MACA

Fertility Herbs from Antonia's Amazon Healing Garden

This energizing plant is also referred to as Peruvian ginseng (although maca is not in the same family as ginseng). Maca has been used for centuries in the Andes to enhance fertility in humans and animals. Soon after the Spanish conquest in South America, the Spanish found that their livestock was reproducing poorly in the highlands. The local Indians recommended feeding the animals maca; so remarkable were the results that Spanish chroniclers gave in-depth reports. Even colonial records of some 200 years ago indicate that payment of (roughly) nine tons of maca was demanded from one Andean area alone for this purpose.

In Peruvian herbal medicine today, maca is reported to be used as an immunostimulant; for anemia, tuberculosis, menstrual disorders, menopause symptoms, stomach cancer, sterility (and other reproductive and sexual disorders); and to enhance memory. Maca has been growing in world popularity over the last several years due to several large U.S. marketing campaigns touting its energizing, fertility enhancement, hormonal balancing, aphrodisiac, and, especially, enhanced sexual performance properties. Other (anecdotal) herbal medicine uses in the U.S. and abroad include increasing energy, stamina, and endurance in athletes, promoting mental clarity, treating male impotence, and helping with menstrual irregularities, female hormonal imbalances, menopause, and chronic fatigue syndrome.

MACA PLANT SUMMARY

Main Preparation Method: eaten fresh/dried, or in capsules.

Main Actions (in order):
tonic (tones, balances, strengthens overall body functions), nutritive, fertility enhancer, endocrine function support, anti-fatigue

Main Uses:

as a natural source of nutrients (amino acids, minerals, etc.)
to support endocrine function
to reduce fertility problems (both male and female)
to support erectile function
as an aphrodisiac

Properties/Actions Documented by Research:
aphrodisiac, fertility enhancer, increases sperm count/motility

Other Properties/Actions Documented by Traditional Use:
hormonal, immunostimulant, stimulant, tonic (tones, balances, strengthens overall body functions)

Cautions: Large amounts may cause intestinal gas.

Third-Party Published Research on Maca:*

All available third-party research on maca can be found at PubMed/Medline. A partial listing of the published research on maca is shown below:

Fertility Enhancement Actions of Maca:

Gonzales, G. F., et al. "Effect of Black maca (Lepidium meyenii) on one spermatogenic cycle in rats." Andrologia. 2006 Oct; 38(5): 166-72.

Bustos-Obregon, E., et al. "Lepidium meyenii (Maca) reduces spermatogenic damage induced by a single dose of malathion in mice." Asian J. Androl. 2005 Mar; 7(1): 71-6.

Ruiz-Luna, A.C., et al. "Lepidium meyenii (Maca) increases litter size in normal adult female mice." Reprod. Biol. Endocrinol. 2005 May; 3(1): 16.

Gonzales, C., et al. "Effect of short-term and long-term treatments with three ecotypes of Lepidium meyenii (MACA) on spermatogenesis in rats." J. Ethnopharmacol. 2006 Feb 20; 103(3): 448-54.

Gonzales, G. F., et al. "Effect of Lepidium meyenii (Maca) on spermatogenesis in male rats acutely exposed to high altitude (4340 m)." J. Endocrinol. 2004; 180(1): 87-95.

Gonzales, G. F., et al. "Lepidium meyenii (maca) improved semen parameters in adult men." Asian J. Androl. 2001; 3(4): 301–3.

Gonzales, G. F., et al. "Effect of Lepidium meyenii (maca) roots on spermatogenesis of male rats." Asian J. Androl. 2001; 3(3): 231–33.

Endocrine / Adrenal Actions of Maca:

Zhang, Y., et al. "Effect of ethanol extract of Lepidium meyenii Walp. on osteoporosis in ovariectomized rat." J. Ethnopharmacol. 2006 Apr; 105(1-2): 274-9.

Lopez-Fando, A., et al. “Lepidium peruvianum Chacon restores homeostasis impaired by restraint stress.” Phytother. Res. 2004; 18(6): 471-4.

Anti-Depressant Actionsof Maca:

Rubio, J., et al. "Effect of three different cultivars of Lepidium meyenii (Maca) on learning and depression in ovariectomized mice." BMC Complement. Altern. Med. 2006 Jun 23; 6:23.

Male Sexual Performance / Enhancement Actions:

Cicero, A. F., et al. “Hexanic maca extract improves rat sexual performance more effectively than methanolic and chloroformic maca extracts.” Andrologia. 2002; 34(3): 177–79.

Cicero, A. F., et al. “Lepidium meyenii Walp. improves sexual behaviour in male rats independently from its action on spontaneous locomotor activity.” J. Ethnopharmacol. 2001; 75(2–3): 225–29.

Zheng, B. L., et al. “Effect of a lipidic extract from Lepidium meyenii on sexual behavior in mice and rats." Urology 2000; 55(4): 598–602.

Hormonal Actions: (Studies showing maca does NOT increase testosterone, estrogen, or progesterone.)

Bogani, P., et al. “Lepidium meyenii (Maca) does not exert direct androgenic activities.” J. Ethnopharmacol. 2006 Apr; 104(3): 415-7.

Chung, F., et al. “Dose-response effects of Lepidium meyenii (Maca) aqueous extract on testicular function and weight of different organs in adult rats.” J. Ethnopharmacol. 2005 Apr; 98(1-2): 143-7.

Gonzales, G. F., et al. “Red maca (Lepidium meyenii) reduced prostate size in rats.” Reprod. Biol. Endocrinol. 2005; 3(1): 5.

Gonzales, G. F., et al. “Effect of alcoholic extract of Lepidium meyenii (Maca) on testicular function in male rats.” Asian J. Androl. 2003 Dec; 5(4): 349-52.

Gonzales, G. F., et al. “Effect of Lepidium meyenii (maca), a root with aphrodisiac and fertility-enhancing properties, on serum reproductive hormone levels in adult healthy men.” J. Endocrinol. 2003; 176(1): 163–68.

Gonzales, G. F., 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.

Hormonal Actions: (studies showing maca with a slight estrogenic action)

Valentova, K., et al. "The in vitro biological activity of Lepidium meyenii extracts." Cell. Biol. Toxicol. 2006 Mar; 22(2): 91-9.