Maca root (Lepidium meyenii) is an Andean root vegetable sold as a dried powder. Its best-supported benefits are modest improvements in sexual desire and in mood and menopausal symptoms, but these come from a handful of small, short trials with quality problems, and systematic reviews call the evidence limited. Maca did not change sex hormones in those trials, and because it contains glucosinolates, people with thyroid problems, hormone-sensitive conditions or a pregnancy should be cautious.
This article is for you if you are curious about maca for libido, energy or menopause and want to know what the studies actually found. You will see the trials in a table, why the colour of maca matters, how to use the powder, and who should skip it.
What is maca root?
Maca is a root grown in the high Andes of Peru. It belongs to the same plant family as turnips Und radishes, and it looks like a small, squat Rübe. The roots come in several colours, mostly yellow, red and black, and their chemistry differs.
In the Andes, maca is food first. A 2024 review in Frontiers in Pharmacology notes that Andean people eat on average more than 100 g of maca root a day, and that local tradition advises eating it only dried and then boiled, because fresh maca is believed to be harmful. That is a big gap from the habit elsewhere of stirring a spoon of raw powder into a cold smoothie.
What nutrients are in maca powder?
Dried maca is mostly starch, with a fair amount of fibre and some protein. Numbers vary widely with colour, growing area and processing, so a 2024 review in Nutrients reports ranges rather than one figure.
| Dried maca powder | Range (g per 100 g) |
|---|---|
| Carbohydrates (mostly starch) | 55 to 73 |
| Fibre | 8.2 to 25.6 |
| Eiweiß | 8.9 to 21 |
| Fat | 0.6 to 2.2 |
Source: Minich DM et al. Not All Maca Is Created Equal: A Review of Colors, Nutrition, Phytochemicals, and Clinical Uses. Nutrients, 2024.
Maca also contains minerals such as calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium and zinc, but in the few grams most people use, it is not a meaningful source of any nutrient. Its interest lies in plant compounds: macamides and glucosinolates, the same family of sulphur compounds found in Brokkoli and other cruciferous vegetables.
Black, red or yellow maca: does the colour matter?
It seems to, which is one reason studies disagree. In animal research, black maca has the most consistent data on sperm, red maca reduced prostate weight, and yellow maca was highest in carbohydrates in one comparison. The catch: of 30 clinical trials reviewed in 2024, only half reported which colour they used. Results with one product cannot be assumed for another.
Does maca root increase libido?
Possibly a little, but the evidence is thin. A 2010 systematic review in BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine found only 4 randomised trials. Two showed a positive effect on sexual desire or sexual dysfunction, one in menopausal women and one in healthy men. One found no effect in healthy cyclists. A fourth, in men with mild erectile dysfunction, reported improved scores on a standard erection questionnaire.
Doses were 1.5 to 3.0 g a day, and the effect on desire appeared only after at least 6 weeks. The trials had between 8 and 57 participants, none reported how participants were randomised and allocated, and none assessed side effects. The authors concluded there were too many limitations to draw firm conclusions.
Later trials, summarised in the 2024 Nutrients review, point the same way: gelatinised maca increased sexual desire at 8 and 12 weeks in men aged 21 to 56, and black maca improved erectile function scores in men over 40. In both, testosterone did not change.
Does maca help with menopause symptoms and mood?
This is where maca research is most interesting, and also where the samples are smallest. A 2011 systematic review in Maturitas found 4 randomised trials in peri- and postmenopausal women. All reported favourable effects on menopausal symptom scores, but the authors judged the number of trials, the total sample size and the quality too limited for firm conclusions, and noted that safety had not been proven.
| Trial | Who | Dose and duration | Main result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brooks et al., Menopause, 2008 | 14 postmenopausal women | 3.5 g/day for 6 weeks, crossover with placebo | Lower anxiety, depression and sexual dysfunction scores; no change in estradiol, FSH, LH or SHBG |
| Stojanovska et al., Climacteric, 2015 | 29 postmenopausal women in Hong Kong | 3.3 g/day for 6 weeks, crossover with placebo | Lower depression scores and lower diastolic blood pressure; no change in estradiol, FSH, TSH, SHBG, glucose or blood lipids |
| Shin et al. review, 2010 | 4 trials, 8 to 57 people each | 1.5 to 3.0 g/day, up to 12 weeks | Limited evidence for sexual desire; trials underpowered |
| Lee et al. review, 2011 | 4 trials in menopausal women | Varied | All favourable, too few and too small for firm conclusions |
Sources: Brooks 2008 (PubMed 18784609); Stojanovska 2015 (PubMed 24931003); Shin 2010 (PubMed 20691074); Lee 2011 (PubMed 21840656).
One consistent thread: maca did not act like a hormone. Both crossover trials found no change in oestrogen or related hormones, so whatever maca does, it is not hormone replacement. Both were pilot studies, and the authors called for larger, longer trials.
Does maca boost energy or fertility?
Maca is often sold as an energy root, and the idea comes from small sports and high-altitude studies with black and red maca. They are too few and too varied to recommend it for energy. If you are after steady energy without coffee, food choices matter more, and our guide to energy foods without caffeine covers them.
For male fertility, a trial with 2 g a day for 12 weeks changed sperm concentration but no other measure, and a systematic review cited in the 2024 Nutrients paper judged the evidence “unclear and too scant”.
