The 43:1, Ethanol, 100,000 nanogram Velvet Scam

 

NOTE: Nutronics Labs supplies the raw material and manufactures our antler velvet product. Royal Velvet has the full spectrum of growth factors as well as the hundreds of nutrients found in the special extract that only we have. Nutronics Labs does manufacturer two different IGF-1 products made from antler velvet that contain 10,000 nanograms or 100,000 nanograms of IGF-1 per bottle. These IGF-1 products are directed toward bodybuilders. They are the ONLY known legitimate concentrated IGF-1 products from antler velvet on the market today. Royal Velvet is balanced in all the growth factors to promote overall health as well as improved athleticism. No other company in the world has this extract, nor comes even close. This is a fact that no one can deny.

Here is but one of many examples we could use of antler velvet scams:

In 2009 a video swept youtube with a “health advocate” and “shamanic teacher” named “Mr. X” (we are not using his real name, but we want to assure you that everything in this expose is true) promoting a brand of antler velvet, called “Brand X” (again the name has been changed, but there is a so-called antler velvet product promoted by Mr. X.) The outrageous and false claims that were made in this video were so numerous that we dismissed the whole thing as a scam from the outset.

However, we were stunned when we received hundreds of phone calls and emails asking us to respond to what was being said on this video. Thousands of people were being duped into believing the outrageous claims, even though very little of what was said about the product was true.

Mr. X is a smooth talking, seemingly convincing “spokesperson”. We know that many of the things that he promotes in the way of healthy lifestyles are true or are alternative ways to obtain health. We concur that about 95% of what he says about antler velvet (NOT his Brand X antler velvet) in general is TRUE.

On the other hand, we disagree with many of the things promoted in his videos, websites, and lectures. (Eating blood or bloody meat, shamanism, occult practices, psychedelics, etc.) With that said, we have NO “axe to grind” with Mr. X. We wish him well and no harm. But deception that harms people must be addressed when you have the power to do so.

The information presented on this site is for one purpose and one purpose only. To tell the truth and expose the lie.

The facts and truth about his product simply were not what he was telling the viewers of this video. Claims such as a 43:1 extract (43 pounds of antler velvet tips were used to make one pound of this extract) - is simply impossible. All of the world’s experts in antler velvet products laughed in derision at this statement. The cost would be thousands of dollars per bottle IF in fact the product could be made in such a way.

But it is nearly impossible to take 43 pounds of antler velvet tips to make 1 pound of “extract”. The product would have the consistency of sand and could not be a liquid. Now granted, if you wanted to deceptively say that you started with 43 pounds of raw material, took 42 pounds of it and set it aside, and had 1 pound of raw material “left over” (not doing ANY OR LITTLE EXTRACTION PROCESS), I guess you could make that claim. But you would have to state that both the 42 pounds and 1 pound were nearly the identical original “product”, NOT an “extract”. Or, you could tell your potential clients that you started with 43 pounds and ended up with 1 pound of product.* The asterisk would have to state: * No extraction process was performed on the 43 pounds of raw material.

Other claims about the amount of IGF-1 in the product were also exaggerated by an astronomical percentage – again being IMPOSSIBLE to produce. Their website states that their $149.97 product contains 100 micrograms of IGF-1 and their $79.97 product contains 45 micrograms of IGF-1!!! This is virtually impossible!

Their website also states the following:

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“There has never been a supplement with the STRENGTH GAINS OF HGH, the HEALING POWERS OF A HYPERBARIC CHAMBER, ENDURANCE OF HCG, the TOTAL SYSTEM REGENERATION of a full matrix of GF(s), 100 MCG’S OF IGF-1 PER BOTTLE, all administered with a BREAKTHROUGH PATENT PENDING GLAND STIMULATING FORMULA.”

In this opening statement they also claim “100 micrograms of IGF-1 per bottle!

