Issue link: https://tmcpulse.uberflip.com/i/735225
t m c » p u l s e | o c t o b e r 2 0 1 6 19 Producers of deer antler sprays, which are gener- ally considered to be dietary supplements, say the active ingredient in the spray is insulin-like growth factor 1, or IGF-1, a naturally-occurring hormone that promotes growth. IGF-1 is banned by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the World Anti-Doping Agency, as it is a proven performance enhancer when taken in certain forms. Deer antler research also benefits wildlife ecology and management. A better understanding of the genetic basis of antler growth will offer insight into the vast amount of variation in antler traits among deer species, among different deer within the same species, and within an individual deer from one year to the next. Source: Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute 1 Antlers are found only on members of the Cervidae family, which is made up of deer species. In North America, that species includes white-tailed and mule deer, brocket deer, elk, moose, and caribou. Antlers are made of bone that is shed and regrown every year. Species that are not deer, including sheep and goats, also have growths on their heads, but these are horns, not antlers. Archaeological evidence shows that antlers have been important to civilization for thousands of years for utilitarian, religious, aesthetic, sporting and medicinal purposes. The use of antlers in medicine is often associ- ated with Asian culture. One record of deer antler use was found in a Chinese text that dates back nearly 2,000 years. Today, deer antler velvet—the tissue covering the bone and cartilage that become antlers—is sold in slices or powders and made into a medicinal soup. 2 3 4 5 6