What can maca do for you?

The benefits of daily use of this Peruvian superfood can be significant for women's health during perimenopause.

 Along its 7,000-kilometer length, the Andes Mountains of South America conceal several ancient secrets. One of these secrets, the lost mountain-top city of Machu Picchu, was rediscovered in 1911. 

By Health First
4 min read
Que peut faire la maca pour vous?

The benefits of daily use of this Peruvian superfood can be significant for the health of women in perimenopause.

 

Along its 7,000-kilometer length, the Andes Mountains of South America hide several ancient secrets. One of these secrets, the lost mountain-top city of Machu Picchu, was rediscovered in 1911. More recently, a natural remedy cultivated in these same mountains has finally been revealed to the rest of the world: maca root.

 

Maca (Lepidium meyenii) is a turnip-like plant that grows at an altitude of 4,000 m and above. The cold environment and mineral-rich soil of the Andes contribute to the richness of maca's root system, which is high in natural alkaloids (including macaridine, exclusive to maca), minerals (calcium, copper, potassium and many others), vitamins, proteins, and plant sterols (especially beta-sitosterol). This unique combination of nutrients is why maca root is used by Peruvians as an energizer, a natural aphrodisiac for men and women, and a treatment for menopause symptoms in women.

 

Maca root is considered an "adaptogen" because of the way it helps the body to function normally even under mental or physical stress. Although its traditional use to promote energy has long been the most popular, other benefits of maca root have been examined in published human clinical studies.

 

Increased libido is one of the most frequently mentioned effects of maca root. This effect has been observed in several studies involving men and women. For women in particular, one study showed that in postmenopausal women, six weeks of maca root supplementation significantly reduced participants' anxiety and depression, as well as their sexual dysfunction.1 Interestingly, this increase in sexual desire was not accompanied by an increase in hormones (estrogens). The biochemical effects of maca root are not yet fully understood, but we know that it does not contain phytoestrogens (plant estrogens), whereas many other natural remedies for menopause, including soy, do.2

 

A second study examined maca root's ability to counteract the negative effects on normal sexual functioning associated with the use of SSRI antidepressants (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors). This study suggests that maca root could actually safely alleviate sexual dysfunction and increase libido in people taking SSRIs over an eight-week period.3

 

A longer four-month study concluded that maca root could have potential as an alternative to hormone replacement therapy for perimenopausal women. Maca root was found to reduce the frequency of hot flashes, night sweats, sleep disturbances, and nervousness. Maca was also observed to have the ability to rebalance women's hormone levels, not with phytoestrogens, but by strengthening the hypothalamic-pituitary system.4

 

Studies to date show that in the short term, maca root and placebo treatments can show results. It is through regular and continuous use of maca root that the most significant results are achieved.5

 

Maca root is a food that has been consumed safely by humans for a very long time: amounts up to 20 grams per day have been taken without problems. The amount of maca root you should take on a daily basis depends on the health benefits sought. The potency of maca capsules can vary, but, generally, the dose is 750 mg. Based on a capsule containing 750 mg, you should take:5

 

  • 1 to 4 capsules per day for antioxidant support
  • 3 to 4 capsules per day to support mood balance during menopause
  • 4 capsules per day to improve the emotional aspects of sexual health.

 

You may want to consider taking a gelatinized maca root supplement. Maca root is a fibrous, starchy substance that can be difficult to digest. Gelatinization is a process that removes this texture to make the active nutrients in maca more concentrated, potent, and easier for the body to absorb.

 

The fact that maca root is very safe for daily consumption and evidence from clinical studies suggest that it can have significant benefits for women suffering from menopausal symptoms.

 

References:

  1. 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. Nov.-Dec. 2008;15(6):1157-62. doi: 10.1097/gme.0b013e3181732953.
  2. Meissner, HO. Et al. Therapeutic effects of pre-gelatinized maca (Lepidium Peruvianum Chacon) used as a Non-Hormonal Alternative to HRT in Perimenopausal Women – Clinical Pilot Study. Int J Biomed Sci. June 2006: 2(2) 143-159.
  3. A Double-blind, Randomized, Pilot Dose-finding Study Of Maca Root (L. Meyenii) For The Management Of SSRI-induced Sexual Dysfunction . CNS Neurosci Ther.Fall 2008 ;14(3):182-91. doi: 10.1111/j.1755-5949.2008.00052.x
  4. Meissner, HO. Et al. Therapeutic effects of pre-gelatinized maca (Lepidium Peruvianum Chacon) used as a Non-Hormonal Alternative to HRT in Perimenopausal Women – Clinical Pilot Study. Int J Biomed Sci. June 2006: 2(2) 143-159.
  5. “Maca”. Examine.com https://examine.com/supplements/maca/
  6. Health Canada. Natural Health Products Ingredients Database Monograph: Maca. http://webprod.hc-sc.gc.ca/nhpid-bdipsn/monoReq.do?id=1903&lang=eng.