What does Ayurveda say about maca?
Classical Ayurveda has no entry for maca. It is a South American plant that the old texts never described, so anything you read about “maca’s dosha” is a modern interpretation, not tradition.
Modern practitioners often place it beside rasayana herbs, the rejuvenating tonics, and compare it to ashwagandha. Read through Ayurvedic principles, a starchy, nourishing root would be considered grounding and building, which suits a light, restless vata type, while someone with a heavy, slow kapha pattern might use less. If those terms are new, our article on the three doshas explains them.
Andean practice and Ayurveda share one useful instinct: prepare roots with heat. Cooking maca, or buying gelatinised maca, which has been heat-treated, fits both traditions.
How do you take maca powder?
The human trials used about 1.5 to 3.5 g a day, usually for 6 to 12 weeks. Start at the low end and use it in food. Many people prefer gelatinised maca: it is easier to digest, and according to the 2024 Nutrients review raw maca may contain about 20% more glucosinolates than gelatinised. Maca tastes malty and slightly nutty, which pairs well with cacao, banana, cinnamon Und oats.
Recipe: warm cacao and maca oat drink
Serves 1. A cosy alternative to a second coffee.
- 250 ml oat milk or milk
- 1 teaspoon gelatinised maca powder
- 1 teaspoon unsweetened cacao powder
- a pinch of cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon honey or a pitted date, to taste
- Warm the milk in a small pan until steaming, without boiling.
- Whisk the maca, cacao and cinnamon with two tablespoons of the warm milk in a mug to form a paste.
- Pour in the rest of the milk while whisking.
- Let it cool for a minute, then sweeten with honey or blend with the date.
For more on the cacao side, see our guide to cacao powder benefits.
Maca side effects: who should avoid it?
In trials, maca was generally well tolerated. The 2024 Frontiers review reports no serious adverse effects, with transient stomach upset, headache and irritability in one trial of 3 g a day for 12 weeks. Be careful in these cases:
- Thyroid conditions: maca contains glucosinolates and is listed among goitrogen-containing plants, which can interfere with thyroid hormone. Heat and moisture reduce them, and maca’s thyroid effects are little studied. If you have a thyroid condition, ask your doctor first.
- Hormone-sensitive conditions: maca did not change hormone levels in trials, but the 2024 Nutrients review suggests avoiding it with a history of hormone-sensitive cancer. One case report found it may interfere with a testosterone blood test.
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding: there are no human safety data. Avoid it.
- Case reports: the Frontiers review describes one case of vaginal bleeding in a young woman and one manic episode in a young man linked to maca.
- Medicines: very little is known about interactions. Tell your doctor if you take antidepressants, hormones or thyroid medication.
- Quality: some samples have exceeded limits for cadmium and lead, and maca powder has been found diluted with Mais, wheat and Süßkartoffel flour. Choose tested products with a stated origin and colour.
Related reading: moringa powder benefits and how to use it, and our superfoods list of everyday foods that deserve the label more.
FAQ
What are the main maca root benefits?
Small trials suggest maca may modestly improve sexual desire and ease mood and menopausal symptoms after 6 to 12 weeks. The evidence is limited, and maca does not appear to change sex hormone levels.
What are the benefits of maca for men?
Trials in men found improved sexual desire and erectile function scores without changes in testosterone. Evidence for fertility is described as unclear and too scant.
Is black maca better than yellow maca?
Black maca has the most consistent animal data for sperm quality, but human head-to-head trials are lacking. Half of published trials do not even report which colour they used.
Does maca affect the thyroid?
Maca contains glucosinolates, which are goitrogens, so it could in theory interfere with thyroid function, though this is little studied. Gelatinised maca has fewer glucosinolates, and anyone with a thyroid condition should ask a doctor before using it.
Sources
- Shin BC, Lee MS, Yang EJ, Lim HS, Ernst E. Maca (L. meyenii) for improving sexual function: a systematic review. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2010. PubMed 20691074
- Lee MS, Shin BC, Yang EJ, Lim HJ, Ernst E. Maca (Lepidium meyenii) for treatment of menopausal symptoms: A systematic review. Maturitas, 2011. PubMed 21840656
- Brooks NA, Wilcox G, Walker KZ, Ashton JF, Cox MB, Stojanovska L. Beneficial effects of Lepidium meyenii (Maca) on psychological symptoms and measures of sexual dysfunction in postmenopausal women are not related to estrogen or androgen content. Menopause, 2008. PubMed 18784609
- 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. PubMed 24931003
- Minich DM, Ross K, Frame J, Fahoum M, Warner W, Meissner HO. Not All Maca Is Created Equal: A Review of Colors, Nutrition, Phytochemicals, and Clinical Uses. Nutrients, 2024. mdpi.com/2072-6643/16/4/530
- Ulloa del Carpio N, Alvarado-Corella D, Quiñones-Laveriano DM, et al. Exploring the chemical and pharmacological variability of Lepidium meyenii: a comprehensive review of the effects of maca. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 2024. frontiersin.org
This article is for information only and is not medical advice. If you have a health condition, are pregnant or take medication, talk to your doctor or pharmacist before changing your diet or starting a supplement.
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