At this point, the science regarding this product is unclear. However, let’s start with what we know for certain. While the efficacy of maca as a sexual enhancer is still debatable, what we do know is that it is generally safe for consumption.
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Oshima, M., Gu, Y., and Tsukada, S. Effects of Lepidium meyenii Walp and Jatropha macrantha on blood levels of estradiol-17 beta, progesterone, testosterone and the rate of embryo implantation in mice. J Vet.Med Sci 2003;65(10):1145-1146. View abstract.
Special Precautions and Warnings
Pregnancy and breast-feeding: There isn’t enough reliable information to know if maca is safe to use when pregnant or breast-feeding. Stay on the safe side and stick to food amounts.
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 estrogen, do not use these extracts.
Little is known about the short- and long-term side effects of maca, so you should consult your healthcare provider before trying the supplement. Children, pregnant or nursing women, and those with hormone-sensitive conditions should be especially careful.
Possible Side Effects
Little is known about the safety and risks of short-term or long-term use of maca. Since it is a natural food, it is generally believed to be safe in large doses.
Maca’s effect on hormone levels is poorly understood. For instance, some studies have found no effect on sex hormones, while animal studies have reported higher levels of luteinizing hormone, progesterone, and testosterone.
Because of these possible hormonal effects, if you have one of the following conditions, you should not take maca without consulting your healthcare provider:
- Breast, uterine, or ovarian cancer
- Endometriosis
- Uterine fibroids
- Thyroid disease
As with many other supplements, maca hasn’t been tested for safety in pregnant people, nursing mothers, children, those with medical conditions, or those who are taking medications.
Verywell / Anastasia Tretiak
Dording CM, Schettler PJ, Dalton ED, Parkin SR, Walker RS, Fehling KB, Fava M,Mischoulon D. A double-blind placebo-controlled trial of maca root as treatment for antidepressant-induced sexual dysfunction in women. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med 2015;2015:949036. View abstract.
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Chung, F., Rubio, J., Gonzales, C., Gasco, M., and Gonzales, G. F. Dose-response effects of Lepidium meyenii (Maca) aqueous extract on testicular function and weight of different organs in adult rats. J Ethnopharmacol. 4-8-2005;98(1-2):143-147. View abstract.
Cui, B., Zheng, B. L., He, K., and Zheng, Q. Y. Imidazole alkaloids from Lepidium meyenii. J Nat Prod 2003;66(8):1101-1103. View abstract.
Gonzales, C., Rubio, J., Gasco, M., Nieto, J., Yucra, S., and Gonzales, G. F. Effect of short-term and long-term treatments with three ecotypes of Lepidium meyenii (MACA) on spermatogenesis in rats. J Ethnopharmacol 2-20-2006;103(3):448-454. View abstract.
Gonzales, G. F., Ruiz, A., Gonzales, C., Villegas, L., and Cordova, A. Effect of Lepidium meyenii (maca) roots on spermatogenesis of male rats. Asian J Androl 2001;3(3):231-233. View abstract.
Lee, K. J., Dabrowski, K., Rinchard, J., and et al. Supplementation of maca (
López-Fando, A., Gómez-Serranillos, M. P., Iglesias, I., Lock, O., Upamayta, U. P., and Carretero, M. E.
Muhammad, I., Zhao, J., Dunbar, D. C., and Khan, I. A. Constituents of Lepidium meyenii ‘maca’. Phytochemistry 2002;59(1):105-110. View abstract.
Oshima, M., Gu, Y., and Tsukada, S. Effects of Lepidium meyenii Walp and Jatropha macrantha on blood levels of estradiol-17 beta, progesterone, testosterone and the rate of embryo implantation in mice. J Vet.Med Sci 2003;65(10):1145-1146. View abstract.
Park, T. H., Kwon, O. S., Park, S. Y., and et al. N-methylated beta-carbolines protect PC12 cells from cytotoxic effect of MTP+ by attenuation of mitochondrial membrane permeability change. Neurosci Res 2003;46:349-358.
