Efficacy and safety of YHC-BE-2040 on immune function: An 8-week, multicenter, randomized, double-blinded, and placebo-controlled study

Abstract

Background: Deer velvet (DV) extract, a traditional remedy in Eastern Asian medicine, holds potential as an immune modulator. This study aimed to investigate the effects of enzymatically digested DV extract, YHC-BE-2040 (HENKIV®), on cell-mediated immunity in a randomized controlled trial. Methods: Healthy adults (N=120), aged 40 to 70, were randomly assigned to receive either a high-dose (HD) or low-dose (LD) DV extract, or a placebo daily for 8 weeks. The subjects were instructed to orally administer the provided intervention once a day, taking 2 capsules per dose after a meal. Results: Primary efficacy was measured by natural killer-cell activity, revealing a significant increase in both HD and LD groups compared to placebo (P