If they had claimed 100 nanograms, NOT micrograms, of IGF-1 FROM ANTLER VELVET, then we could have believed them. 1,000 nanograms equals 1 microgram. They were claiming they had 100,000 nanograms of IGF-1 in their bottle! IMPOSSIBLE!

We were stunned by the claims. We thought maybe they were adding in a synthetic IGF-1 product to the antler velvet. But it wouldn’t be antler velvet IGF-1.

What we did find strange about this is their labels (pictured on their website) states that their product is a “pharmaceutical grade Growth Factor Formula”. The growth factors in antler velvet are not man-made or pharmaceutical made. So what is the source of their growth factors?

Absolutely amazing is the FACT that Brand X seemingly does NOT list the full ingredients on their label OR website, which would not only be a violation of the law but also VERY suspicious behavior from a company that touts itself as being “superior” to other products. (As of June 2010.)

Their PDF file does supposedly list the “other ingredients” as “Purified water, 52% alcohol.”

AND 52% alcohol? What actually does this mean? Are 52% of the contents of their product alcohol? Or, like alcoholic drinks that have an alcohol “proof” content, is the alcohol they use 52% proof? FYI: Drinks with a concentration of more than about 50% ethanol by volume are flammable liquids and easily ignited. Alcoholic drinks with that high of ethanol content can be ignited with ease by heating slightly, e.g. adding the liquor to a warmed shot glass.

We know that the active ingredient in alcoholic beverages is ethanol. But ethanol is metabolized into acetaldehyde in the human body. Everyone knows the hazards of alcohol poisoning, toxicity, and kidney/liver damage. (More on ethanol below.)

But the claims by Brand X that their product contains 100 micrograms (100,000 nanograms) of IGF-1 per bottle not only baffled us but also baffled all the world’s chemists and laboratories that we contacted that were experts in the field of antler velvet. They told us time and time again that it was impossible. The numbers Brand X was putting out HAD TO BE a lie.

So, we were absolutely amazed that a company could be so deceptive. We finally made the decision to spend thousands of dollars on an assay to see if their claims were true, or in reality, how deceptive their claims were. We sent a sealed bottle of their product to one of the top labs in the world and had their product assayed for IGF-1.

Are you sitting down? Here are the results:

Brand X IN FACT does NOT contain 100 micrograms of IGF-1 per bottle. It does NOT contain even one hundredth (1/100) of what they claim it contains. Our chemical assay by a top chemist (in the world) and laboratory, shows they have only 930 nanograms of IGF-1 per bottle. FYI: 1,000 nanograms equals 1 microgram. Their label says they have 100 micrograms of IGF-1 per bottle. It does not contain even 1 microgram of IGF-1 per bottle!

Therefore the FACTS PROVE that they are EXAGERATING the claims of IGF-1 in their product by a factor of MORE THAN ONE HUNDRED TIMES!

This is illegal.

This is immoral.

This is a scam.

And the people they are trying to scam are you.

And that is not the only problem, though claiming their product has more than 100 times the IGF-1 than it ACTUALLY does should be enough to bring lawsuits AND the FDA down on them. We have a serious problem with their use of ethanol and their claims about it.

Ethanol in their product is frightening at best and dangerous at worst. Ethanol, the substitute gasoline product that is used to run automobiles, is NOT a HEALTH product! Their claims of using ethanol so the velvet will “absorb” through the sides of the mouth are ridiculous at best and extremely dangerous at worst. Yes, the average human metabolizes minute amounts of ethanol. But anything more than these very small amounts of ethanol in the human body can cause serious side effects, damage and disease. The number one problem is liver damage.

Ethanol cannot be secreted by the human body and has to be processed in the liver. Excess ethanol causes a build up of NADH and can cause hypoglycemia and lactic acidosis. Excess ethanol also causes a dramatic increase in cancer causing and DNA damaging free-radicals, accumulation of triacylglycerols in the liver, a reduction of the antioxidant amino acid glutathione in the body, elevated levels of ketones, as well as a plethora of other damaging events.

