It’s not the loveliest root – in fact, maca has been described as looking like the love child of a potato and white radish.
And yes, maca rhymes with caca, which the darker root varieties resemble. That said, maca is surging in popularity as a superfood medicinal plant. While Western culture is just now experiencing its health benefits, maca (Lepidium meyenii), is an important indigenous Andean food that has been grown and cultivated as a root crop for at least 2,000 years – since the days of the Inca warriors, who ate maca in order to run faster.
Maca is a cruciferous vegetable belonging to the same family as kale, broccoli and cabbage. It grows wild in the harsh environment and frigid ground of the Andes mountains thousands of feet above sea level in Peru.
Maca is a common ingredient in Peruvian cooking that gives dishes an earthy flavor. Others have described maca as having a nutty/butterscotch taste.
Sometimes referred to as Peruvian ginseng, maca is also considered an adaptogenic herb. Adaptogenic herbs are used in herbal medicine for the claimed stabilization of physiological processes and promotion of homeostasis. In other words, they are used to exert a normalizing influence on the body.
Adaptogenic herbs have traditionally been used in Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine and are still used to support energy levels and the stress response system. In addition to maca root, other popular adaptogenic herbs include American ginseng and Reishi mushrooms.
Valued as an aphrodisiac, Maca root has been used for centuries to improve sexual function. For men, Maca root is believed to benefit prostate function as well as increase sperm count.
For women, maca root may boost libido, particularly in postmenopausal women. Maca root may also help support hormonal issues, including PMS, menopause and hot flashes.
As an overall mood and energy booster, maca root is often compared to coffee in this regard – without the jittery side effects of caffeine.
Maca has also been used by athletes to enhance stamina and improve energy as well as mind-set.
Speaking of mind-set, another popular maca root claim is that it improves learning and memory with the implication that maca root might be helpful in treating conditions that affect these processes, such as Alzheimer’s disease.
Another common health claim is that maca root reduces blood pressure by promoting natural antioxidants in the body to fight free radicals.
There’s even the claim that applying maca extract, a concentrated form of the plant, to your skin may help protect it from the sun. Over time, UV radiation can cause wrinkles and increase your risk of skin cancer. The protective effect has been attributed to the polyphenol antioxidants and glucosinolates found in maca.
Maca is available in several forms: capsule, liquid and powder. It can be found in health food stores and natural pharmacies. Now it can also be purchased through quite a few online retailers.
By far the most popular way to use maca is as a powder. Many users like to sprinkle maca root powder into their smoothies or into hot beverages. The powder is also commonly sprinkled over cereal, yogurt and even added to baked goods and snacks.
Though there’s no official recommended dosage, most studies indicate that 3–5 grams per day is most effective.
According to The Maca Team website, the best time to take maca is in the morning since it is supposed to increase your levels of energy. Many maca users also apparently take their main serving of maca powder or capsules in the morning at breakfast and then again in the afternoon when their energy feels lower.
The Maca Team website reports it’s crucial to store maca appropriately, and offers this advice:
- Maca powders, chips and maca blends: It’s important to store these away from direct light and out of humidity. Alternatively, and especially in humid climates, you can store the powder in your refrigerator or freezer.
- Maca capsules: Make sure that the amber jar lead is fully closed each time after use. And store your capsules away from light and humidity.
- Maca extracts: Simply make sure the bottle is fully sealed (lid is screwed on tight) after each use. And store out of direct light.
Human studies are limited, so information on side effects is also on the short side. However, as of now, maca is generally considered safe and can be consumed with minimal risk of adverse effects.
However, those with thyroid issues should exercise caution when using maca, as it contains goitrogens, which are compounds that could disrupt the production of thyroid hormones in those with thyroid conditions.
Due to a lack of existing information, it’s also best to avoid maca if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding. At the very least, talk to your healthcare provider before taking maca.
There is empirical evidence that maca can boost libido. For example, a 12-week double blind placebo-controlled, randomized, parallel trial concluded that treatment with maca improved sexual desire after eight weeks.
A study of randomized clinical trials (RCTs) revealed that half of them did indeed show a significant positive effect of maca on sexual dysfunction or sexual desire in healthy menopausal women or healthy adult men.
A 2015 study also showed that maca can improve sperm function. Twenty apparently healthy men were treated with maca or placebo for 12 weeks in order to evaluate its effect on semen parameters and serum hormone levels. Sperm concentration and motility showed rising trends compared to placebo.
Animal studies have also shown that red maca can reduce prostate size. Even though these are animal and not human trials, it should be noted that maca contains high levels of zinc, which is an important regulator of prostate function.
There is also evidence that maca really can act as a mood booster and energizer.
Maca contains flavonoids, which are thought to improve mood and reduce anxiety in the general population but may be particularly effective in postmenopausal woman.
Recent studies suggest that maca may be able to enhance athletic performance. One of the more interesting studies investigated the effect of 14 days of maca supplementation on endurance performance in trained male cyclists. Eight participants each completed a 40 km cycling time trial before and after 14 days supplementation with both maca extract (ME) and placebo in a randomized crossover design. After 14 days, the cyclists who took the maca extract supplement improved their cycling course times.
Maca has also proven to be beneficial at reducing metabolic syndrome – a cluster of conditions that occur together, increasing your risk of heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes.
In one study, a randomized clinical trial in healthy men showed that gelatinized maca reduced systolic and diastolic blood pressure after 12 weeks of treatment. Curiously, it’s also been found that in a population traditionally consuming maca, systolic blood pressure was lower than in those not consuming maca.
Maca contains high amounts of potassium, an important nutrient to reduce risk of high blood pressure, and as a primary metabolite may be useful in patients with high blood pressure.
Additionally, maca supporters may be on the right track regarding claims that maca improves learning and memory. Experimental studies have shown that the black variety of maca has beneficial effects on learning and memory in experimental animal models.
Maca is known to be used by indigenous people in the central Peruvian Andes to help their children improve school performance.
It’s also possible that maca could help in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease. Production and deposition of Amyloid‐beta (Aβ) peptide is a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease. At least one study has shown that maca extract and macamides may produce neuroprotective effects against Aβ by mechanisms other than caspase 3 inhibition or an antioxidant effect.
Does maca protect your skin? Animal studies regarding maca and sun protection have not been particularly convincing.
Despite its homeliness, the maca root has a pretty record at proving the validity of many of its health claims. Perhaps this is why the consumption of maca has significantly increased over the past two decades.
But then, not everyone is convinced that maca lives up to its billing. For example, the journal Current Sexual Health Reports has written “there is no strong medical evidence to support maca’s use for female sexual dysfunction.”
Part of the skepticism arises from the preponderance of animal studies versus human ones. Also it should be pointed out that not all maca roots are the same. Different varieties have different properties. The maca grown outside Peru might also exhibit a somewhat different chemical composition.
But, while maca root’s alleged aphrodisiac and other claims are the focus of “hot and heavy” debate, no one is doubting that maca is nutritious and a great source of many essential minerals and vitamins.
In fact, 1 ounce (28 grams) of maca root powder contains:
- Vitamin C: 133% of the recommended dietary intake (RDI)
- Copper: 85% of the RDI
- Iron: 23% of the RDI
- Potassium: 16% of the RDI
- Vitamin B-6: 15% of the RDI
- Manganese: 10% of the RDI
Maca is also packed with calcium, zinc and essential amino acids.
