Maca, also called Ginseng Andin, Peruvian Ginseng, Lepidium meyenii, or Lepidium peruvianum, is a relative of radish and smells similar to butterscotch.
Maca is a plant that grows on the high plateaus of the Andes Mountains. It’s been cultivated as a root vegetable for at least 3000 years. The root is also used to make medicine, but there isn’t enough reliable information available to know how maca might work.
People take maca by mouth for male infertility, health problems after menopause, increasing sexual desire in healthy people, and other purposes, but there is no good scientific evidence to support any of these uses.
Uses and Effectiveness
There is interest in using maca for a number of purposes, but there isn’t enough reliable information to say whether it might be helpful.
Safety and Side Effects
Special precautions & 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.
Interactions with Medications
- It is not known if this product interacts with any medicines.
Before taking this product, talk with your health professional if you take any medications.
Interactions with Herbs and Supplements
- There are no known interactions with herbs and supplements.
Interactions with Foods
- There are no known interactions with foods.
Dosage
Other Names
Ayak Chichira, Ayuk Willku, Ginseng Andin, Ginseng Péruvien, Lepidium meyenii, Lepidium peruvianum, Maca Maca, Maca Péruvien, Maino, Maka, Peruvian Ginseng, Peruvian Maca.
Source: MedlinePlus