Rubio, J., Caldas, M., Davila, S., Gasco, M., and Gonzales, G. F. Effect of three different cultivars of Lepidium meyenii (Maca) on learning and depression in ovariectomized mice. BMC.Complement Altern Med 6-23-2006;6(1):23. View abstract.
Ruiz-Luna, A. C., Salazar, S., Aspajo, N. J., Rubio, J., Gasco, M., and Gonzales, G. F. Lepidium meyenii (Maca) increases litter size in normal adult female mice. Reprod.Biol Endocrinol 5-3-2005;3(1):16. View abstract.
Tellez, M. R., Khan, I. A., Kobaisy, M., Schrader, K. K., Dayan, F. E., and Osbrink, W. Composition of the essential oil of Lepidium meyenii (Walp). Phytochemistry 2002;61(2):149-155. View abstract.
Valerio, L. G., Jr. and Gonzales, G. F. Toxicological aspects of the South American herbs cat’s claw (Uncaria tomentosa) and Maca (Lepidium meyenii) : a critical synopsis. Toxicol.Rev 2005;24(1):11-35. View abstract.
Zhang, Y., Yu, L., Ao, M., and Jin, W. Effect of ethanol extract of Lepidium meyenii Walp. on osteoporosis in ovariectomized rat. J Ethnopharmacol 4-21-2006;105(1-2):274-279. View abstract.
Zheng BL, He K, Hwang ZY, Lu Y, Yan SJ, Kim CH, and Zheng QY. Effect of aqueous extract from
Dording CM, Schettler PJ, Dalton ED, Parkin SR, Walker RS, Fehling KB, Fava M,Mischoulon D. A double-blind placebo-controlled trial of maca root as treatment for antidepressant-induced sexual dysfunction in women. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med 2015;2015:949036. View abstract.
Ganzera M, Zhao J, Muhammad I, Khan IA. Chemical profiling and standardization of Lepidium meyenii (Maca) by reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography. Chem Pharm Bull (Tokyo) 2002;50:988-99.. View abstract.
Gonzales GF, Cordova A, Gonzales C, et al. Lepidium meyenii (Maca) improved semen parameters in adult men. Asian J Androl 2001;3:301-3. View abstract.
Gonzales GF, Cordova A, Vega K, et al. Effect of Lepidium meyenii (MACA) on sexual desire and its absent relationship with serum testosterone levels in adult healthy men. Andrologia 2002;34:367-72.. View abstract.
Gonzales GF, Cordova A, Vega K, 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;176:163-168.. View abstract.
Li G, Ammermann U, Quiros CF. Gluconsinolate contents in Maca (Lepidium peruvianum Chacon) seeds, sprouts, mature plants, and several derived commercial products. Economic Botany 2001;55:255-62.
National Academy of Science. Lost Crops of the Incas Little-Known Plants of the Andes with Promise for Worldwide Cultivation (1989). Available at: http://books.nap.edu/books/030904264X/html/57.html
Piacente S, Carbone V, Plaza A, et al. Investigation of the tuber constituents of maca (Lepidium meyenii Walp.). J Agric Food Chem 2002;50:5621-25.. View abstract.
Stojanovska L, Law C, Lai B, Chung T, Nelson K, Day S, Apostolopoulos V, Haines C. Maca reduces blood pressure and depression, in a pilot study in postmenopausal women. Climacteric 2015;18(1):69-78. View abstract.
Valentova K, Buckiova D, Kren V, et al. The in vitro biological activity of Lepidium meyenii extracts. Cell Biol Toxicol 2006;22:91-9. View abstract.
Zheng BL, He K, Kim CH, et al. Effect of a lipidic extract from lepidium meyenii on sexual behavior in mice and rats. Urology 2000;55:598-602.
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It wasn’t until day three that I felt the maca taking effect, though contrary to my expectations, it took place in my head rather than in my crotch. Surprisingly, I felt more level-headed and calm than I had been in months. I felt I could concentrate more while I was reading, and my trademark rapid speech patterns became calmer and slower.
