Lepidium meyenii

For approximately 2000 years maca has been an important traditional food and medicinal plant in its growing region. It is regarded as a highly nutritious food and as a medicine that enhances strength and endurance and acts as an aphrodisiac.

Uses: Maca has been harvested and used by humans in the Andean Mountains for centuries. Suggested For: Strength Endurance Aphrodisiac

The nutritional value of dried maca root is high, similar to cereal grains such as rice and wheat. It contains 60% carbohydrates, 10% protein, 8.5% dietary fiber, and 2.2% fats.

Found in the high Andes of Bolivia and Peru. The growth habit, size, and proportions of the maca are roughly similar to those of the radish and the turnip, to which it is related. Off-white flowers with 4-5 mm siliculate fruits, each containing two small (2-2.5 mm) reddish-gray ovoid seeds, root forms a fleshy radish- or inverted-pear-shaped body roughly 10-15 cm long and 3-5 cm wide.

Small-scale clinical trials performed in men have shown that maca extracts can heighten libido and improve semen quality. Maca has not been shown to affect sex hormone levels in humans. In addition, maca has been shown to increase mating behavior in male mice and rats.