How Maca Changes Your Body

Herbs with specific ingredients affect the management of multiple systems in the body thanks to their nutrients. Maca is a herbal powerhouse with multifaceted effects on energy balance, hormone health and reproductive function.

Maca Description

Maca is a plant of the cruciferous family known as Lepidium meyenii. Maca root is harvested after ripening, dried and ground into maca powder. Maca powder is enriched with carbohydrates, protein, fiber and various minerals (selenium, calcium, magnesium).

Health Effects of Maca

Among the biological effects of Maca; It has nutritive, energizing and fertility-enhancing properties. It also has positive effects on sexual dysfunctions, osteoporosis, prostate problems, memory and learning. It is generally considered safe, with rare side effects.

Effect of Combined Use of Maca and Piperine

Piperine increases the bioavailability of compounds, especially curcumin, by enhancing their absorption. In addition, piperine supports metabolic processes by increasing thermogenesis.

Maca increases energy levels and promotes endurance. It also helps to balance hormones.

Regarding the Possibility of Synergistic Effects; When piperine and maca are used together, the bioavailability-enhancing property of piperine may help Maca to be absorbed more effectively in the body. This may potentiate the energy-boosting and hormonal balancing effects of Maca.

Things to Consider When Using Maca Supplements

There are several important factors to consider when taking Maca (Lepidium meyenii) supplements:

• Safety and Tolerance:
  Maca is generally considered safe and well tolerated in humans. However, some side effects may be observed when used in high doses. For example, the use of high doses of maca can cause an increase in AST levels and diastolic blood pressure.
• Variety and Color:
  Different colors of Maca (black, red, yellow, etc.) contain different biochemical components, which may lead to different health effects. Black maca contains higher levels of fatty acids and macamide than red maca and may therefore offer different health benefits. It may require expertise to recognize the product and be sure of its ingredients. The best approach is to proceed with the advice of an experienced health professional.
• Potential Drug Interactions: Maca may affect some drug metabolizing enzymes, which may lead to potential interactions with some drugs. Therefore, caution should be exercised in patients taking medication.
• Dosage
  In clinical trials it is common to use 3 grams of Maca daily and this dosage has been shown to be safe. However, the dosage should be adjusted taking into account individual tolerance and specific health conditions.
• Quality Control:
  Quality control of Maca supplements in terms of alkaloid content and other potentially toxic components is important. This is necessary to ensure that the products are safe and effective.

SOURCE

1. Imtiyaz Ahmed Najar, Sagar Pamu, Anushka Paul, Poonam Arora, Gaganjit Kaur, & Manish Kumar (2024). Pharmacokinetic Drug Interactions of Piperine: A Review of Pre-clinical and Clinical Studies. Current drug metabolism. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38910277/
2. Ying Zou, Waleed Aboshora, Jing Li, Tiancun Xiao, & Lianfu Zhang (2017). Protective Effects of Lepidium meyenii (Maca) Aqueous Extract and Lycopene on Testosterone Propionate-Induced Prostatic Hyperplasia in Mice. Phytotherapy research : PTR. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28635053/
3. D Chavarria, T Silva, D Magalhães e Silva, F Remião, & F Borges (2016). Lessons from black pepper: piperine and derivatives thereof. Expert opinion on therapeutic patents. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26560940/
4. Dvora Izgelov, Abraham J Domb, & Amnon Hoffman (2020). The effect of piperine on oral absorption of cannabidiol following acute vs. chronic administration. European journal of pharmaceutical sciences : official journal of the European Federation for Pharmaceutical Sciences. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32198013/
5. Jing Zhang, Yang Tian, Liang Yan, Guanghui Zhang, Xiao Wang, Yan Zeng, Jiajin Zhang, Xiao Ma, Yuntao Tan, Ni Long, Yangzi Wang, Yujin Ma, Yuqi He, Yu Xue, Shumei Hao, Shengchao Yang, Wen Wang, Liangsheng Zhang, Yang Dong, ... Jun Sheng (2016). Genome of Plant Maca (Lepidium meyenii) Illuminates Genomic Basis for High-Altitude Adaptation in the Central Andes. Molecular plant. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27174404/
6. Norka Ulloa Del Carpio, Diego Alvarado-Corella, Dante M Quiñones-Laveriano, Andrea Araya-Sibaja, José Vega-Baudrit, Maria Monagas-Juan, Mirtha Navarro-Hoyos, & Martha Villar-López (2024). Exploring the chemical and pharmacological variability of Lepidium meyenii: a comprehensive review of the effects of maca. Frontiers in pharmacology. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.go