Maca root is most commonly recommended as an herbal aphrodisiac and adaptogen for easing stress. People have used maca root as a food and medicinal herb for more than 2,000 years. Before you take maca root, you should consult with your doctor to discuss proper dosage and any potential dangers.
History
Originating from Peru in the Andes Mountain range, maca has been used as a food and medicinal remedy for thousands of years, according to the University of Michigan Health System. The Incas used maca root to help improve physical strength and stamina, as well as fertility and sex drive. People called maca “Peruvian ginseng” because the two herbs have similar traditional uses in herbal medicine, notes the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
Modern Uses
Today, maca root is sometimes used to treat male and female sexual dysfunction, as well as infertility in both men and women. You might also use maca to help improve sexual performance, libido and menopausal symptoms, according to the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. In addition to maca’s purported uses in treating sexual problems and infertility, the herb is sometimes also recommended for treating stress, fatigue, cancer, diabetes, hypertension, osteoarthritis and benign prostate hyperplasia, or BPH, in men. The typical dose of maca taken for sexual problems or infertility is 500 to 1,000 mg three times daily of encapsulated dried root powder, says the University of Michigan Health System. You must talk with your physician before taking any dosage of maca root to treat sexual or fertility problems, however.
Function
Maca root contains large amounts of glucosinolates, which convert into isothiocyanates and are thought to be responsible for maca’s ability to improve fertility, says the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. Maca also contains prostaglandins, sterols and polyunsaturated fatty acids that may account for its use in boosting sex drive and libido. Maca root’s constituents appear to affect certain hormone receptors that might help to boost sexual performance in men. No conclusive medical evidence has confirmed any constituents in maca as having any effects on sexual function or fertility, however.
Medical Evidence
Most of the studies on maca root’s effects have been performed in animals, but a few human studies have also been conducted. For example, a four-month-long study published in the Asian Journal of Andrology in 2002 found that taking maca improved sperm motility or function and increased sperm count in men, according to the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Another human study published in the Journal of Endocrinology in 2003 determined that maca root boosted libido in men without directly affecting hormone levels, says the University of Michigan Health System. An animal study published in the journal Reproductive Biology & Endocrinology in 2005 found that maca increased the amount of offspring produced by female mice.
Warnings
No safety studies have been conducted on maca root, notes the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Because maca root contains high levels of glucosinolates, theoretically you could develop goiter if you take too much of the herb and are deficient in iodine. Little else is known about the potential health risks of taking maca or any negative interactions with medications, so you should talk to a health care professional before taking any remedies containing maca root.
Member Comments