Also known as Peruvian ginseng, maca is a plant native to the Andes Mountains, where it grows on rugged terrain at high elevations, Drugs.com explains. Maca root is the tuberous, underground portion of the maca plant and is popular both as a South American cooking ingredient and as a supplement--particularly for enhancing sexual function and fertility. Although generally considered safe, the medicinal benefits of maca root lack clinical evidence.
History
Andean natives first domesticated maca between 1,300 and 2,000 years ago, Drugs.com explains. Revered for its medicinal qualities and nutritional value, maca served as a prize for warriors during the Incan Empire, and its consumption was reserved for royalty and other privileged members of society. After arriving in Peru in 1533 and subsequently conquering the Incans, the Spanish learned of maca's medicinal value and began exporting the root back to Spain, according to Maca Magic. Although knowledge and use of maca dwindled in following centuries, interest in the plant resurged in the 1960s and 1980s, when botanists began studying Peruvian herbs in greater depth.
Uses
Maca serves a variety of uses, both as a food and as a supplement. According to Drugs.com, South Americans use maca root liberally in local cuisine as an ingredient in breads, cookies, jams, puddings, gelatins and a traditional porridge known as mazamorra, as well as in drinks such as alcoholic beverages, coffee and a sweet drink called maca chichi. As Langone Medical Center explains, maca root purportedly improves sexual function, physical stamina, sexual drive and fertility in both men and women, but these effects lack clinical evidence and stem more from traditional belief than from science.
Forms
As a supplement, maca root is available in capsules, as a liquid, in powdered form and in tablets, according to Drugs.com. Although recommended dosages vary among products, most manufacturers advise taking 450 g of maca root extract three times per day with food. As a vegetable, maca root is edible in its whole form both raw and cooked, and stores successfully for years when dried.
Safety
Maca root has low levels of toxicity and has no documented evidence of adverse reactions, Drugs.com explains. However, the high level of glucosinolates in maca root can interfere with thyroid function and cause goiter, particularly if you suffer from thyroid disease and eat a low-iodine diet. Due to a lack of clinical research, the effects of maca during pregnancy remain unknown; avoid consuming maca if you are pregnant or lactating.
Effectiveness
Despite a long history of medicinal use, claims about maca root's benefits lack scientific evidence. No studies have analyzed the effects of maca on female fertility or sexual function, according to the Langone Medical Center, and existing research focuses on animal studies rather than human trials. Although maca shows potential benefit for sexual issues as well as diabetes, high blood pressure and prostate enlargement, current evidence is too sparse to determine the effectiveness of maca root as a supplement.
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