Maca
Lepidium meyenii
Herbs & Roots. Latin American & Amazon and Modern nutrition.
Also called Peruvian ginseng, Andean ginseng, Peruvian maca
Use care with hormone conditionsMaca is a root vegetable from the high Andes of Peru, eaten as food and sold as powder or capsules for energy, mood, and sexual function.
Did you know? Maca grows at very high Andean altitudes, often above 3,500 meters (about 11,500 feet), where few other crops survive.
What it may help, and how strong the proof is
- Sexual health. Three small randomized trials, with 85 people in total, gave mixed results. One found better sexual desire, one found no effect, and one found better arousal and orgasm.Early proof
- Women's health. A small crossover trial in 14 postmenopausal women found better mood and sexual symptoms. The trial was too small to be firm proof.Early proof
- Energy & tiredness. Traditional use for stamina. No randomized human trials on energy or tiredness turned up in our search.Traditional proof
Parts of the body
Traditional use
Andean farmers have eaten maca for centuries, and it is said to boost stamina and fertility.
How it is classified
- Herbal actions
- Nutritive, Aphrodisiac, Adaptogen. Energy: neutral.
How people take it
Powder is usually stirred into smoothies, juice, or oatmeal. Trials used different doses, and no standard dose is set.
Powder, capsule, food and tablet.
Where to get it
Grows in the high Andes of Peru and Bolivia. The dried root is ground into powder and sold as capsules, tablets, and extracts, in yellow, red, and black varieties.
Be careful
Maca is usually well tolerated as food. Side effects are mild, such as stomach upset. People with hormone-sensitive cancer, thyroid disease, or pregnancy should talk to a doctor first.
Avoid if: pregnancy; hormone-sensitive cancer; thyroid disease.
Mixing with other things
- Works well together
Both are Latin American herbs sold for sex drive. Neither has strong human proof.
- Works well together
Both South American roots are sold as energy and libido boosters, though they are not tested together.
- Works well together
Both are sold together in libido and energy blends.
- Works well together
Both are sold for libido and energy. Human proof is limited for both.
- Use cautionThyroid medicine (levothyroxine (Synthroid))
Maca contains compounds from the cabbage family that could affect thyroid function in theory. Check with a doctor if you take thyroid medicine.
The honest take
Maca is a real food with a long Andean history, and it has a few small trials for libido and menopause symptoms. Those trials disagree with one another, and energy claims have little trial support. It is probably safe in food amounts, but it is not a proven hormone or energy booster.