Maca
Maca is a Peruvian root studied for energy, libido, and hormonal outcomes. Evidence quality varies by preparation.
Overview
What is maca?
Maca is a plant originating from Peru. It is a cruciferous vegetable that has been cultivated for thousands of years and has been traditionally used to increase libido and fertility. However, evidence for these effects is limited and more studies are required.
Dosage
A typical dose of maca is 1,500–3,000 mg per day, with food.
Effect graph
Effect heatmap
SupplementDEX Database
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Database Snapshot
Most maca research is concentrated in a handful of conditions.
- Sexual dysfunction accounts for 4 of 20 studies (20%).
- Erectile dysfunction accounts for 3 of 20 studies (15%).
- Libido accounts for 3 of 20 studies (15%).
- Sparse coverage remains for Post-menopause, Sperm quality, Athletic performance.
Safety
Maca is generally safe and well-tolerated. The use of maca as a food has been reported to be safe at doses of up to 100 grams per day.
Maca supplements are likely safe at doses of up to 3 grams per day.
Frequently Asked Questions
References
Sources17 references
SupplementDEX uses only high-quality sources to determine supplement effectiveness.
SupplementDEX Database · Menopause
3 references2.SupplementDEX Database: Menopause — Hormone-Balancing Effect of Pre-Gelatinized Organic Maca (Lepidium peruvianum Chacon): (III) Clinical responses of early-postmenopausal women to Maca in double blind, randomized, Placebo-controlled, crossover configuration, outpatient study2006
A double-blind crossover trial of 34 early-postmenopausal women found 2 g/day pre-gelatinized maca (Maca-GO) for 4 months reduced menopausal symptoms and balanced estrogen, FSH, and thyroid hormones vs placebo.
3.SupplementDEX Database: Menopause — Use of gelatinized maca (lepidium peruvianum) in early postmenopausal women2005
A double-blind trial of 20 early-postmenopausal women found 2 g/day Maca-GO for 2–8 months reduced FSH, increased estradiol and progesterone, and substantially reduced menopausal discomfort vs placebo.
1.Clinical Effect of Oral Administration of Maca (Lepidium meyenii) Extract on Japanese Peri-Menopausal Women Subjects: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study. See external sourceExternal source
SupplementDEX Database · Sexual dysfunction
4 references4.SupplementDEX Database: Sexual dysfunction — A double-blind placebo-controlled trial of maca root as treatment for antidepressant-induced sexual dysfunction in women2015
A 12-week double-blind RCT of 45 women with SSRI-induced sexual dysfunction found 3 g/day maca improved sexual function scores, with greater benefit in postmenopausal women.
5.SupplementDEX Database: Sexual dysfunction — A pilot investigation into the effect of maca supplementation on physical activity and sexual desire in sportsmen2009
A 14-day crossover pilot of trained male cyclists found maca supplementation increased self-reported sexual desire vs placebo but did not significantly improve 40 km time-trial performance.
6.SupplementDEX Database: Sexual dysfunction — Beneficial effects of Lepidium meyenii (Maca) on psychological symptoms and measures of sexual dysfunction in postmenopausal women are not related to estrogen or androgen content2008
A 12-week crossover RCT of 14 postmenopausal women found 3.5 g/day maca significantly reduced anxiety, depression, and sexual dysfunction scores vs placebo without altering estrogen or androgen levels.
7.SupplementDEX Database: Sexual dysfunction — A double-blind, randomized, pilot dose-finding study of maca root (L. meyenii) for the management of SSRI-induced sexual dysfunction2008
An 8-week dose-finding RCT of 20 patients with SSRI-induced sexual dysfunction found 3 g/day maca significantly improved ASEX and MGH-SFQ scores vs 1.5 g/day, which showed no benefit.
8.SupplementDEX Database: Athletic performance — Effect of Black Maca Supplementation on Inflammatory Markers and Physical Fitness in Male Elite Athletes2023
An 8-week RCT of 44 elite athletes found black maca extract (5,000 mg/day) reduced inflammatory markers and improved aerobic performance measures vs baseline.
9.SupplementDEX Database: Chronic mountain sickness — Acceptability, Safety, and Efficacy of Oral Administration of Extracts of Black or Red Maca (Lepidium meyenii) in Adult Human Subjects: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study2016
A 12-week double-blind RCT of 175 adults at low and high altitude found 3 g/day black or red maca improved mood, energy, and health-related quality of life, with red maca also reducing high-altitude hemoglobin.
SupplementDEX Database · Erectile dysfunction
3 references10.SupplementDEX Database: Erectile dysfunction — Does Lepidium meyenii (Maca) improve seminal quality?2020
A 12-week double-blind RCT of 69 subfertile men found 2 g/day maca significantly increased sperm concentration (15.0 vs 10.2 million/mL) vs placebo, without significant motility or morphology changes.
11.SupplementDEX Database: Erectile dysfunction — Efficacy and Safety of Common Ingredients in Aphrodisiacs Used for Erectile Dysfunction: A Review2020
A review of common aphrodisiac ingredients for erectile dysfunction concluded evidence remains limited and poorly studied for most supplements.
12.SupplementDEX Database: Erectile dysfunction — Subjective effects of Lepidium meyenii (Maca) extract on well-being and sexual performances in patients with mild erectile dysfunction: a randomised, double-blind clinical trial2009
A 12-week double-blind RCT of 50 men with mild erectile dysfunction found 2,400 mg/day maca produced greater IIEF-5 improvement (1.6 vs 0.5 points) and physical/social well-being gains vs placebo.
SupplementDEX Database · Hypogonadism
1 reference13.SupplementDEX Database: Hypogonadism — Efficacy and Safety of Maca (Lepidium meyenii) in Patients with Symptoms of Late-Onset Hypogonadism: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial2023
A 12-week RCT of 80 men with late-onset hypogonadism symptoms found 3,000 mg/day gelatinized maca significantly improved AMS, IIEF, and IPSS scores vs placebo without changing testosterone levels.
SupplementDEX Database · Libido
1 reference14.SupplementDEX Database: Libido — Effect of Lepidium meyenii (MACA) on sexual desire and its absent relationship with serum testosterone levels in adult healthy men2002
A 12-week double-blind RCT of healthy men aged 21–56 found 1,500–3,000 mg/day maca increased sexual desire from week 8 without changing testosterone or estradiol levels.
SupplementDEX Database · Sperm quality
2 references15.SupplementDEX Database: Sperm quality — Maca (Lepidium meyenii Walp.) on semen quality parameters: A systematic review and meta-analysis2022
A systematic review and meta-analysis of 5 RCTs found unclear effects of maca on semen quality parameters in infertile and healthy men, with pooled sperm concentration showing no significant difference vs placebo (WMD 2.22).
16.SupplementDEX Database: Sperm quality — Lepidium meyenii (Maca) improved semen parameters in adult men2001
A 4-month double-blind RCT of 9 healthy men found 1,500–3,000 mg/day maca increased semen volume, sperm count, and motility without changing serum hormone levels.
SupplementDEX Database · Post-menopause
1 reference17.SupplementDEX Database: Post-menopause — Maca reduces blood pressure and depression, in a pilot study in postmenopausal women2015
A 12-week crossover RCT of 29 postmenopausal Chinese women found 3.3 g/day maca significantly reduced diastolic BP and depression scores vs placebo, without changing estradiol or FSH.