Maca is a radish-like root that grows in the Andes Mountains of Peru and is used as a food source for hundreds of years now. It is commonly pronounced as “mah-cah” and is mainly available in powder/flour form. In ancient ages, Andean shepherds used it as a vegetable, fed it to their livestock and also used for its medicinal purposes. Apart from the above said uses, maca is also used in ancient times for increasing the shepherd’s fertility for boosting livestock sperm counts. This root was also taken by the Inca warriors for increasing their strength and stamina, which they used in the battlefield.
Maca powder- An aphrodisiac:
A number of herbs are said to be as aphrodisiacs, but each herb acts in different ways and produces different effects. Some herbs produce more physical effect by increasing blood flow to the genitals and others work on emotional level by calming the mind. Whereas, maca powder enriched with nutritionally rich substances delivers an unparalleled balance to your daily diet. Some of the benefits of maca powder, which truly represents its aphrodisiac properties:
- Raises testosterone in men & eliminates hormonal problems in women
- Enhances sexual desire and cures erectile dysfunction
- Quick injury recovery
- Increases metabolism
- Cures insomnia
- Reduces the risk of diabetes
- Helps in curing cancer
There is no doubt that this nature’s product has benefits, maca consists of never ending list of benefits and these are as follows:
- Maca contains not only carbohydrates, it also contains easily digestible high quality protein and minerals including zinc, calcium & magnesium, which aids in both performance & recovery.
- Maca is the medicine for adrenals that allows the Central Nervous System (CNS) to recover rapidly allowing regular high intensity workouts without experiencing burnout. It helps athletes in increasing their stamina and also helps in improving their physical performance by supplying muscles with sufficient glycogen needed for high intensity workouts at the gym.
- It has the capacity to provide mental clarity for a positive mental outlook.
- It has been proved in various studies that maca improves sexual health of the couples by multiplying the sexual desire without any adverse effects on sexual hormones.
Maca powder and sexual function:
Maca is regarded as the nature’s “Viagra” and is more effective in improving sexual function in men and women, as per the 2010 report published in BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine. This report’s authors conducted various trials in which they found that maca has positive effects on sexual dysfunction and sexual desire in healthy menopausal women or healthy adult men. Further, in the year 2008, a study from CNS Neuroscience & Therapeutics researchers found that maca helps in alleviating sexual dysfunction.
Clinical studies have stated that maca’s effectiveness as an aphrodisiac on humans is astonishing. Due to the improved medicinal properties of maca, it is believed that it works as an adaptogen that increases the body’s resistance to stress and lead to improved libido, which means more sex.
Maca powder and fertility:
This natural powder can be availed by the people in different color options including yellow, black and red maca. Each color provides almost same effect in varying degrees; like black maca appears to have the greatest effect on sperm count followed by yellow maca. This product helps in improving the male and female infertility problems. In a study of maca effect over nine adult men, it has been proved that regular intake of maca powder for four months improved their semen quality. However, the treatment with maca resulted in increased semen count, sperm count and sperm motility.
Maca powder can be availed by the people on various websites and online stores. These can also be purchased by people on different online men supplements store and can be searched as infertility treatments for men and women, medicines for infertility.
Maca and Menopause:
Maca helps in easing the anxiety and depression in postmenopausal women, as per the 2008 study from the journal Menopause. The research covers 14 postmenopausal women, who took 3.5 grams of powdered maca for six weeks. Study results showed that maca helped them in reducing anxiety and depression, as well as improves their sexual function.
Doses & Usage:
Maca is generally available in the market, supplements store and online stores in powder form, but can also be found in capsules. It is recommended by the health experts that maca can be availed in a gelatinized powder rather than powder from the raw root because it contains oils which may sometimes cause digestive problems. Various forms and doses are briefly described below:
- 2-5g daily dose of maca powder will produce effects within a few days.
- It has a very nice taste and can be added to porridge, cereal or smoothies.
- You can also mix it with cacao to improve the taste.
- For proper maintenance of your body, try to take 1 teaspoon daily and if you want to boost your energy level including sex desire and workout, try to take 2 teaspoons. Mix the maca powder into a glass of water or add to juice or into your favourite smoothie.
- You can also try making the maca powder in delicious energy balls.
In toxicity studies conducted in the U.S., maca root showed no toxicity and no adverse pharmacologic effects. It proved that more maca powder you consume the more benefit you are likely to get. Whereas, in animal studies, it has been stated that the more maca animals consume, the stronger and sexually active they become.
Taste and nutrition:
Maca improves sex drive and energy but it looks like a turnip and tastes like a potato. It contains carbohydrates, protein, fats and dietary fibre and is a prominent source of magnesium, calcium and iron, which helps in strengthening the immune system. Apart from these, it also contains vitamins B1, B2, C and E. Maca root is also a rich source of fatty acids along with four alkaloids (Macaina 1, 2, 3 and 4).
Cautions & side effects:
It is a fact that ancient Peruvians have safely consumed maca for over 2000 years. They always had maca powder in cooked forms and traditionally never eaten raw. But, today maca is sold in the west as raw root, which can cause some adverse effects. People should keep in mind that consuming large amounts of maca may cause excess gas. Try not to consume this powder if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. Moreover, maca is not recommended to people suffering from high blood pressure and with hormone-dependent cancers such as breast or prostate cancer.
Final words:
Maca is a food staple in Peru that enhances fertility and also gained reputations as sex stimulants. For exciting sex life and energy booster, people should try the maca powder in limited and prescribed doses because over dose of any product can cause severe damage and make you ill. Consult your doctor every time, so that he may suggest you accurately that how you should take it and in which quantity. You can be helpful as the amounts of maca powder you take. Consuming maca produce a safe and effective way to boost your sexual function, without any hazards of prescription drugs.
Related article: Do Cell Phones Affect Men’s Fertility?
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