Maca is a cruciferous vegetable in the mustard and cabbage family of plants native to the Andes of Peru. It is central to traditional healing in Peru, where the plant is referred to as Peruvian ginseng and is used to increase energy, enhance fertility and ease symptoms associated with menopause. Medicinal benefits aside, maca may produce certain side effects, such as the appearance of dark urine.
Botanical Profile
The botanical name for this herb is Lepidium meyenii Walp. However, the plant is better known by various common names, such as Peruvian maca, Peruvian ginseng, maca-maca, ayak chichira and maino. It is the only member of its genus that produces a hypocotyl, which means that it sends out a shoot that fuses with the plant's taproot to form a single main root. The interesting feature about this is that each hypocotyl is unique in terms of color and shape depending on the genetics of the parent plant. In fact, each one may range in color from white to red, blue, blue, black or green and form a variety of shapes, including triangular, rectangular and the common upside-down pear shape.
Variations
While all macas are edible, those that produce red and blue hypocotyls are the most commonly used in medicine. For instance, a team of Peruvian researchers led by G.F. Gonzales reported in the January 20, 2005, issue of "Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology" that red maca reduced prostate size in rats chemically induced with testosterone, while yellow and black maca did not. Since these hypocotyls contain a high level of plant pigments that lend them color, consuming large quantities may cause your urine to temporarily turn dark.
Traditional Use
Historically, maca has been used as an aphrodisiac to treat male infertility and symptoms of menopause in women, including osteoporosis. According to Drugs.com, the Peruvian people have used the plant to treat depression, cancer, tuberculosis, fatigue and anemia as well, while some modern athletes claim that the herb exerts effects similar to anabolic steroids.
Pharmacology
According to a paper submitted to the "Journal of Ethnopharmacology " on August 13, 2005, by Yongzhong Zhang and colleagues of Huazhong University in China, the aphrodisiac, anabolic and hormone-balancing properties of maca are due to the presence of alkaloids, plant steroids and specific chemical compounds called glucosinolates and isothiocyanates. Drugs.com states that the latter, in particular, may be responsible for the aphrodisiac qualities of maca.
Urinary Effects
The appearance of darkly colored urine after taking maca may be due to other agents found in maca preparations. For example, General Nutrition Centers, Inc., more commonly known as GNC, manufactures a product marketed under the trade name "Maca Man" which, as the name suggests, is intended to enhance male sexual performance. However, this product also contains a significant amount of niacin -- 250 percent of your daily value, in fact. According to Drugs.com, one of the known side effects of high niacin consumption is the discoloration of urine.
