Lepidium meyenii Walp. · herb
Evidence tier: limited
Supports energy, stamina, libido, and hormonal balance
Acts on subjective wellbeing and sexual desire, NOT via sex hormones. In the most cited trial, self reported sexual desire rose while testosterone and estradiol did not change (Gonzales 2002). Maca must not be described as a hormone or a testosterone booster. The macamides and macaenes are thought to carry much of the activity.
Limited. Every independent systematic review reaches the same verdict in different words: the direction of effect looks positive and the trials are too few, too small and too biased to conclude. Libido and sexual function is the strongest maca claim and its own dedicated review still calls the evidence 'limited', with the trials 'too limited to draw firm conclusions' (PMID 20691074). Menopausal symptoms: four favourable trials, but the review says the base is too limited to conclude and adds that 'the safety has not been proved yet' (PMID 21840656). Sperm quality is INSUFFICIENT and the pooled analysis is negative: maca 'failed to show the efficacy of maca in increasing the sperm concentration compared to the placebo' (PMID 36110519). Energy and physical performance is weak in humans, with the large effect sizes dominated by animal experiments (PMID 39796542). And a negative fact worth recording: NCCIH, the authority PlantRx leans on for its other herbs, carries NO maca fact sheet at all; maca is not among the 57 herbs in its Herbs at a Glance index. The safety profile is genuinely reassuring (LiverTox likelihood score E), which is what makes maca a defensible wellness option so long as the copy does not borrow confidence it has not earned.
500 to 3000 mg daily depending on preparation; the libido trials used 1500 to 3000 mg of gelatinised maca. The gelatinised (heat processed) form is more digestible and lower in goitrogenic glucosinolates than raw maca.
Morning, with food.
Onset: ~56 days
Generally well tolerated as a food and supplement. Limited formal safety data in pregnancy and lactation, traditional Andean use during pregnancy exists but clinical data is absent. Avoid in hormone sensitive conditions; contains glucosinolates with endocrine activity.
Pregnancy: caution
Breastfeeding: caution
Grown and used by indigenous Andean peoples of Peru for over 2,000 years as a food source and medicinal plant for stamina, fertility, and hormonal balance. Referred to as Peruvian ginseng in botanical literature. Traditionally used at high altitude to support physical endurance and reproductive health.
Active compounds: macamides, macaenes, glucosinolates, sterols, alkaloids
Remedies using Maca Root · Browse by body system · Check it against what you take
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.