Botanical Medicine of the Month: Maca

Today we’ll be learning about:

  • What is maca?
  • Might I benefit from it?
  • My favorite maca supplement 

What is maca?

Maca is an adaptogen most specifically known for its benefits related to sex hormones. 

Adaptogens are a class of natural substances that support the body’s physiological balance. 

Maca does not add hormones to the body but rather helps the body naturally raise hormones that are low and decrease hormones that are high. 

Might I benefit from maca?

You may benefit from maca if you struggle with:

  • Amenorrhea, the absence of menstrual periods
  • PMS or PMDD
  • Fertility
  • Perimenopause 
  • Menopause
  • Low libido 

While I typically see people noticing the benefits of maca within 2-4 weeks, it may take up to two months.

For a deep dive into each of these conditions, learners scroll all the way to the bottom. 😉

What’s your favorite maca?

My favorite maca supplement is made by Symphony Natural Health. They have three different formulations for women and one for men. 

Why are these maca supplements my favorite?

Because they work best, and I’m confident in the quality control.

Time and time again, my patients and clients are amazed by the benefits they experience with these maca supplements. 

Deep dive on how maca works

  • Amenorrhea: the absence of menstrual periods

Maca helps restore healthy menstrual cycles through lowered FSH levels. High FSH levels are associated with low estrogen. We need sufficient estrogen to grow and nurture the uterine lining during the first half of the menstrual cycle so that the uterine lining can be shed later in the cycle via menstruation (or become the home for an embryo to implant). 

  • PMS or PMDD

Maca helps alleviate PMS/PMDD symptoms by stabilizing hormones during the menstrual cycle. Through its balancing effect on hormones, maca has been shown to provide relief from mood swings, fluid retention, and breast tenderness.

  • Fertility

Maca has benefits in both male and female fertility. 

In men, maca has been shown to enhance libido, improve sperm quality, and increase sperm quantity per ejaculation. 

Maca supports female fertility through balancing hormone levels and promoting ovulation. Additionally, Maca is associated with increased libido in women, increased vaginal lubrication, and improved mood contributing to you being “in the mood” to conceive. 

  • Perimenopause

During perimenopause, estrogen and progesterone levels drop, first creating symptoms of estrogen dominance, followed by symptoms of estrogen depletion. 

Maca provides relief associated with both of these phases by balancing hormonal levels, leading to relief from hot flashes, night sweats, irritability, vaginal dryness and brain fog.

  • Menopause

For menopausal women, maca aids in maintaining healthy bone density, supporting mood, relieving vaginal dryness and improving libido through its hormone-balancing properties. Maca has been shown to support cognitive function and focus via its flavonoid content.

  • Low Libido

Whether you are female or male, and whether you are of childbearing age or beyond, maca has been shown to enhance libido. 

In women, these changes may be attributed to balanced hormones as well as relief of symptoms that make intercourse unpleasant such as vaginal dryness and hot flashes. 

In men, there is ongoing debate on whether testosterone production is impacted or if sex drive is improved via other mechanisms. Whatever the biological mechanisms may be, maca is a promising natural solution for men seeking to improve their libido.

*This blog is intended for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical care. Statements on maca’s uses and effectiveness have not been evaluated by the FDA. Maca is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.