Deer velvet — the soft, nutrient-rich antler tissue harvested from growing deer — has long been marketed as a natural supplement for joint health, athletic recovery, and vitality. But its association with sports stars hasn’t always been smooth. From performance-enhancing drug allegations to misleading marketing claims, here are five high-profile deer velvet controversies and what really went down.
1. Ray Lewis – The Super Bowl Spray Scandal
In 2013, ahead of Super Bowl XLVII, NFL legend, Hall of Fame inductee and hardest of the hard men Ray Lewis was accused of using deer antler spray to speed up recovery from a torn triceps. The spray allegedly contained IGF-1 (Insulin-like Growth Factor-1) — a banned substance under NFL and WADA rules. Although Lewis denied using the product and no penalties were issued, the media frenzy cast a long shadow, associating deer velvet with potential doping in the eyes of the public. Lewis' locker room speeches were legendary as was his work ethic and physique.
Watch one of Lewis' incredible speeches following a loss here.
2. Vijay Singh – Golf Great in Hot Water
Also in 2013, Hall of Fame golfer Vijay Singh - the man who dethroned Tiger Woods - admitted in a Sports Illustrated interview that he used deer antler spray, believing it to be a legal recovery aid. The PGA Tour launched an investigation due to the product’s potential IGF-1 content. Although Singh never failed a drug test, the Tour’s handling of the case led to a lawsuit, later settled. The situation highlighted how even unintentional use of banned substances could damage reputations. But Singh, gritty and wily as ever had the last laugh, becoming the oldest player ever to win the FedEx Cup at age 45.
3. MLB and the Biogenesis Fallout
During the 2013 Biogenesis scandal, several Major League Baseball stars — including Alex Rodriguez (A-Rod) — were linked to a Florida clinic distributing performance-enhancing drugs, one of which was deer antler spray. Though it wasn’t the main substance under scrutiny, the spray’s connection to IGF-1 placed it in a grey area as some athletes were allegedly using deer velvet products alongside other PEDs for muscle recovery and joint support. The case reaffirmed deer velvet’s controversial position within elite sports supplementation. IGF-1 is banned by WADA and MLB when used in injectable or concentrated forms, but legal when taken as a natural, deer velvet compound.
Above: Alex Rodriguez (A-Rod) played 22 seasons of Major League Baseball and was a 14 time All Star marking an incredibly long, legendary career.
4. Sir Bob Charles & Sir Colin Meads – Mislabeling Controversy
Two of New Zealand’s most respected athletes, golfer Sir Bob Charles and rugby legend Sir Colin Meads, were caught up in controversy through their endorsements of a supplement company selling deer velvet products. In 2019, the company and its director were found to have misrepresented the quantity of deer velvet in their capsules, overstating dosages on the label. The court found some products contained as little as 180mg despite claims of 250mg. While neither Charles nor Meads were directly implicated in the wrongdoing, the scandal tarnished the credibility of celebrity-backed supplements.
5. Testing, IGF-1, and Regulatory Grey Zones
At the heart of many deer velvet controversies lies IGF-1, a naturally occurring growth factor found in the product in trace amounts. The compound is banned by WADA when delivered in bioavailable form (i.e. intravenous injection). Yet, because IGF-1 is only active when injected — and most deer velvet supplements are taken orally — enforcement remains murky. This regulatory ambiguity has fueled debate, distrust, and confusion in the professional sporting world.
So, What’s the Takeaway?
Deer velvet has genuine nutritional benefits and centuries of traditional use behind it. But when linked to high-performance athletes, the lines between wellness, recovery, and performance enhancement can blur. For supplement brands, transparency and compliance are key. For athletes, due diligence is everything. And for consumers? Awareness matters — especially when marketing hype meets the world of elite sports.