Recovery after training is influenced by much more than a supplement.

Training load, sleep, food, protein, carbohydrate, hydration and the time available before the next session all affect how well the body is prepared to perform again.

Supplements can support those foundations, but they should not distract from them.

What helps you recover after training?

The main recovery priorities are:

Replacing fuel used during exercise.
Providing adequate protein and amino acids.
Replacing fluid and electrolytes lost through sweat.
Getting sufficient sleep.
Allowing tissues enough time to adapt to training.
Managing the overall training load.

No supplement can fully compensate for consistently poor sleep, inadequate food or excessive training load.

Protein and muscle recovery

Exercise creates a reason for the body to adapt.

Protein provides amino acids used in normal muscle protein turnover and tissue maintenance.

Athletes can obtain protein from ordinary foods, sports foods or supplements depending on appetite, timing and convenience.

Carbohydrate and recovery

Carbohydrate helps replenish muscle glycogen used during many forms of training.

It becomes particularly important when an athlete has another demanding session or competition within a short recovery period.

Hydration and electrolytes

Fluid requirements vary considerably according to the athlete, weather, duration and intensity of exercise and individual sweat rate.

Water may be adequate for many sessions, while longer or hotter exercise can create a greater need to replace both fluid and electrolytes.

What supplements are commonly used for recovery?

Depending on the sport and the athlete’s needs, products may include:

Protein supplements.
Carbohydrate sports foods and drinks.
Electrolyte products.
Creatine.
Specific micronutrients where a deficiency or increased requirement exists.
Collagen-related products.
General nutritional supplements such as deer velvet.

Where does deer velvet fit?

Deer velvet is not primarily a carbohydrate, electrolyte or high-dose protein supplement.

It is a complex natural material containing protein, amino acids, collagen, minerals, glycosaminoglycans, lipids and growth-associated compounds.

Kathy Cane’s view is that this combination makes deer velvet relevant as nutritional support when the body is under regular physical demand.

Canes associates deer velvet with supporting normal tissue maintenance, mobility, physical activity and the body’s normal recovery processes.

What does human research say about deer velvet and athletic performance?

Human deer velvet sports research is limited and has produced mixed findings.

One double-blind trial involving active men compared deer velvet powder, deer velvet extract and placebo during a 10-week strength-training programme.

The powder group showed greater improvement than placebo in some measures of knee-extensor strength and muscular endurance, but there were no differences in aerobic capacity, red-cell mass or measured endocrine variables.

The researchers concluded that further work was needed to establish whether the strength finding was robust.

Kathy considers results such as these interesting, but Canes does not need to claim that deer velvet is a guaranteed performance enhancer in order to explain why active people may choose it as a nutritional supplement.

Can deer velvet replace normal sports nutrition?

No.

If an athlete needs carbohydrate after a long endurance session, deer velvet is not a replacement for carbohydrate.

If an athlete needs substantial protein to meet daily requirements, the relatively small amount of powder in a deer velvet capsule is not a substitute for adequate dietary protein.

Canes sees deer velvet as complementary nutritional support rather than the foundation of a recovery plan.

What should drug-tested athletes consider?

Drug-tested athletes have an additional consideration: supplement contamination and prohibited-substance risk.

Canes’ current FAQ states that its deer velvet has been batch tested for WADA-banned substances in the past but that this is not currently performed regularly.

Athletes who require current third-party sport certification should take that into account when deciding which supplement is suitable for their risk tolerance.

Whole deer velvet powder should also be distinguished from concentrated or adulterated IGF-type products marketed using deer velvet terminology.

How should an athlete assess a supplement?

Consider:

What role the supplement is meant to play.
Whether ordinary food could meet the need.
Whether the ingredient and dose are clearly stated.
Whether human evidence applies to the same type of product.
Whether independent testing is important for your sport.
Whether you take medicines or other supplements.

Kathy Cane’s perspective on recovery

Kathy’s position is that active bodies place greater demands on normal maintenance and nutrition.

She values deer velvet because it provides a naturally occurring combination of components associated with connective tissue, normal joint structure, protein metabolism and general physiology rather than relying on one isolated compound.

That does not remove the need for good training, nutrition and rest.

It explains why Canes sees deer velvet as a useful addition to those foundations for some active people.

Explore Canes Deer Velvet Capsules

Related guides

Join us for exclusive deals, updates from the farm, and helpful advice!

Sports Recovery Supplements: What to Consider After Training