Is Maca Good With Exercise Routines?
Maca -- a root vegetable native to the Andes Mountains in South America -- has traditionally been used to enhance male and female sexual function, treat a variety of illnesses and ease depression. Available in the United States as a dietary supplement, maca is used by bodybuilders and other athletes who believe it can increase stamina and enhance athletic performance, as well as help reduce post-workout muscle soreness. Although human clinical studies are lacking, maca has shown beneficial properties in animal and test tube studies. Consult your doctor before trying maca to enhance your workouts.
If you are experiencing serious medical symptoms, seek emergency treatment immediately.
Features
Maca -- botanically known as Lepidium meyenii and commonly called Peruvian ginseng and ayak chichira -- is a low-growing perennial plant grown in the Andes Mountain of Bolivia and Peru. The root -- called the hypocotl -- is highly nutritious and is employed both medicinally and for food; it is used to make porridge, puddings, coffee and a sweetened beverage called maca chichi. Traditionally used to treat anemia, sterility, impotence and menstrual problems, maca was so prized by the native Andean people that its consumption was limited to the upper classes. Maca is still used as an aphrodisiac and to enhance sexual performance; athletes utilize maca as an alternative to anabolic steroids to increase stamina and strength.
- Maca -- botanically known as Lepidium meyenii and commonly called Peruvian ginseng and ayak chichira -- is a low-growing perennial plant grown in the Andes Mountain of Bolivia and Peru.
- The root -- called the hypocotl -- is highly nutritious and is employed both medicinally and for food; it is used to make porridge, puddings, coffee and a sweetened beverage called maca chichi.
Constituents and Effects
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Maca contains glucosinolates, organic compounds that are also found in broccoli and cabbage. Drugs.com -- which provides medically-reviewed information to consumers -- reports that the glucosinolates in maca have anticancer properties 1. Maca root also contains amino acids, protein, fiber, fatty acids and an assorted of beneficial trace minerals and vitamins. Drugs.com credits maca with potent antioxidant abilities, as well as the ability to decrease harmful LDL levels and trigylcerides. Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center reports that animal studies using maca showed increased libido and improved sperm production and motility, but notes that human studies are lacking 2.
Maca and Exercise
Maca contains protein, amino acids, vitamins and minerals -- all nutrients that you need to fuel exercise. In addition, its antioxidant effects may help it prevent delayed-onset muscle soreness after a strenuous workout. According to Peak Performance, studies suggest that antioxidants enhance the adaptive response to exercise-induced muscle damage by increasing the number of immune cells responsible for muscle repair. Maca's purported mood-lifting effects may help provide increased motivation for exercising and working out. Finally, maca's high levels of calcium, magnesium and silica can promote bone health and possibly reduce chances of fractures, making it of particular interest to athletes.
- Maca contains protein, amino acids, vitamins and minerals -- all nutrients that you need to fuel exercise.
- Finally, maca's high levels of calcium, magnesium and silica can promote bone health and possibly reduce chances of fractures, making it of particular interest to athletes.
Dosage and Precautions
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Maca is available in powder, liquid, capsule and tablet form. The usual dosage is one 450-mg capsule of dried maca extract, taken three times a day with food. Drugs.com notes that there are no adverse reactions reported with maca; however, people with thyroid conditions -- as well as women who are pregnant or breastfeeding -- should not take maca. Consult your doctor before using maca to enhance your physical performance.
- Maca is available in powder, liquid, capsule and tablet form.
- Drugs.com notes that there are no adverse reactions reported with maca; however, people with thyroid conditions -- as well as women who are pregnant or breastfeeding -- should not take maca.
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References
- Drugs.com: Complete Maca Information
- Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center; Maca; MSKCC Staff; March 24, 2009
- Muscle Health Fitness; The Benefits of Maca Root; Ed Clements; 2011
- Ley, BM. Maca! Adaptogen and Hormonal Regulator. Minneapolis, MN: BL Publications: 2003.
- Shin BC, Lee MS, Yang EJ, Lim HS, Ernst E. Maca (L. meyenii) for improving sexual function: a systematic review. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2010;10:44. doi:10.1186/1472-6882-10-44
- Gonzales GF, Córdova A, Vega K, et al. Effect of Lepidium meyenii (MACA) on sexual desire and its absent relationship with serum testosterone levels in adult healthy men. Andrologia. 2002;34(6):367-72. doi:10.1046/j.1439-0272.2002.00519.x
- Dording CM, Schettler PJ, Dalton ED, et al. A double-blind placebo-controlled trial of maca root as treatment for antidepressant-induced sexual dysfunction in women. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2015;2015:949036. doi:10.1155/2015/949036
- Melnikovova I, Fait T, Kolarova M, Fernandez EC, Milella L. 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 Complement Alternat Med. 2015;2015:324369. doi:10.1155/2015/324369
- Stojanovska L, Law C, Lai B, et al. Maca reduces blood pressure and depression, in a pilot study in postmenopausal women. Climacteric. 2015;18(1):69-78. doi:10.3109/13697137.2014.929649
- Oshima M, Gu Y, Tsukada S. Effects of Lepidium meyenii Walp and Jatropha macrantha on blood levels of estradiol-17 beta, progesterone, testosterone and the rate of embryo implantation in mice. J Vet Med Sci. 2003;65(10):1145-6. doi:10.1292/jvms.65.1145
- Loria, K. How to choose supplements wisely. Consumer Reports. Updated October 30, 2019.
- Dording CM, Schettler PJ, Dalton ED, et al. A double-blind placebo-controlled trial of maca root as treatment for antidepressant-induced sexual dysfunction in women. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2015;2015:949036. doi: 10.1155/2015/949036
- Gonzales GF, Córdova A, Vega K, et al. Effect of Lepidium meyenii (MACA) on sexual desire and its absent relationship with serum testosterone levels in adult healthy men. Andrologia. 2002;34(6):367-72.
- Melnikovova I, Fait T, Kolarova M, Fernandez EC, Milella L. 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 Complement Alternat Med. 2015;2015:324369. doi: 10.1155/2015/324369
- Shin BC, Lee MS, Yang EJ, et al. Maca (L. meyenii) for improving sexual function: a systematic review. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2010;10:44. doi: 10.1186/1472-6882-10-44.
- Stojanovska L, Law C, Lai B, et al. Maca Reduces Blood Pressure and Depression, in a Pilot Study in Postmenopausal Women. Climacteric. 2015;18(1):69-78. doi: 10.3109/13697137.2014.929649
Writer Bio
Carol Sarao is an entertainment and lifestyle writer whose articles have appeared in Atlantic City Weekly, The Women's Newspaper of Princeton, and New Millennium Writings. She has interviewed and reviewed many national recording acts, among them Everclear, Live, and Alice Cooper, and received her Master of Fine Arts degree in writing from Warren Wilson College.