Peruvian ginseng – the health benefits of maca root

Maca is a traditional medicinal plant used by the indigenous peoples of South America. To this day, it is cultivated in its natural habitat in the Andes, where locals use it, among other things, as a health-promoting aphrodisiac. Maca, or Peruvian root, is also becoming increasingly popular in Europe thanks to its wide range of effects and valuable ingredients.

Maca – what is it?

The scientific name for maca root is Lepidium meyenii. The plant itself grows in the Puna (high-altitude regions of the Andes), between 3,800 and 4,000 metres above sea level. In pre-Columbian times, it was a commonly cultivated plant known for its unusual properties. Biologically, maca belongs to the tuberous plants. But why is it called Peruvian ginseng? The secret lies in the fact that, like ginseng, maca has a positive effect on sexual performance and fertility. Peruvian ginseng itself belongs to the ‘adaptogens’ family. These are plants containing groups of substances that increase the human body's ability to adapt to various external and internal stressors. The roots of the plant, which are used as food and dietary supplements, are 2 to 14 cm long and 3 to 5 cm in diameter, resembling parsley in shape.

Depending on the variety, the tubers can be white, yellow, black or red. It should be noted that it is the latter variety that is most commonly used in various products due to its high health-promoting properties. However, recent scientific studies have clearly shown that the difference in composition between the different varieties of the root is insignificant.

Maca root – properties and uses of the plant

Since its discovery over 2,000 years ago, maca has been valued mainly as a fertility aid and aphrodisiac for both men and women. Limiting the plant solely to its fertility-promoting and libido-enhancing effects does not do it justice. Maca is primarily a plant with enormous nutritional value.

The large amount of health-promoting ingredients means that maca root has a fairly broad spectrum of activity. It can be used for numerous ailments and to promote health. What ingredients are we talking about? Namely:

• 10-14% of total weight in the form of proteins – 19 different amino acids
• 60-75% of total weight in the form of carbohydrates
• 2% lipids – palmitic acid, oleic acid, alpha-linolenic acid
• 8% fibre
• Vitamins – B1, B2, B12, C, D and E
• 16 minerals and trace elements – including potassium, calcium, phosphorus, sulphur, iron, manganese, selenium, zinc and magnesium
• Antioxidant molecules – flavonoids, tannins, saponins
• Alkaloids – macamides and makaenes
• Glucosinolates – increase the production of glutathione, one of the most powerful antioxidants in nature.

The above properties of maca contribute to the plant's wide range of applications, resulting primarily from its extremely complete nutritional profile, especially in terms of micronutrients (vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, alkaloids). This makes maca root a very effective adaptogen that helps our bodies defend themselves against physical and mental weakness.

Thus, the plant is also attributed with the following uses:

• Maca is a good stimulant in cases of physical fatigue, weakness, stress, mental exhaustion and during periods of convalescence.
• Thanks to its immunostimulatory properties, mainly its high and varied antioxidant content, the root helps to take care of the body's immune system.
• Peruvian ginseng is effective in treating sexual disorders. Its two main alkaloids, macamides and macaenes, help with erectile dysfunction, menopausal symptoms, and libido problems in men and women. They are also known to prevent prostate hypertrophy.

Maca – libido and sexual performance during supplementation

Maca is a plant that has a reputation as a sexual performance enhancer. The Incas used the root as a supplement to increase desire. As various scientific studies show, they were right to do so.

A study conducted in 2008 showed that people using selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs – widely used antidepressants and anti-anxiety drugs) and experiencing a reduced libido as a result of their use were given 1. 5 and 3 g of maca root per day, respectively. In particular, individuals who took 3 g of Peruvian ginseng per day reported a visible and noticeable improvement in libido, regardless of the gender of the test subject.

What is more, it turns out that maca also reduces erectile dysfunction (ED), which occurs when a man is unable to achieve or maintain an erection for most of the sexual intercourse. Just 2.5 g of dried root per day can combat potency disorders, especially in older people.

In turn, the lack of libido in women is often due to a lack of adequate amounts of progesterone secreted by the body, which also affects reduced fertility. Maca root can bring about a significant improvement, as the plant sterols it contains stimulate the production of progesterone in the female body and thus counteract the dominance of oestrogens.

Different methods of administering maca root - powder, tablets, capsules

The basic form of consuming maca, preferred by the indigenous people of South America, for example, is to eat the whole root. Currently, however, maca root is available in Poland in various forms: capsules, tablets, liquid extracts or powder.