NOTE: Royal Velvet’s natural and healthy liposomal delivery system allows 97% absorption into the blood stream within 30 seconds. Nothing in the world compares to this outside of intravenous injections.

With Brand X’s logic, one might ask: “Would you mix nutrients with gasoline so you could get “better” absorption?” Any intelligent person would respond: “Of course not!”

The whole purpose of the ethanol is supposedly to allow for better absorption. But at what cost, you may ask? If holding the ethanol in your mouth for two minutes causes it to turn into a raw hamburger-like texture (read: damaged mucosal layer), then is it really worth it?

Incredibly, none of Brand X’s literature states just HOW MUCH of their product is absorbed into the body via their ethanol medium. Is it 1%, 3%, 10%, or ??? PLEASE understand the deceptive nature of this AMAZING claim! They boast about their ethanol delivery system, saying it is the best, better than any other product, but do NOT tell you what the difference is! Does their suspect ethanol system even deliver 1% absorption? Where are the studies to prove that absorption does occur with this new and unproven method?

They do state on their PDF site that “Brand X” is absorbed five to ten times more effectively via the mucosa glands over merely swallowing the supplement.” Swallowing a product results in an average of no more than 10% absorption of nutrients. But many times the amount of absorption of nutrients from swallowing a supplement is 0%! Nothing enters the body. This could be due to 1) poor digestion, 2) the molecular structure of the nutrients, 3) the delicate make-up of the nutrients being destroyed by the hydrochloric acid in the stomach (as is the case for most all growth factors including IGF-1), 4) the villi are covered with post-putrefactic fecal matter that hinders absorption of nutrients, 5) an improper amount of intrinsic factors, 6) the substance that the nutrients are in, whether it be food, liquids, capsules, or tablets, 7) as well as other possible physical abnormalities that prevent absorption of nutrients.

Zero times 5 or 10 is still zero.

Our product, Royal Velvet, delivers MORE than 95% of the nutrients directly into the blood stream in less than 40 seconds. Their instructions say you have to hold their product in your mouth for at least 2 minutes. They also claim that you then “swallow the remnants of the formula for the final stage of absorption.”

WHAT?! After holding it in your mouth for two minutes you still have to “swallow” it for more absorption! Incredible! You pay $150 for a product that has only 30 dosages and you do not even have a clue to how much of this actually gets into your body?

Also, they recommend that you take the product two to three times per day! This means if you took their product three times per day you would need 3 bottles of “Brand X” PER MONTH! At $150 per bottle this would amount to $450 a month for a fraction of the IGF-1 and growth factors that only ONE BOTTLE of Royal Velvet contains!!! And Royal Velvet has a MUCH BETTER delivery system with DRAMATICALLY MORE absorption!

Then there is the degradation PROBLEM with using ethanol. The very delicate growth factor molecules could very easily degrade or be altered in a 52% alcohol solution. Everything we have been able to research in the scientific and medical communities have given us documented evidence that the growth factors cannot withstand the ethanol. What studies have they done to discover the damage done to the hundreds of nutrients in antler velvet by their ethanol solution?

What proof do they have that the growth factors are still intact after sitting in a bottle of ethanol? We would say NONE!

And we have DOCUMENTATION to back up our claim that using an alcohol/ethanol solution to place growth factors in is unconscionable! Here is the documentation:

Scores of studies over decades of research has been done on the affects of ethanol on fetuses due to mothers’ alcohol consumption. The MAIN reason that children are born with brain defects and mental retardation as well as other neurological damage when their mothers drink alcohol during pregnancy is due to the FACT that growth factors (specifically NERVE growth factors) are dramatically changed in the presence of ethanol.

