer species farmed in New Zealand is red deer (cervus elaphus). The herds are typically raised in large, outdoor, grassy areas spanning many acres. By law, no growth chemicals or antibiotics can be legally injected into the deer as part of routine husbandry (exceptions for antibiotics are made with sick animals). Because of strict government oversight surrounding New Zealand’s deer industry, the material coming out the country has a consistent quality and dependable supply. Deer antler velvet produced in China, Korea or Russia is not as trusted or reliable.

Antler Farms offers the best deer antler velvet products. The company stands out in the industry due to its transparency, rigorous standard for material sourcing, and unique, innovative processing.

Antler Farms deer antler velvet extracts:

• Disclosed growth factor content. This is the most important factor that distinguishes Antler Farms from the other brands. Antler Farms extracts have a strong, concentrated 75:1 extract ratio (i.e. 75 grams of raw material is required to make 1 gram of extract). The supplement labels disclose the active growth factor content of its two products – extract liquid (deer antler spray) with 25,000 ng per bottle and extract tablets with 100,000 ng per bottle. 

Most deer antler extracts do not reveal the active growth factor content on their nutritional panels, only listing the milligrams of extract, which itself does not convey potency. The true potency of an extract cannot be inferred nor trusted without knowing the active growth factor content.

• Liposomal delivery. Antler Farms extracts are delivered via liposomal action. The nutrients are contained inside tiny particles which are easier for the body to absorb and allows more to get to the target area of the body.

• Alcohol free and heat free processing. Antler Farms extracts are prepared using proprietary processing methods that do not include alcohol or heat. Heat, even for short periods of time or at lower temperatures, will cause some degradation of the material.

• Good taste, important for regular use. Because the formulation does not use alcohol and the active growth factors in deer antler velvet are isolated, Antler Farms extracts do not have a medicine-like taste. In fact, they taste great. They have a sweet lemon flavor that can be regularly taken without experiencing an aversion like some products.

CONS: Antler Farms deer antler velvet extracts are relatively expensive. Use our coupon code for a discount.

Antler Farms deer antler velvet extracts can be purchased here.

Antler Farms deer antler velvet capsules:

• Exclusion of antler bases. Whole velvet antler sticks have four sections (tip, upper, mid and base). Antler Farms excludes antler bases from their product, which increases the density of beneficial, sought-after nutrients. Generally from the tip of the antler toward the base the ash content increases, lipid content decreases and protein content decreases.

• Freeze dried processing. Antler Farms utilizes freeze drying rather than heat drying to prepare their deer antler velvet. Freeze drying has the benefit of preserving the active nutrients while heat, even for short periods of time or at lower temperatures, will cause some degradation of the material. This product is the market’s only raw, whole food form of deer antler velvet (not an extract) and ideal for general health and therapeutic use.

CONS: The nutrients of deer antler velvet capsules are not absorbed into the body as well as extracts due to digestion. Antler Farms deer antler velvet is relatively expensive. Use our coupon code for a discount.

Antler Farms deer antler velvet capsules can be purchased here.

#2 – DRAGON HERBS

Dragon Herbs is a company that was founded by America herbalist Ron Teeguarden and his wife Yanlin. Ron is a practitioner of holistic Asian health and a specialist in Chinese tonic herbs. Dragon Herbs offers a wide range of herbs which are sourced directly from their original sources in China. The company has control over the process from the source to the manufacturing to final production. Chinese deer are hand raised by humans in enclosed pens, rather than free grazed on pasture.

Dragon Herbs deer antler drops:

• Made from antler tips. Dragon Herbs deer antler drops are made entirely of deer antler tips (the last inch of the antler), which contain the most biologically active constituents of the antler. This increases the potency and effectiveness of the extract over forms of deer antler extract that use whole stick antler. Deer antler drops are extracted in a traditional manner using alcohol and have a 4:1 concentration.

• From Sika deer. Dragon Herbs drops are made from a small preserve of protected Sika deer (cervus nippon). Sika are small spotted deer that are natural to northeastern Asia. This kind of deer has been revered in Asia for its deer antler since ancient times. The Sika deer are farmed in Changbai, China, and are certified by the Chinese Ministry of Health to be clean and safe.

CONS: The active growth factor content of Dragon Herbs extract is undisclosed and untested, therefore the true potency is unknown. The extract has a contains alcohol which users may want to avoid. It also has a medicine-like taste that most will find off-putting after regular use.

Dragon Herbs deer antler drops can be purchased here.

#3 – PLUM FLOWER

Plum Flower is a large Chinese manufacturer of herbs. Their products are popular among professional herbalists and those customers who have the experience and knowledge necessary to safely prepare their own formulas. They are not intended for normal consumer use, and thereby do not include usage information. Caution needs to exercised when using Plum Flower products.

Plum Flower deer antler velvet extracts:

• Traditional, but modern processing. Plum Flower follows strict traditional guidelines for the correct preparation of herbs. Deer antler velvet is prepared with updated equipment and procedures to ensure stable and uniform quality. The deer antler velvet is sterilized with heat or high-pressure alcohol steam. Then it is distilled under low temperature and spray dried to form a fine powder.

• Concentrated powder. Plum Flower produces velvet antler extract powder in a concentrated form.  The powders are concentrated at a level of 5:1 (i.e. 1 gram of 5:1 extract powder is equivalent to 5 grams of raw powder).

CONS: The nutrients of deer antler velvet powder are not absorbed into the body as well as extracts due to digestion. Plum Flower extract is processed with heat which can degrade the components of deer antler velvet. The product is prohibitively expensive for most regular users of deer antler velvet.

Plum Flower deer antler velvet extract powder can be purchased here.

PURCHASING DEER ANTLER VELVET

In Asian countries, deer velvet is sold in Traditional Chinese Medicine shops where dried velvet slices are paired with complementary herb. The blend is geared towards a client’s individual diagnosis. Asian consumers prefer this method of purchasing deer antler velvet.

In Western countries, deer antler velvet is predominantly obtained through retail stores and online in prepackaged capsule, powder or extract form. The best choices for purchasing quality deer antler velvet online are from reputable, established companies.

We recommend Antler Farms deer antler extracts due to their high standards of source material, clean processing, bioavailable active growth factor content, and strong testimonials.

OTHER DEER ANTLER VELVET COMPANIES

Be wary of other deer antler velvet products, especially low priced products, as they will likely contain very low amounts of deer antler velvet, low quality deer antler velvet, or even no deer antler velvet at all.

As mentioned above, the only way to truly evaluate a deer antler velvet extract’s potency is by examining its growth factor content, which should be clearly disclosed on the label, and independently tested and verified by a third party. The extract ratio or the milligrams of deer antler velvet extract are not sufficient! Deer antler velvet extract products without growth factor disclosure should generally be avoided.

Unfortunately the growing interest of deer antler velvet from natural health advocates, alternative practitioners and performance athletes has attracted companies whose only intention is to profit off of uneducated consumers.