What Are the Benefits of Maca Roots?

Maca root is a popular supplement that is highly valued for its nutritional, medicinal and aphrodisiac properties. It is native to the Andes in Peru, where it has been used for hundreds of centuries as both food and a natural remedy.

Nutritional Value

• Often referred to as a "super food," maca root is a highly nourishing herb that is rich in essential nutrients. It is a rich dietary source of calcium, magnesium, iron and manganese, as well as a wide range of protein amino acids. Maca root also supplies vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, B12, C, D and E.

Adaptogen

• In her book "Maca: Adaptogen and Hormonal Regulator," Beth Ley describes a number of maca root's adaptogen benefits. As an adaptogen, maca root enhances the body's capacity to fight disease and withstand stress by effectively supporting the endocrine system. It tones the adrenal glands and regulates the hypothalamus gland's production of cortisol, the stress hormone. Mental and physical stress trigger the hypothalamus to increase the production of this hormone, and because the body is not designed to withstand stress over a long period of time, maintaining high levels of cortisol in the blood is harmful to our health.

Hormonal Balance

• Ley also describes how maca root is effective in helping regulate hormonal balances for men and women. When the body produces too much or too little of a particular hormone, it will act on the hypothalamus-pituitary gland to correct the imbalance. This helps relieve the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome and menopause, such as hot flashes and vaginal dryness, which result from an imbalance of hormone levels in the body. What's more, it does not have the negative side effects of the hormone replacement therapy, a conventional menopause treatment.

Fertility Aid

• Peruvians have traditionally used maca root to enhance fertility. Their folk knowledge of the herb's ability to boost fertility has been supported by scientific research. One such research study was conducted in 1961 by biologist Gloria Chacon de Popovici. Through her photochemical research of maca root (see References section), she demonstrated that it increased fertility.This herb increases sperm count and motility in men, and it increases the production of egg follicles in women.

Aphrodisiac

• Maca root is also an effective sexual stimulant and has long been prized as a potent aphrodisiac in the Peruvian Andes. This is another benefit detailed in Ley's book, in which she states that this herb has the capacity to increase libido by 180 percent. It is a natural option for treating erectile dysfunction. In addition to boosting the male sex drive, it also helps alleviate stress-related sexual dysfunction.