Maca

STRENGTH: 500 mg
FORM: 60 Capsules

Maca (Lepidium Meyenii) - Also Known As: Ayak Chichira, Ayuk Willku, Maca Maca, Maino, Maka, Peruvian Ginseng.

In the high country regions where it is cultivated, Maca has the highest nutritional values of any food crop grown there. It was considered to be a super food by the Incas, and is thought of as a delicacy by the indigenous people that cultivate it. Maca has a sweet and nutty flavor with a kind of butterscotch-like aroma. It looks like a potato and can be dried and stored for years with no real loss of nutritional value. High quality Maca is dried slowly to ensure it maintains its therapeutic integrity.

Here is an example of South America’s finest in the form of an herb that helps to energize you as well as help you to deal with the daily stress that life throws your way. This herb falls into the same category as the ginsengs in terms of how it assists the body. It has a long history of safe use and has recently been the subject of studies that revolve around its therapeutic effects. Toxicity studies conducted under strict scientific conditions showed Maca had no signs of toxicity, and no adverse pharmacological effects. University studies worldwide using Maca as the test material, have shown it to have therapeutic effects, including improving the user’s state of mind, decreasing anxiety and stress, improving reaction to stress, increasing adrenal androgens, increasing sexual desire and even increasing sperm count! Further investigations on the nutrient content in Maca were carried out at the Institute of Nutrition in Lima. Maca was shown to be rich in nutrient content and is primarily made up of 11% protein; 10% calcium along with magnesium and potassium, which are also present in significant amounts. Claims that Maca enhances energy, libido and sexual function have been preliminarily supported in research conducted at the Chinese Academy of Preventive Medicine. The results of recent Maca studies are so significant, that they have been accepted for publication in the peer-reviewed medical Journal of Urology.

Maca is also being used to help balance hormonal function in women; it has been used in Peru for hundreds of years to help stabilize overall hormonal function. It has been proposed that Maca can even possibly replace hormone replacement therapy (HRT). However, Maca works in a very different way than the hormonal therapy and in a more satisfactory way for most women. It is a good herb to add to any herbal regimen that has been found to help balance hormones. Maca does not cause the ovaries in women to atrophy, as conventional hormone replacement therapy does, which means that Maca may be discontinued at any time without danger.

Maca is also a nutritional source of iodine, which has obvious ramifications with respect to its effect on the thyroid function and metabolism. As stated, it is a reliable protein source containing a fairly balanced profile of amino acids. It also is a rich source of complex carbohydrates and essential minerals such as calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, and iron. It also contains vitamins B-1, B-2, B12, C and E and is a source of glycoside steroids. Many body builders are turning to Maca as a natural and safe alternative to drugs that may assist in protein synthesis. Maca’s ability to balance systemic energy is the reason it is called an adaptagen, meaning that it helps to restore balance and provide energy to the body. Unlike caffeine, Maca is a healthy choice for increasing energy because it is not a stimulant. Maca is an ideal supplement for everyone from students to professionals to athletes or just anyone who needs a boost. So to increase mental clarity, increase energy, and to promote a general sense of well being Maca might just be the ticket for you! †

REFERENCES:

1. Canales M, Aguilar J, Prada A, Marcelo A, Huaman C, Carbajal L. Nutritional evaluation of Lepidium meyenii (MACA) in albino mice and their descendant. Arch Latinoam Nutr. 2000 Jun; 50(2):126-33.
2. Dini, A., et.al., 1994, "Chemical composition of Lepidium meyenii," Food Chemistry 49: 347-349. 4. Gomez, A., "Maca, Es alternativa Nutricional para el ano 2000." Informe Ojo con su Salud No. 58 August 15, 1997, Lima Peru.
3. Leon, J. 1964. The "maca" (Lepidium Meyenii) a little known food plant of Peru. Economic Botany. 18:122-127.
4. Quiros, C. et al., "Physiological Studies and Determination of Chromosome Number in Maca, Lepidium Meyenii." Economic Botany 50(2) pp. 216-223. 1996.