Maca (Lepidium meyenii) is a root vegetable native to the high-altitude plateaus of the Peruvian Andes, cultivated for over 2,000 years as both food and traditional medicine. Long prized in Andean cultures for its purported effects on energy, fertility, and libido, maca has now accumulated a growing body of clinical research that is beginning to clarify its mechanisms and the populations most likely to benefit.
What Is Maca (Lepidium meyenii)?
Maca grows at elevations of 4,000–4,500 meters in the Peruvian Andes — one of the world's most extreme growing environments. The hypocotyl (the swollen root that is the primary part consumed) comes in several color varieties including yellow, red, and black, each with a somewhat different phytochemical profile. Maca is not a hormone — it contains no plant steroids or phytoestrogens. Its effects appear to operate through its unique amino acid, alkaloid, and glucosinolate content rather than direct hormonal action.
Key Bioactive Compounds in Maca
Macamides: Unique fatty acid amides found exclusively in maca. Research suggests macamides may inhibit fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) — the enzyme that breaks down endocannabinoids like anandamide — potentially contributing to mood and libido effects through the endocannabinoid system. Macamides are most concentrated in gelatinized or extract forms of maca.
Glucosinolates (glucotropaeolin, benzyl glucosinolate): Sulfur-containing plant compounds that may contribute to maca's adaptogenic and energy-supporting properties. Similar glucosinolates in other Brassicaceae family plants have demonstrated endocrine-modulating effects.
Macaridine: An alkaloid unique to maca studied for potential effects on the central nervous system and fertility parameters in preclinical research.
Essential amino acids: Maca is a meaningful source of essential amino acids — an unusual property for a root vegetable — contributing to its use as a nutritional staple in traditional Andean communities.
Minerals: Maca is rich in iron, calcium, potassium, and zinc — micronutrients relevant to both energy metabolism and reproductive health.
What Research Shows
Libido and sexual function: A double-blind randomized trial published in CNS Neuroscience & Therapeutics found that maca (3 g/day for 12 weeks) significantly improved self-reported sexual dysfunction in women on SSRIs compared to placebo. A meta-analysis in BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine found statistically significant improvements in sexual desire in both men and women with maca supplementation across multiple trials. Importantly, maca's effects on libido in these trials were independent of changes in testosterone or estrogen — suggesting a non-hormonal mechanism.
Fertility: Studies in men have found maca supplementation associated with improved sperm concentration and motility at 4 months. The mechanisms may involve antioxidant protection of sperm DNA and improved testicular mitochondrial function.
Menopausal symptoms: Several small trials suggest maca may support a reduction in vasomotor symptoms (hot flashes, night sweats) in peri- and post-menopausal women, again through non-estrogenic mechanisms — making it a potentially useful option for women who cannot or choose not to use hormone therapy.
Energy and mood: Subjective improvements in energy, mood, and endurance are frequently reported in maca trials, though separating true physiological effects from expectation is challenging in self-report studies.
How APF Sources Maca
Advance sources gelatinized yellow and/or black maca extract (concentrated for macamide content) through a triple-certified manufacturing facility (UL, NSF, SQF) with third-party testing for identity, potency, and freedom from heavy metals common in root vegetables grown in mineral-rich Andean soils.
How to Use
Gelatinized maca is preferred over raw maca — gelatinization removes starch (improving digestive tolerance) and concentrates bioactives. Common doses in clinical studies range from 1.5–3.5 g/day. Maca is generally taken daily, and effects on libido and energy are typically reported after 4–8 weeks of consistent use. Maca is generally well tolerated with few reported adverse effects.
Why Professional-Grade?
APF sources gelatinized, concentrated maca standardized for macamide content — not generic maca powder — and third-party verifies potency and purity, including heavy metals testing relevant for this Andean root crop.
Explore APF's adaptogen and vitality formulations at and discover what this remarkable Andean root may offer for your energy, mood, and vitality.
