Maca Side effects and warnings. Maca is considered safe for most people and there are no reported side effects.

Scientific Name: Lepidium meyenii

Other Names: Maca, maca-maca, maino, ayak chichira, and ayak willku.

Maca (Lepidium meyenii), is an herbaceous biennial plant native to the high Andes of Peru and Bolivia. Maca is largely grown as vegetable crop, harvested for the maca root which is consumed as food or used as herbal medicine for its many health benefits.

Maca has long been used by the Peruvian natives as an energy boosting food and taken as medicinal herb that increased strength, enhanced stamina and endurance. Recently, maca roots gain popularity for its medicinal effects in male sexual performance and fertility boosting effects to women.

There are only few scientific studies that attest for maca’s medicinal effects and health benefits and further investigation is needed to establish its claimed health benefits.

Maca Plant Description

Maca plant is a perennial root vegetable resembling radish or turnip growing about 2 inches in height and spreading about 1 foot in diameter. The maca plants’ leaves are lobed forming a rosette around the rhizome with yellow flowers at the middle. Maca has a small fruit with ovoid shape seeds.

Maca is also called the Peruvian ginseng (although it is not of ginseng family) because its benefits, effects and uses are similar to ginseng which is to increase stamina, boost energy and enhance sexual function.

There are many claimed traditional health benefits from maca with which many are lacking in scientific evidence. Among the many health benefits and uses of maca are the treatment, prevention and control of the following health conditions:

• Chronic fatigue syndrome
• Anemia
• Enhance physical endurance and strength
• Improvement of memory
• Leukemia
• Infertility
• Depression
• Osteoporosis
• Menstrual problems
• Erectile dysfunction
• Boost immune system
• Menopause symptoms
• Stomach cancer
• HIV and AIDS

Maca contains glucosinolates that can be processed by the body to isothiocyanates which have been known as anti-cancer compound with chemopreventive effects. However, there were no studies made to investigate these effects on humans.

Benefits of Maca in Enhancing Sexual Desires in Men

A study published in Andrologia Journal December 2002 reported the benefits and effects of maca on sexual desires for men 21 to 56 years old. The study was a 12 week double blind placebo controlled, parallel trial. Results have shown that the effects of maca on the perception of sexual desire have increased since the 8th week of treatment although there is no significant increase in testosterone level. This study confirmed the aphrodisiac effects of maca although further investigation was recommended.

Benefits of Maca in Enhancing Sexual Desires in Women

A systematic review for the benefits of maca in improving sexual function in men and women was published in the Journal of BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, August 2010. Two randomized controlled trials suggested a significant positive effect of maca on sexual dysfunction or sexual desire in healthy menopausal women and healthy adult men. Although other RCT reported no significant results, further studies were recommended.

Benefits of Maca Root in Menopausal Women

In the Menopause Journal, November 2008, a report has been made about the study done in School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Victoria University, Australia on the benefits and effects of lepidium meyenii (maca) on psychological symptoms and measures of sexual dysfunction in postmenopausal women. Preliminary findings show that Lepidium meyenii (Maca) reduces psychological symptoms, including anxiety and depression, and lowers measures of sexual dysfunction in postmenopausal women independent of estrogenic and androgenic activity.

Prostate Gland Reducing Benefits from Red Maca

In a study done in the Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Peru and was published in the Journal of Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology, January 2005, reported that red maca (Lepidium meyenii) has reduction effects in the size of ventral prostate in rats. In the study, male rats are given testosterone enanthate to induce ventral prostate growth. The red maca aqueous extract has a reduction effect likewise preventing further increase in weight of ventral prostate. The study suggested the potential ventral prostate reduction
benefit from maca root extract and further study in human samples is recommended. [1]

Where to buy Maca medicine

Maca is mostly available in health food stores. Maca may be bought in standard preparations in dry powdered form, to be mixed with drinks and food or maca can also be bought in capsules, tablets, and liquid forms.

If you can find maca root, you can have it baked or roasted, prepared as a soup, or you can make a fermented drink called maca chicha.

Maca can also be bought online from herbal sites. Amazon.com carries a number of maca products where you can compare products based on price, manufacturer’s reputation and reviews. An example is Maca Power 100 Vegetarian capsules

Maca is considered safe for most people when taken in amounts found in foods.

Maca supplements and medicine preparations are considered safe when taken as directed.

There are no reported side effects for maca.

There are no sufficient studies done to determine the side effects of maca to pregnant women and breast feeding mothers. Use of maca as medicine is discouraged.