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Maca (Lepidium meyenii)

Maca (Lepidium meyenii)

*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.

About

Maca is a plant that grows in central Peru in the high plateaus of the Andes Mountains. It has been cultivated as a vegetable crop in this area for at least 3000 years. Maca is a relative of the radish and has an odor similar to butterscotch. Its root is used to make medicine.

People take maca by mouth for "tired blood" (anemia); chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS); and enhancing energy, stamina, athletic performance, and memory. People also take maca by mouth for female hormone imbalance, menstrual problems, symptoms of menopause, improving fertility, and sexual dysfunction caused by antidepressants, weak bones (osteoporosis), depression, stomach cancer, leukemia, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, erectile dysfunction (ED), to arouse sexual desire, and to boost the immune system.

In foods, maca is eaten baked or roasted, prepared as a soup, and used for making a fermented drink called maca chicha.

In agriculture, it is used to increase fertility in livestock.

How does it work?

Maca root contains many chemicals, including fatty acids and amino acids. However, there isn't enough information to know how maca might work.

Traditionally used for

Sexual dysfunction caused by antidepressant drugs.
Male infertility.
Postmenopausal conditions.
Sexual desire.
"Tired blood" (anemia).
Leukemia.
Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS).
Improving energy and athletic performance.
Improving memory.
Depression.
Female hormone imbalance.
Menstrual problems.
Symptoms of menopause.
Osteoporosis.
Tuberculosis.
Boosting the immune system.

Dosage

1.5-3.5g by mouth daily for 6-16 weeks.

Possible Side Effects

Maca is SAFE for most people when taken in amounts found in foods. Maca is SAFE when taken by mouth in larger amounts as medicine (up to 3 grams daily) for up to 4 months. Maca seems to be well tolerated by most people.

Special Precautions & Warnings

Pregnancy and breast-feeding: There is not enough reliable information about the safety of taking Maca if you are pregnant or breast feeding. Stay on the safe side and avoid use.

Hormone-sensitive conditions such as breast cancer, uterine cancer, ovarian cancer, endometriosis, or uterine fibroids: Extracts from Maca might act like estrogen. If you have any condition that might be made worse by exposure to estrogen, do not use these extracts.

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