I Tried This Ancient Herb to Improve My Sex Life, and It Actually Worked
I’ve always had terrible anxiety, so in 2013, I made an appointment with a mental health professional, who prescribed me an antidepressant called Lexapro. For the most part, Lexapro worked well for me. But like many other SSRIs (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors), it comes with a slew of potential side effects, including diminished sex drive. So when my libido went from Pepé Le Pew to whoever the least sexual cartoon is (Goofy, probably), I wasn’t that surprised. But I wasn’t happy about it, either.
That’s where maca came in.
6 Things Every Man Should Know About His Penis:
Maca is a plant native to the Andes that has a light green color and vaguely bready smell. It’s often ground into powder form, and while researchers still don’t know much about it, it’s been reported to improve sexual function, increase erection frequency in men, reduce anxiety in postmenopausal women, and improve SSRI-induced sexual dysfunction.
Because I’m typically a stickler for FDA approval, I initially discounted these claims. But then I went down a Reddit wormhole. Reddit is full of firsthand accounts of taking maca on r/Nootropics, a subreddit devoted to drugs that are purported to enhance cognitive function. After an hour or so of reading testimonies like, “I feel incredible energy, anxiety gone, super social, sex drive sky high,” I decided to try maca myself for a month.
At first, I was wary: I didn’t know how maca would react with the other medications I was on (though I did read a study indicating that it’s OK to take maca if you also take SSRIs). I’d also read a Washington Post article from 2015 saying that herbal supplements from GNC and Target may contain other ingredients, such as “mustard, wheat, radish and other substances.” While the article didn’t specifically mention maca root, there was no way for me to know whether there were any foreign substances in the supplement itself.
On the other hand, I couldn’t find many negative side effects associated with maca: even the certified alarmists on WebMD didn’t have any dirt on the stuff. While I probably should’ve consulted with my own physician right off the bat (and would recommend that anyone considering taking any kind of supplement talk to their doctor beforehand), my peep was on the fritz, so I was desperate. So I consulted with Jamin Brahmbhatt, MD, a urologist and sexual health expert.
Brahmbhatt said that while it was likely safe to take maca, he was skeptical that it would actually be effective at improving my sex drive. “There are several studies looking at maca vs. placebo where they have found links between taking maca and improvement in sexual function and libido in both men and women,” said Brahmbhatt. “[But] as with a lot of other supplements we don’t know the exact mechanism of how it works.”
Still, he added, “if I have patients that take maca and they say it’s working, I will support their decision to take the herb.”So I went down the street to my grocery store (yeah, that’s how easy it is to get this stuff) and bought a bottle of Only Natural Maca Pure 1,400.
The first day I took maca, I didn’t notice any immediate side effects. But I didn’t experience any adverse symptoms, either, which was a good sign.
It wasn’t until day three that I felt the maca taking effect, though contrary to my expectations, it took place in my head rather than in my crotch. Surprisingly, I felt more level-headed and calm than I had been in months. I felt I could concentrate more while I was reading, and my trademark rapid speech patterns became calmer and slower.
There was one caveat, however: when I told Brahmbhatt about my increased focus and calmness, he said it may very well have been in my head. “Some studies have shown maca may decrease symptoms of depression or anxiety in women, but in men the results were not significant,” Brahmbhatt says. “So yes, your improved concentration may be placebo.”
Nonetheless, I kept taking the maca every morning, anticipating the perceived effects would wane over time. What I found was quite the opposite: Not only did my head remain clear, but that fancy-shmancy libido increase I kept hearing about actually started happening. Usually, my Seasonal Affectiveness Disorder is so bad that I can’t even think about having sex on an overcast day. But on one gloomy, maca-fueled Sunday, I wanted to have sex. Lots of it. And when I did have sex, I found that it was better than usual. If a normal session of sex is a 9 out 10, Maca bumped it up to 9.75 — a small increase, but definitely a noticeable one.
By the end of the month, I couldn’t have cared less whether maca actually worked, or if I was experiencing a placebo effect. I could only focus on the noticeable difference in my head and pants. That’s why I’m still taking maca every morning.
I realize there’s a risk in taking any non-FDA-approved supplement, and I will say that you should talk to your doctor before deciding to take maca. But I can only speak for myself and my own experience, and to quote Redditor edefakiel, maca made me as “hard as El Peñón de Gibraltar.”