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Botanical illustration of Maca
MedicinalSourced entry

Maca

Lepidium meyenii

A root vegetable from the high Andes of Peru, used for centuries as food and to boost energy and fertility. Its effects haven't been proven in rigorous trials.

Maca may interact with some medicines. If you take any medicine, read Interactions with medicines below and talk to your doctor or pharmacist before using it.

What is Maca?

Plant family
Brassicaceae, the mustard and cabbage family
Parts used
The underground tuber (root), similar to a radish or turnip, which can be white, black or red
Where it grows
Grown high in the Andes mountains of Peru, above 4,000 meters
Genus
Lepidium
Species
meyenii

Also called

Peruvian Ginseng, Maca Root

Traditionally used for

  • Energy
  • Fertility
  • Sexual health
  • Menopause

Traditionally described as

  • Adaptogen

Health topics

Where Maca appears in symptom search, and why. Being listed doesn't mean it's a proven treatment.

  • Fertility

    Traditionally used to boost fertility. Studies on sperm quality have mixed results.

  • Menopause Symptoms

    A review of 4 small trials found limited evidence that it eases menopause symptoms.

  • Sexual Health

    Early studies suggest it may help sexual well-being in men and sexual problems in women, but it hasn't been proven in rigorous trials.

Traditions that use it

  • Native American Ethnobotany

    Used for centuries in the Peruvian Andes as a food and medicine to improve health, energy and fertility, and as an adaptogen for anemia and female hormone balance.

Safety

Interactions with medicines

  • Maca may add to the blood-pressure-lowering effect of losartan. It may also interfere with testosterone blood tests.[1]

Who should avoid it

  • If you have a hormone-sensitive cancer, such as breast or uterine cancer, talk with your doctor before using maca.[1]

Side effects

  • Side effects are uncommon and mild, mostly stomach and gut symptoms and headaches.[2]

Pregnancy

  • Avoid maca if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.[1]

Toxicity testing

  • There have been no convincing reports linking maca to liver injury. LiverTox rates it an unlikely cause of liver damage, though its use has been limited.[2]

How much to use

  • Recommended daily amounts vary widely, from 500 to 3,000 mg a day, depending on the product and its intended use.[2]

What does the research say?

Traditional use

These are traditional uses, not proven treatments.

  • Maca is both a vegetable and a traditional herbal medicine. In Peru it has been used for centuries as a food supplement to improve health, and as a medicine to boost energy and fertility.[2]

  • In the Andes, maca has been used for centuries as an adaptogen (a plant traditionally used to help the body cope with stress) to manage anemia, infertility and female hormone balance.[3]

Laboratory & animal research

Lab and animal results show what might be worth studying in people. They don't show that the herb has these effects in humans.

  • Maca contains natural compounds, including glucosinolates, that showed antioxidant activity and reduced inflammation in lab studies.[1]

  • In animals, maca extracts improved sexual function and fertility, and also improved memory and learning, reduced prostate size and improved bone strength.[2]

Research in people

  • Studies in people have had conflicting results. Maca is promoted for sex drive, sperm count, mood, memory, energy and stamina, but none of these effects has been proven in rigorous controlled trials.[2]

  • Early studies suggest maca may improve how men feel about their sexual well-being, but results on semen quality are mixed. In women, several studies suggest it may help sexual problems caused by antidepressants or menopause.[1]

  • A 2011 review found 4 small trials of maca for menopausal symptoms, all showing favorable effects. But the trials were too few, small and low in quality to draw firm conclusions, and maca's safety hadn't been proven. The reviewers called the evidence limited.[3]

    Technical detail: Kupperman Menopausal Index and Greene Climacteric Score.

In short

Avoid during pregnancy and breastfeeding; may affect testosterone blood tests.

Sources

  1. [1] Maca — Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, About HerbsGeneral reference
  2. [2] Maca. In: LiverTox: Clinical and Research Information on Drug-Induced Liver Injury — National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIH)Government health agency
  3. [3] Maca (Lepidium meyenii) for treatment of menopausal symptoms: A systematic review — Maturitas · DOI: 10.1016/j.maturitas.2011.07.017Review or clinical trial

This information is educational and traditional in nature, and is not a substitute for professional medical advice.