Of all the above, maca powder is particularly recommended. Why? It can be included in the diet as an unusual addition, resembling unsweetened caramelised nuts in taste. Mixed with a hot drink or fruit juice, sprinkled on a salad or added to your morning porridge, it will give your food an amazing flavour.

However, it should be remembered that, compared to tablets, powder is difficult to measure without the appropriate scales. Therefore, if we want to take an interest in supplementing Peruvian ginseng in order to achieve specific effects, it is the tablets that will ensure the correct measurement of the daily dose. And while we are on the subject of dosage, what are the figures?

Maca - dosage good for health

The lack of confirmed side effects of long-term use of maca means that it can be consumed daily, without any time restrictions. Nevertheless, specialists recommend that supplementation should last for about two months, with a one-week break at the end of the first month of supplementation.

The dosage depending on the form of administration is as follows:

• Maca powder – it is recommended to consume 500 mg to 1 g of maca two to three times a day, i.e. 1 g to 1.5 g. For an energising effect, it is advisable to take a heaped teaspoon or flat tablespoon, then dilute the powder in coffee, for example.
• Maca root tablets – depending on the dose. Follow the recommendations, e.g. those on the packaging. The generally accepted dosage is 1 to 2 tablets 3 times a day, depending on the desired effects.

Maca – contraindications for the use of the root

Maca is considered a safe dietary supplement. Side effects are very rare, occurring only at extremely high doses (above 40 g per day!). In experiments conducted on rats, which were given 1 g/kg of body weight of maca for 84 days, no side effects were observed.

Despite this, people with metabolic disorders may experience rare episodes of abdominal pain, diarrhoea and nausea. In such cases, reducing the dose, at least temporarily, usually helps.

Little is known about the interaction between maca and various medications. Therefore, people who are taking medication and want to start supplementing with maca root in powder or tablet form should discuss this with a specialist beforehand.

Maca root – product price

If you are interested in purchasing maca root in powder or tablet form, it is worth considering the quality of the product first, and then the price. Due to high demand, products resembling Peruvian ginseng are now also manufactured in China. What does this mean for us? These products are of inferior quality and often contain large amounts of synthetic maca substitutes, which cannot be called adaptogens. They can therefore be harmful to our health! On the other hand, products from certified shops will vary slightly in price depending on the form (tablets, powder) or package size, and will have a caramelised nut aroma and high quality.

Bibliography

‘Effect of Lepidium meyenii Walp. on Semen Parameters and Serum Hormone Levels in Healthy Adult Men: A Double-Blind, Randomised, Placebo-Controlled Pilot Study’ – I. Melnikovova, T. Fait, M. Kolarova, E. C. Fernandez, L. Milella, scientific journal Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine, 2015.

‘The use of maca (Lepidium meyenii) to improve semen quality: A systematic review’ – M. S. Lee, H. W. Lee, S. You, K-T. Ha, scientific journal Maturitas, 2016.

‘Effects of different varieties of Maca (Lepidium meyenii) on bone structure in ovariectomised rats’ – C. Gonzales, I. Cárdenas-Valencia, J. Leiva-Revilla, C. Anza-Ramirez, J. Rubio, G. F. Gonzales, scientific journal Forschende Komplementarmedizin, 2006.

‘Maca reduces blood pressure and depression, in a pilot study in postmenopausal women’ – L. Stojanovska, C. Law, B. Lai, T. Chung, K. Nelson, S. Day, V Apostolopoulos, C. Haines, scientific journal Climacteric: the journal of the International Menopause Society, 2015.

‘A pilot investigation into the effect of maca supplementation on physical activity and sexual desire in sportsmen’ – M. Stone, A. Ibarra, M. Roller, A. Zangara, E. Stevenson, scientific journal Journal of ethnopharmacology, 2009.

‘Lepidium meyenii (Maca) – multidirectional health effects – review’ – D. Kasprzak, B. Jodłowska-Jędrych, K. Borowska, A. Wojtowicz, scientific journal Current Issues in Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, Medical University of Lublin, 2018.

‘Lepidium meyenii (Maca) in male reproduction’ – S. Tafuri, N. Cocchia, A. Vassetti, D. Carotenuto, L. Esposito, L. Maruccio, L. Avallone, F. Ciani, scientific journal Natural Product Research, 2021.