For women

Step 1:

Take 1-1.5 tsp of powder or 3-5 cpsules per day of Maca for Women with breakfast or lunch (Figure 1). 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 typical menstrual cycle lasts for 28 days (Figure 2) with fertility occurring after ovarian follicle development releases an oocyte, and the uterine endometrium layer changes to support the implantation of a fertilised egg (Ovulatory Phase).¹ Natural family planning methods provide a physiological means to detect the fertile window of a woman’s reproductive cycle. Practices commonly used are basal body temperature charting, calendar calculation, cervical mucus monitoring, lactational amenorrhea, and the symptothermal method.² Essentially, the female reproductive cycle is controlled by the hypothalamic pituitary axis (HPA), which releases gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH), thereby stimulating luteinising hormone (LH) and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) secretion from the pituitary gland. In response to a spike in LH (Ovulatory Phase), enzymes break down the follicle to release the now mature ovum, and progesterone levels continue to increase (Figure 2). Daily tests for LH produce reliable predictions of the beginning of ovulation.³ Women with conditions such as endometriosis and polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) have a high risk of infertility due to imbalances of hormonal cycles^4,5. For men, low sperm concentration, poor sperm motility, and abnormal sperm morphology are all sub-fertility and infertility risk factors that reduce the chances of conception.⁶ Infertility affects up to 10% of women in reproductive age and is a public health issue according to the World Health Organization (WHO).⁷

Amongst the many means of addressing infertility, those wishing to conceive may benefit from taking maca, an Andean root used for centuries to support fertility. In Peru young adolescent women are given maca daily as a tea when they reach puberty to harmonise their menstrual cycles and reduce the symptoms of PMS. As adults women take combinations of red and yellow maca in-line with their periods to improve fertility and maintain hormonal harmony. Men also traditionally take yellow and black maca to improve their fertility and enhance their libido and sexual function.

In a laboratory study, dietary consumption of maca increased the probability of embryo implantation in mice⁸, which may be due to increasing the natural pre-ovulation luteinizing hormone surge⁹. Another benefit to women is that maca alleviates psychological stress¹⁰ and was proposed as a treatment for antidepressant-induced sexual dysfunction¹¹. Recently, it has been demonstrated that atomised (extracted) red maca is the most effective form of maca to improve quality of embryos in mice.¹² Maca also benefits hormonal balance in women during the regular menstrual cycle and menopause.

In men, one study analysed sperm concentration, sperm motility, and sperm morphology of those whose partners had pregnancies within 12 cycles compared to those who did not. Men with partner pregnancies showed consistently higher volume, concentration, number and percentage motile and morphologically normal, and total sperm⁶. Interestingly, dietary patterns, foods, and nutrients have been observed to impact male fertility, as measured with several sperm quality parameters¹³. With long-term administration of yellow maca, stallions’ concentration of spermatozoa and total sperm count increased during 60-120 days after dietary supplementation¹⁴. In addition, acute administration of black maca increases the concentration of sperm count in epididymis and vas deferens¹⁵. Read more on treating sexual function and libido in men. For those struggling to conceive or just wanting to increase their chances of conception and produce healthier babies, maca is a 100% natural supplement with good clinical evidence to support it’s use.