This affect either inhibits the PROPER growth of the central nervous system or OVERSTIMULATES certain cells of the central nervous system. Below is a direct quote from one of the many studies done in this area of research:

“Ethanol exposure during development is teratogenic. The central nervous system (CNS) is particularly susceptible to ethanol toxicity. In fact, heavy gestational ethanol consumption is one of the leading known causes of mental retardation in the Western world. Ethanol exposure disrupts the proliferation of glia and neuronal precursors in the developing CNS. Depending upon cell population and blood ethanol concentration, ethanol can either inhibit or stimulate cell proliferation. Increasing evidence shows that ethanol interferes with the action of growth factors. In vitro systems are a good model to investigate ethanol neurotoxicity, since the effects of ethanol on cultured cells parallel the effects of ethanol in the developing CNS. The inhibitory effects of ethanol on cell proliferation may result from interference with mitogenic growth factors (e.g., bFGF, EGF, PDGF, IGF-I). Ethanol interference with growth factor action could occur at three levels: ligand production, receptor expression, and/or signal transduction. Thus, ethanol-induced alterations in the developing CNS that characterize fetal alcohol syndrome apparently result from alterations in the regulatory action of growth factors.”

You can read the entire abstract of the research done by Jia Luo and Michael W. Miller at the University of Iowa College of Medicine here:  http://www.sciencedirect.com/science

The above study is just one of many that concludes that ethanol interferes with human growth factors’ primary functions (including IGF-1). It is simply the fact that the higher the concentration of ethanol, the greater the chance a baby will be born retarded or have birth defects.

Now think about growth factors actually being placed in an ETHANOL SOLUTION!

That is what you have with “Brand X”!

Also, it has been a scientific documented and known fact for decades that alcohol INHIBITS the absorption of nutrients into the body. So why does Mr. X believe that magically all of sudden the laws of the Universe have changed?

They use the term “clinical research” dozens of times on their website but do not site any of the studies. This seems odd. They do not even mention the name of the clinic(s) doing the research. (FYI: We DO mention the prestigious clinics who have done studies and research on our product – Royal Velvet – on our website.)

NOTE: Mr. X did have one medical/scientific link on his website. It was to Dr. Subhuti Dharmananda’s article on antler velvet. When Dr. Dharmananda was contacted by a private investigator (who is contracted by many government agencies in matters such as this) about this link to Mr. X’s website, he was horrified. Dr. Dharmananda told the investigator that he had nothing to do with Mr. X and wanted no association with him at all. AMAZINGLY, within 30 minutes of this phone conversation the link to Dr. Dharmananda’s article was TAKEN OFF Mr. X’s website.

What this tells us is that Mr. X COULD remove all the lies and deceptions off his website in a moment if he really wanted to. He could also do the right thing by stop selling this bogus and potentially dangerous product.

Here are a few of the many “claims” that are CURRENTLY (revised as of Jan 2010) on their website that are either questionable or simply not true.

“New Zealand deer velvet is the only mammalian organ that completely regenerates.”

THE TRUTH: ALL cervids (deer, elk, moose, reindeer, and caribou) regenerate their antlers every year. Everywhere in the world, not just in New Zealand. Their statement is ludicrous and makes it seem like only they have a “special” product. It simply is NOT true.

NOTE: Mr. X changed this after our expose on him.
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“Brand X prides itself in using the finest raw material to produce the highest concentration of beneficial qualities in order to ensure that this extract stands head and shoulders above the competition.”

THE TRUTH: As proven above, this statement is a joke. Royal Velvet is at least ten times more potent with much higher concentrations of beneficial qualities and they certainly do NOT use the “finest” raw materials!!! Ethanol?

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“Brand X instantly provides the full matrix of growth factors.”

THE TRUTH: Instantly is not an acceptable term when it comes to a product in which the directions state that you have to hold the product in your mouth for two minutes and they do not provide ANY documentation (or even SPECULATION) on how much growth factors (if any) are absorbed into the body AND in WHAT TIME FRAME?!
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“Brand X delivers the healing and tissue regeneration that could only be achieved by a hyberbaric chamber.”

