Mild to moderate conditions

Take 1-1.5 tsp per day or 3-5 capsules of Maca for Men with breakfast or lunch. Minimum suggested treatment time is 6-12 weeks. Beyond this you may continue to consume maca daily and do not require taking a break from treatment if you are receiving positive benefits. For recipe ideas of how to include maca in your daily routine download our recipe booklet here or watch our recipe channel here.

The main types of male sexual dysfunction are:

• Erectile dysfunction (difficulty getting/keeping an erection)
• Premature ejaculation (reaching orgasm too quickly)
• Delayed or inhibited ejaculation (reaching orgasm too slowly or not at all)
• Low libido (reduced interest in sex)

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is defined as the inability to obtain or maintain an erection during sexual relations¹. The prevalence of erectile dysfunction increases with age in men, with those affected rising drastically from 2-53% over the ages of 30-80 years^2,3. Due to high prevalence and association with age, ED is a major health concern^2,3.

Physical causes of overall sexual dysfunction may be:

• Low testosterone levels
• Prescription drugs (antidepressants, high blood pressure medicine)
• Blood vessel disorders such as atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) and high blood pressure
• Stroke or nerve damage from diabetes or surgery
• Smoking
• Alcoholism and drug abuse

Psychological causes might include:

• Concern about sexual performance
• Marital or relationship problems
• Depression, feelings of guilt
• Effects of past sexual trauma
• Work-related stress and anxiety

Causes of sexual dysfunction are varied and include health conditions like diabetes mellitus, heart disease, hypertension, pelvic surgery, urinary tract symptoms and cigarette smoking or alcohol abuse ^2,3. Neurological causes include stress, fear of sex, fear of inadequate sexual performance, anxiety, depression, anger and motor-neural conditions like stroke, cerebral trauma, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease or Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Other physical hindrances may include kidney and liver failure, sleep apnoea and pulmonary disease. During ageing, a decrease in hormonal levels and an increase in the incidence of cancer are probable factors in the increase of developing ED⁴. Furthermore, drugs for these types of conditions are also associated with ED⁵, meaning many men over their 50s may require assistance to improve their libido, sexual performance or sexual function.

Figure 1. The physiology of producing and maintaining an erection.

Dietary supplementation with maca (Lepidium meyenii) has been well researched and clinically shown to alleviate psychological issues and improve sexual function and libido in men¹⁰. It is also believed to be able to increase NO and cGMP production in penile tissue helping to improve issues related to ED and sexual dysfunction⁹.

In one study, maca showed anti-depressant-like effects during times of chronic stress¹¹. In a further study, significant improvement of physical and social well-being and sexual performance was reported by patients with mild ED after 12 weeks taking maca in a small randomised, double-blind clinical trial¹². Maca is also beneficial for sexual dysfunction in women too, with studies showing improvements in female libido and sexual function, particularly post-menopause. Mild cases of low sexual desire may be the result of fatigue or similar physical discomfort. In multiple studies, maca treatment had anti-fatigue effects and reduced persistent pain^13,14,15. As a libido enhancer maca has been shown to increase the number of complete intromissions (libido driven sexual acts) and decreased the time to erection in between each act in laboratory studies^16,17. In a further small study of sportsmen, maca improved sexual desire as well as athletic performance¹⁸. Long term-treatment with maca in healthy adult males improved sexual desire, independent of psychosocial factors like depression and anxiety¹⁰.

Testosterone supplementation and psychological counselling are often suggested to address low male sexual function and libido, although testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) is typically reserved for those with hypogonadism and measurably low testosterone levels²⁰. In severe cases, luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) are elevated in male hypogonadism (primary and secondary) because the testosterone produced is insufficient to inhibit their production. In rare cases, such as Klinefelter syndrome, androgen-producing Leydig cells are underdeveloped²¹. Maca contains an active component that promotes Leydig cell production, and long-term intake of maca can alleviate age-related decline of testosterone production from these cells^21,22. Importantly, maca does not change serum reproductive hormone levels, including androgen^11,23,24, thus decreasing any potential side effects for management of conditions like prostate cancer and other hormonal sensitive cancers.

For men research has shown that it is safe and effective to use maca as a natural physical enhancer and mood stabiliser to improve sexual function. To further improve libido and fertility, consider an additional short-term dietary intake of extracted black maca which increased concentrations of sperm count, specifically within the first seven days of administration, in animal studies^25,26. For more information on maca and fertility, see our article.