Maca (Lepidium meyenii) is a plant native to Peru and a member of the family Brassicaceae which also includes cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli and cauliflower (1, 2).
Maca Benefits
Maca Mode of Action
Maca is native to Peru and been used as a folk treatment there for 1300-2000 years. Due to its newly- circulated promotion, China and Tibet have begun cultivating it and the largest area of cultivation is now Lijiang, China (1).
Maca root is the widely used part of the plant, and the root can be black, red, pink or yellow. Yellow maca is the most common color accounting for 47.8% of the maca available. Maca has 13 variants. Although not related to Ginseng, it is sometimes called the “Peruvian Ginseng” (3).
Maca’s effects on mood appear to be better with red maca which contains a large amount of GABA, although mood boosting effects have been noted with black maca (4).
Maca’s benefits relating to fertility and sexual health do not appear to alter hormone levels themselves but promote sexual function independent of hormone modulation in both males and females (6, 7).
Maca Capsules & Dosage
Pure Nootropics’ Maca provides 500 mg of Lepidium meyenii Root per 1 capsule. Suggested use for adults is 1 capsule by mouth daily, or as directed by your healthcare practitioner.
For further information, please see our References Tab above.
The references below are not meant to imply that any of our products treat, cure, or diagnose any disease or human condition. References to clinical studies and pre-clinical studies may use varying dosages and may not represent the dosages or subsequent results of products we sell; however, the references provided are pertinent to the subject supplement itself. References provided are intended for research and informational purposes only and do not represent the entire body of knowledge available on the subject(s) referenced; nor do they represent all possible outcomes associated with the subject(s) referenced including, but not limited to, adverse effects, precautions, or chemical interactions within the human body. The Content provided on this website is not intended to be a replacement for professional medical advice, treatment or diagnosis. Never ignore the advice of a medical professional or delay in attaining professional advice because of information or impressions you gather on this website. Choosing to rely on any information provided by the Content of this website is solely at your own risk. We encourage our audience to do their own research beyond the resources we have provided so your decision is as educated as possible.
• Supports overall mood*
Brooks, NA, et al. “Beneficial Effects of Lepidium Meyenii (Maca) on Psychological Symptoms and Measures of Sexual Dysfunction in Postmenopausal Women Are Not Related to Estrogen or Androgen Content.” Menopause, vol. 15, no. 6, 2008, pp. 1157–62., doi:10.1097/gme.0b013e3181732953.
Gonzales-Arimborgo, Carla, et al. “Acceptability, Safety, and Efficacy of Oral Administration of Extracts of Black or Red Maca (Lepidium Meyenii) in Adult Human Subjects: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study.” Pharmaceuticals, vol. 9, no. 3, ser. 49, 2016. 49, doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/ph9030049.
• Supports reproductive health*
Melnikovova, I, et al. “Effect of Lepidium Meyenii Walp. on Semen Parameters and Serum Hormone Levels in Healthy Adult Men: A Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Pilot Study.” Evid Based Compelement Alternat Med, 2015, p. 324369., doi:10.1155/2015/324369.
1. Huang, YJ., Peng, XR. & Qiu, MH. Nat. Prod. Bioprospect. (2018) 8: 405. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13659-018-0185-7
2. “Brassicaceae.” Wikipedia, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brassicaceae.
3. “Maca”. Examine.com, published Aug 2, 2014. Last updated Jan 15, 2019. https://examine.com/supplements/maca/.
4. Gonzales-Arimborgo, Carla, et al. “Acceptability, Safety, and Efficacy of Oral Administration of Extracts of Black or Red Maca (Lepidium Meyenii) in Adult Human Subjects: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study.” Pharmaceuticals, vol. 9, no. 3, ser. 49, 2016. 49, doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/ph9030049.
5. Yu, FR, et al. “[Effects of the Maca Extract on the Ultrastructures of Mitochondria in the Spinal Nerve Cell and Exercise Endurance].” Zhongguo Ying Yong Sheng Li Xue Za Zhi, vol. 33, no. 6, June 2017, pp. 535–538., doi:10.12047/j.cjap.5601.2017.127.
6. Brooks, NA, et al. “Beneficial Effects of Lepidium Meyenii (Maca) on Psychological Symptoms and Measures of Sexual Dysfunction in Postmenopausal Women Are Not Related to Estrogen or Androgen Content.” Menopause, vol. 15, no. 6, 2008, pp. 1157–62., doi:10.1097/gme.0b013e3181732953.
7. Melnikovova, I, et al. “Effect of Lepidium Meyenii Walp. on Semen Parameters and Serum Hormone Levels in Healthy Adult Men: A Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Pilot Study.” Evid Based Compelement Alternat Med, 2015, p. 324369., doi:10.1155/2015/324369.
Related products