THE TRUTH: IF their product was anything near what they claim, then this statement wouldn’t be too far from the truth. But since we have established the FACTS that what they claim is in their product REALLY IS NOT IN THEIR PRODUCT, then this statement is fallacious.
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“Brand X is the…only IGF product that contains a full matrix of growth factors uniquely delivered and processed to allow for maximum absorption and effectiveness.”

THE TRUTH: Until they are willing to (truthfully) address HOW MUCH of their product is absorbed through their ethanol delivery system, it is hard to compare products. Royal Velvet is without question many TIMES more potent, has a MUCH HIGHER absorption rate, and has MORE growth factors than does their Brand X product.

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“It is the only all-natural proprietary matrix to deliver 100 mcg of IGF-1 per bottle (in addition to the full GG matrix.)

THE TRUTH: We have already PROVEN that they do NOT HAVE EVEN ONE HUNDRETH of this amount of IGF-1 in their product. We would like them to produce an assay of their product that proves that Brand X in fact does contain 100 micrograms of IGF-1 per bottle. We know they never could! And again, until they are willing to (truthfully) address HOW MUCH of their product is absorbed through their ethanol delivery system, it is hard to compare products.

What if the ethanol destroys most of the growth factors? What if their ethanol delivery system only allows 1% absorption? What if the IGF-1 is altered by ethanol making it unusable by the human body? There are a lot of “what ifs”!

Royal Velvet is all natural. Is a proprietary matrix (special formula). Is the standard for which all other antler velvet products are compared to. Until Mr. X is willing to own up to the truth, or present some form of documented evidence of their claims, everyone involved in this industry knows that their product is bogus.

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“Only antler tips are used.”

THE TRUTH: We would like for them to prove this. Since they are so deceptive about nearly everything else, making exaggerated if not outright false claims about their product, we would be amazed if in fact they did use only the tips in their product. And even if they did, they are MISSING several very important nutrients that are NOT found in the tips, but are found in other parts of the antler.

NOTE: Royal Velvet uses a combination of the parts of the antler velvet that contain the most beneficial nutrients in the proper ratios in order to make it the most potent possible as well as containing the largest amount of nutrients, in their proper and useable form for the human body.
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“Brand X transforming growth factors alpha and beta are responsible for producing myostatin and the all important receptors. Without the receptors and the over production of myostatin by the transforming growth factor alpha, it would cause muscles to deteriorate. Brand X not only contains the myostatin producing TFG-A, it is specially formulated with the TFG-B, which is responsible for producing the receptors. Recent studies have found that people who are considered to be genetically gifted in athletic abilities have shown that their bodies possess an abundant ability to produce myostatin and the receptors. For this reason, Myostatin recently was dubbed the athletic gene.”

The above quote is a direct quote on the website except for our substitution of the name of their product.

THE TRUTH: We know that most of you reading this are not scientists or have medical or biological training to understand how bizarre the above quote is. The OPPOSITE of what is stated above is closer to the truth. We will try in layman terms to explain that the above quote is anything but the truth.

Let’s just look at one statement made by the Brand X website: “Without the receptors and the over production of myostatin by the transforming growth factor alpha, it would cause muscles to deteriorate.”

Actually, overproduction of myostatin CAUSES muscles to deteriorate. This is EXACTLY OPPOSITE of what their statement says.

Everyone knows that myostatin INHIBITS (or slows down and prevents) skeletal muscle growth.

Another of their quotes, is also fallacious. In fact, it too, is opposite of the truth. “Recent studies have found that people who are considered to be genetically gifted in athletic abilities have shown that their bodies possess an abundant ability to produce myostatin and the receptors.”

Again, the more myostatin in the human body, the smaller the muscles will be. When there is a smaller amount of myostatin, the human body will have larger muscles. This is the exact opposite of what the Brand X people are claiming.

