How Much Potential Does Maca Really Have?
Maca has been used since pre-Incan times for both nutritional and medicinal purposes. This remarkable root vegetable grows in areas where few other crops can survive, at altitudes above 14,000 feet. Maca is an annual plant that is native to Peru. It is a cruciferous vegetable that produces a root similar to a turnip or potato and is a staple and versatile food product. Peruvians use it as Americans use potatoes and also to make cookies, cakes, chips, and various flavored drinks. Maca is an important food in the Peruvian diet with a rich nutrient profile.
One of the biggest claims regarding maca, and a big part of what has gained it so much recognition is the impact maca can potentially have on the sexual function, menopause fertility and hormones of men and women.The South American country of Peru is home to numerous beneficial plants, including Peruvian maca root, a legendary sex-enhancing root passed down from the Inca. I’d heard about Peruvian maca herb and extract for years. Peruvian maca root has been dubbed “Peruvian ginseng,” even though it bears no relation to ginseng. But like ginseng, the maca plant is employed into a Peruvian maca extract to increase strength, energy, stamina, libido and sexual function, a winning combination of health benefits if there ever was one.
A 2010 report published in BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine found that maca may have positive effects on sexual dysfunction or sexual desire in healthy menopausal women or healthy adult men. This followed a 2008 study from CNS Neuroscience & Therapeutics, in which researchers found that maca may help alleviate sexual dysfunction caused by use of selective-serotonin reuptake inhibitors (the class that include several of the common classes of anti-depressants) The 2008 study involved 20 people with depression, all of whom were experiencing SSRI-induced sexual dysfunction.
It wasn’t long after that people started using maca for fertility. Although started thousands of years ago, maca for fertility is a tradition that has been passed down to modern Latin Americans. Peruvians, Bolivians and Chileans have long used maca for fertility purposes – and with good success. So much success in fact that it was maca’s fertility enhancing properties that first attracted North American and European researchers and doctors to start using it in the 1980s and 1990s. Scientific studies, some of which are referenced below, have found that using maca for fertility boosts sperm count in men and even increases sperm activity.Similar studies show that females given maca for fertility respond with increased regularity in cycles and easier ovulation.Another result of taking maca is a marked increase in libido for both men and women.
Maca is applauded for its ability to reduce hormonal dysfunction and imbalances during menopause and aid in physical endurance and digestion. It helps build body mass and support the adrenal glands. Maca benefits circulation and speeds up wound-healing as well as decreases anemia. It is considered to be an antioxidant as well as an anti-carcinogen. It is good for the teeth and bones and reportedly makes skin look better.
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