If you'd like to compare various brands of maca, you can shop maca on. Please be aware that-other than the nutritional benefits provided by the vitamins and minerals-maca's other benefits have not all been scientifically proven, as maca has not been subjected to very many formal studies. For more on this, see 5 Easy and Tasty Ways to Use Maca Powder in Food.Ī concise and useful book, Maca Root for Health and Vitality, is available on Amazon as an e-book and in paperback. Experts often recommend rotating a few days on and a few days off. An average daily dose amounts to about 1 tablespoon. When you first start using maca root, begin by taking smaller amounts and building up start with as little as ½ teaspoon. No serious known side effects have been found for maca root powder, but-like any other superfood or supplement-it shouldn't be taken in large amounts. Grown in the mountains of Peru, anther name for this superfood is “Peruvian ginseng." Here we discuss 7 major maca root health benefits. Maca root belongs to the radish family, and is most commonly available in powder form. It may actually do something, especially if you think it will.Maca root, an ancient Peruvian root crop, is gaining popularity as a vegan supplement and vegan superfood. It seems that for people looking for a little boost in stamina and sexual function, a daily dose in the range of 1500-3000 mgs of “Peruvian ginseng,” as maca is sometimes called, is an option. Given that maca is widely consumed as a food, it is unlikely that any of the root powders pose a significant health risk, although headaches, stomach problems, sweating and sleep disruption have been reported in rare cases. There is no systematic checking by regulators that the product actually contains what it is supposed to contain or whether it harbours lead, cadmium or arsenic, all of which are possible soil contaminants and capable of ending up in the marketed product. Again, there were no changes noted in any hormone levels.Īs usual with such dietary supplements, the consumer is at the mercy of the manufacturer in terms of product quality. Another study in young men showed a slight but significant improvement in erectile dysfunction, and one in postmenopausal women resulted in decreased anxiety and depression and some improvement in sexual function compared with placebo. There was no measurable change in sex hormones and curiously the effect was not dose dependent. In one small study, men taking 1500 or 3000 mg per day of powdered root claimed increased sexual desire compared with a placebo. There have been studies of various maca root preparations, and although not compelling, they are suggestive of some potential benefit. That’s why when it comes to herbal products, the simplest process is to test crude mixtures. Then comes the even greater challenge of testing candidate compounds for biological activity. It takes a monumental effort to isolate, separate and identify the hundreds of compounds found in plants, and that is only the beginning. None have been detected so far, but that is not surprising. After all, plants are fascinating chemical factories and it is conceivable that maca may have some biologically active compounds. Couple this with anecdotes of Peruvians eating maca root for energy and improved sexual function, and you have a basis for carrying out studies that may potentially lay the groundwork for marketing.