Sure, there is the receptor equation. Receptor sites must function properly. But it is the Transforming Growth Factor Beta’s ligands that INHIBIT myostatin THAT causes an increase muscle mass, NOT myostatin itself – which slows muscle growth!

We hope that you can see that the Brand X people certainly do not know what they are talking about.

Also, this statement: “For this reason, Myostatin recently was dubbed the athletic gene.” is bogus.

There are NO scientists, NO biologists, NO doctors, NO government or NGOs, nobody in ANY position of higher learning has made that statement. Either the Brand X people made this up like most of the other statements on their website or some employee or maybe a body builder that does not know what he is talking about may have made this statement. It is not, nor ever has been used in medical or scientific literature.

Certainly there are now a plethora of studies being done on SUPRESSING myostatin to INCREASE musculature in mice and other mammals. But this is a far cry from pronouncing that myostatin itself is “the athletic gene”.

We also have a BIG problem with this part of the quote: “…it is specially formulated with the TFG-B [sic]…” What on earth do they mean by “it is specially formulated”? You can NOT “formulate” the composition of growth factors in the deer while its antlers are growing! If you “formulate” the raw antler velvet material then you are manually or chemically manipulating the natural composition. There is no way to formulate more or less transforming growth factor – beta. Which by the way, is abbreviated TGF-beta or TGF-B. They have it as TFG-B, which is INCORRECT and not used in science, medical, research, or any professional literature. We understand that they do have it spelled correctly in some, but not all other areas of their website. It is hard to think that this is simply a typographically error when there are so many other mistakes and inaccuracies throughout their website.

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“The Interleukin Growth Factor in this IGF proprietary extract can act as an all-natural NSAID.”

THE TRUTH: This statement, according to the US government, makes MR. X’s product a prescription drug. NSAID stands for Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug. Whether or not you agree with the FDA’s ruling on this subject, all supplement companies are supposed to “play by the rules”. This means they are not allowed to claim drug-like properties to their “natural products”.

However, we have more problems with this statement than claiming one of the constituents in antler velvet “acts like an all-natural NSAID”. Inflammation is a normal process of healing in the human body. Without it, we could not heal properly or correctly. Certainly, too much inflammation causes a domino affect on the body that can result in various diseases. But we believe and teach that the human body needs to be in BALANCE, or what is called HOMEOSTASIS. It is this BALANCE that causes the body to be in health. NSAIDS are drugs that FORCE or pendulum swing human bodily functions to an EXTREME, many times causing damage and problems. It is a known fact that NSAIDS cause the deaths of tens of thousands of people every year in the United States alone (due to internal bleeding) and that approximately 150,000 people are rushed to the emergency rooms of hospitals annually with complications from NSAIDS.

And finally, but not even close to addressing all the deceptive and dishonest statements”

“Dare to Compare”

THE TRUTH: Yes, we dared to compare. And you lost – BIG TIME!

It just goes to show you that there are people willing to put up anything on the Internet –whether it is true or not. Just to sell product and make money on unsuspecting individuals. PLEASE do not be duped into believing the nonsense on their website!

We are not trying to nit-pick here. The above statements are anything but true, are categorically VERY deceptive.

We know these facts because it is our job to know the truth about antler velvet in general and our product specifically. But thousands upon thousands of unsuspecting Americans are being duped into buying this product with its deceptive advertising and misleading “information”.

Buyer beware.

As we have said, there are many more statements CURRENTLY (June 2010) on their website that are false, misleading, and deceptive.

Can you trust a company’s product to be safe, pure, and beneficial if their claims have been proven to be false, misleading, and deceptive?

THINK ABOUT IT.

NOTE: There are a plethora of companies selling this 43:1, ethanol based, so-called 100,000 nanogram antler velvet product, using the exact same literature and verbiage that Mr. X uses. Please be careful of these deceptive companies.