Identify what is actually being sold
A deer-antler or other animal-derived product may advertise growth factors without showing what remains after processing or what is absorbed. OPSS reports uncertainty about finished antler products and no established health or performance benefit. An ingredient’s presence in an animal tissue does not validate the capsule or spray. [1]
Prescription benefit applies to a defined disorder
Increlex contains mecasermin, a recombinant IGF-1 medicine. Its label covers specific growth-failure conditions in children aged two or older, including severe primary IGF-1 deficiency. It is not an approved general adult muscle-building or anti-aging treatment, nor a substitute for treatment of other causes of low IGF-1. [2]
Hormone activity can produce serious harm
Mecasermin can cause low blood sugar and serious reactions, with additional precautions for cancer history, intracranial pressure and growing bones. Those medical risks are not erased by a supplement label. Conversely, uncertain active content does not prove that a retail product delivers the same effect as the medicine. [3][2]
Evaluate both health and sport implications
Imagine a spray promises recovery through IGF-1 but provides only a tissue-extract weight. Neither efficacy nor an active dose is established by that label. IGF-1 is prohibited under anti-doping rules, so athletes need authoritative product and medication review rather than relying on retail availability. [1][4]
| Question | Interpretation |
|---|---|
| Tissue ingredient | Not a predictable hormone dose |
| Mecasermin evidence | Specific pediatric conditions |
| Natural label | Not a safety guarantee |
| Athlete use | Anti-doping rules apply |
Sources for this article
- Deer Antler Velvet in Dietary Supplements
Source consulted: 2026-09-21. This is a reference resource, not a claim that we conducted the studies or tested a product. - These highlights do not include all the information needed to use INCRELEX ®safely and effectively. See full prescribing information for INCRELEX ®. INCRELEX ®(mecasermin) injection, for subcutaneous use Initial U.S. Approval: 2005
Source consulted: 2026-09-21. This is a reference resource, not a claim that we conducted the studies or tested a product. - Mecasermin Injection: MedlinePlus Drug Information
Source consulted: 2026-09-21. This is a reference resource, not a claim that we conducted the studies or tested a product. - Screen Your Dietary Supplements | U.S. Anti-Doping Agency
Source consulted: 2026-09-21. This is a reference resource, not a claim that we conducted the studies or tested a product.