Eric Robinson, with a box of velvet elk antler capsules, plans to promote the product right here at home. Watch for upcoming seminars.

Volume 124, Number 13
Wednesday, March 24, 2004

Elk Antlers a Part of Asian, Traditional Medicine for Two Thousand Years

Three years ago, Eric and Dale Robinson got into the elk business with the formation of Regal Point Elk Farms. During that time the industry has been anything but stable, sparking them to look closer to home for an economic solution.

After only one year in the business, the Robinsons hosted the North Eastern Regional Antler Competition at their farm, a major achievement, but "since that time a lot of things have occurred in the industry that has been difficult," Eric told the Echo last week.

The first problem was the discovery of Chronic Wasting Disease on a farm out west. With a certification program in place all across Canada and everyone looking out for the disease, the situation has improved and the industry has gone two years without anyone finding a case of CWD.

With that situation under control, everyone was looking at a rebound in the industry. Then a case of BSE came along.

The net result, a halt in the U.S. trade and Korea and China closing their borders to Canadian velvet.

Canadian velvet refers to the velvet covered elk antlers that has a wide market as a health aid in Asian countries.

All of the borders are on the verge of reopening but the situation caused the Robinsons to look a their own personal farm success. "We needed to look at ways the industry could make the farm profitable," said Eric.

They saw that the one market still performing was the sale of velvet antler capsules.

"It seemed that the industry was too heavily focused on developing international markets while ignoring the potential of our own markets right here at home."

From a historical point of view, crushed velvet antlers have been consumed by humans for over 2,000 years.

"The benefits should be as good for people in North America as for the people in Asia," Eric said.

A brochure from the farm states that "velvet antler is a nutritional food supplement made from the inner core of the elk’s antler during the velvet stage of growth. In North America it is considered a food supplement, in Asia it is a medicinal ingredient fundamental to the practice of traditional Chinese medicine."

Originally used as a tea or tonic, it has come a long way, available now in capsule format and readily available to the consumer.

Eric, who takes the capsules himself, said it was important to note that the antlers were a renewable resource. "The animal doesn’t die to give up its antlers." Every year they fall off regardless and are naturally regenerated.

He said the number one benefit of the product was in the treatment of arthritis and osteoporosis. "I have people in the community who have came back and thanked me" for the pain relief they received from the antler capsules, and without side affects. He has also been taking it for three years. "It helps with all those little aches and pains associated with aging." He also said it has helped his immune system. "In the last three years, I have only had one cold. It seems to build the immune system so you can withstand the onslaught of colds and flu."

There are many other benefits attributed to the product and Eric feels it is time to promote it. He pointed to the rising cost of health care and the strong desire of the average person to simply be healthy. "If we focused on preventative medicine, the cost to society could be reduced, hugely."

He and Dale recently attended an International Symposium on Antler Science and Product Technology and were impressed with the number of highly qualified scientists and professional people involved in velvet antler process.

"The product has a huge international scope in terms of people in it and scientific research. The extent of the research to evaluate the benefits has really impressed me."

He said that North America is only just beginning to recognize the benefits while people in Korea consume over 600 tons of tablets a year.

In order to promote the product and give it the attention it deserves they plan to educate the public in terms of the product benefits. "We will be hosting product seminars which I will be putting on at some point," he said. They plan to start humbly and will host the first seminars right at their home at Regal Point, east of Wiarton.

"We are proud of what we do here." Involved in every step of the process, he believes they are doing a very good job and the result.... "a top product with great benefits to the average consumer."

Bayside Pharmacy in Wiarton carries the capsules and you can also purchase it at Regal Point Farms. At a cost of $35 for 60 capsules, they will run you about the cost of a cup of coffee a day.

Eric explained his theory on what he calls the activity circle. "If you are feeling bad, life becomes sedentary and you tend to sit around more," and the circle gets worse. If you are feeling good, you become more active and more likely to take better care of yourself and the circle gets better.

The Robinsons firmly believe that their elk velvet antlers can help your activity circle get better.

About Elk Antlers

Regal Point Elk Velvet Antler may help:

• provide arthritis and osteoporosis relief
• increase physical strength and energy
• strengthen bones, ligaments and tendons
• speed healing of damaged tissue
• reduce inflammation and assist blood flow
• strengthen the immune system
• reduce fatigue
• lubricate joints
• improve mental sharpness and alertness
• increase blood oxygen carrying capacity.

Regal Point Elk Velvet Antler is a natural source of:

Glycosaminoglycan, Glucosamine sulfate and chondroitin, Alkaline Phosphatase, Pantocrine, Hyaluronic acid, Prostaglandins, Pantothenic acid, Polysaccharides, Growth factors IGF - 1 and IGF - 2 and all 8 essential amino acids.