The Perseverance of Maca
What is Maca about?
The 16th Century Viagra Back In Fashion. The Maca plant is the epitome of perseverance in the food world and has many natural health benefits for us too! Learn more about what Maca is about. Maca originates in the Peruvian Andes, and incredibly, grows at altitudes of over 3,500 metres, making it the highest growing food on the earth. At that height, some hikers, and trekkers struggle in the Andes, but not the redoubtable maca plant, that survives rocky soils, freezing temperatures, strong winds and intense sunlight.
With such determination and perseverance, it’s hardly surprising that the people of the Andes started experimenting with the Maca root (it’s about the size of a large radish) and found it helped to increase their endurance, energy and sex drive ! They discovered it helped with fertility too!
You know how mustard gives your meals a boost? Guess what, the maca plant is part of the mustard family!
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Maca History
The Maca root has been used by indigenous people in Peru and the Andes as an ingredient to enhance their health for thousands of years. More recent history based on Spanish records, dates the maca plant to the 1500`s. It was first being mentioned in 1549, when Captain Juan Tello de Soto is described as having received some maca “fruits” as a thank you, for having helped local people to improve their methods of animal husbandry. He then used the Maca roots to boost the fertility of cattle he had imported from Spain.
16th Century Viagra
It’s great for those looking to boost their endurance, so is popular with hikers and trekkers in the Peruvian, Chilean and Argentinian Andes. And apparently, it was used by both indigenous and Spanish soldiers in order get ready for battle. But according to one story, the Spanish Authorities decided that Spanish soldiers should stop using it, as it boosted their sex drive too much! We wonder how many Spanish soldiers ignored this instruction?
Hardly surprising, that today it is sometimes referred to as Peruvian ginseng. Maca was so highly prized in the Viceroyalty of Peru, that during Peru`s 200-year Spanish colonial period (1550-1750) records describe how some nine tons of Maca were demanded from the local population each year. Lima is pretty crowded today!
So what are the benefits of Maca?
1. Maca Enhances Libido for men and women!
Those Spanish and Peruvian Soldiers knew why they were taking it! Still top of the list of the benefits is that it enhances libido! And its not just hearsay or old soldiers tales, a 2010 systematic review (1) described how maca had a positive effect with healthy adult men but also with healthy menopausal women. Please also note that this was after taking it for 6 weeks. Like spirulina, maca is a superfood so it does take time for your body to assimilate the benefits of the nutrients, in exactly the same way as spirulina does, which interestingly can also help to enhance the libido, particularly in cases of andropause (male menopause).* if this is what you are seeking to achieve, why not add Maca and Spirulina to your diet?
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2. Maca Helps To Reduce Erectile Dysfunction
Some refer to Maca as the Viagra of the superfoods. But unlike Viagra, maca taken consistently, (remember it’s a superfood) will help your performance over a longer period, not just one night of passion! And the evidence is? A study (2) of 50 Caucasian men who took maca for 12 weeks, saw a “significant effect” with their sexual performance. And remember, like spirulina, this is a superfood! Not a medication!*
3. MACA Increases Male Fertility.
For anybody looking for a natural way to enhance their fertility, Maca might help you. A 2015 study (3) found that the superfood boosted sperm concentration concluding that maca has fertility enhancing properties in men.*
4. Maca Enhances Your Mood
Got the morning blues? A study (4) has confirmed the Peruvian anecdotal evidence that Maca, (like spirulina) is a natural way to enhance your mood ! The study (4) demonstrated that maca reduces symptoms of anxiety and depression, particularly with post-menopausal women. Again, the advice, as a superfood, is to take it over a period of time, as it is not a medication.*
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5. MACA boosts your energy
In common with spirulina, if taken over a period of weeks, the maca superfood is also reported to boost your energy. The evidence for maca boosting energy is largely based on anecdotal evidence but trekkers and hikers in the Andes swear by it. Why not give it a try for yourself and see what you think?
6. MACA helps to balance hormones
A 2006 study (5) found that Maca “resulted in a significant alleviation of menopausal symptoms”
7. MACA may improve your memory.
In Peru, children are given maca to help them with the studies at school, to improve their academic performance by enhancing their memory. This is similar to spirulina usage in a study in Africa where it boosted their academic achievement, why not give your memory a boost today?
Where can you get this amazing superfood?
You don`t have to travel to Peru to get your hands on this amazing superfood, although you can easily get it at the airport there, great if you are planning to climb the Andes! Maca may enhance your perseverance, and if you need it, help with something else! If you would like to try some select Organic Vegan, Non GMO, Fair Trade Peruvian Maca, please check out this click through.
==>Click Here If You Are Interested In Buying Quality Spirulina Or Chlorella<==
For quality organic, gmo free maca, we recommend:
We have been trying Maca. It works!
Thank you, For Visiting
Thank you for visiting whyspirulina. We hope you found this information helpful. If you have any comments or questions, kindly leave them below and we will get back to you.
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Sources
(1) Maca (L. meyenii) for improving sexual function: a systematic review Byung-Cheul Shin, Myeong Soo Lee, Eun Jin Yang, Hyun-Suk Lim, Edzard Ernst
(2) Subjective effects of Maca extract on well-being and sexual performances in patients with mild erectile dysfunction: a randomised, double-blind clinical trial
T Zenico, A F G Cicero, L Valmorri, M Mercuriali, E Bercovich
(3) Effect of Lepidium meyenii Walp. on Semen Parameters and Serum Hormone Levels in Healthy Adult Men: A Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Pilot Study. Ingrid Melnikovova, Tomas Fait, Michaela Kolarova, Eloy C Fernandez, Luigi Milella
(4) Beneficial effects of Lepidium meyenii (Maca) on psychological symptoms and measures of sexual dysfunction in postmenopausal women are not related to estrogen or androgen content Nicole A Brooks, Gisela Wilcox, Karen Z Walker, John F Ashton, Marc B Cox, Lily Stojanovska
(5) Hormone-Balancing Effect of Pre-Gelatinized Organic Maca (Lepidium peruvianum Chacon): (II) Physiological and Symptomatic Responses of Early-Postmenopausal Women to Standardized doses of Maca in Double Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Multi-Centre Clinical Study. H. O. Meissner, A. Mscisz, H. Reich-Bilinska, W. Kapczynski, P. Mrozikiewicz,T. Bobkiewicz-Kozlowska, B. Kedzia, A. Lowicka, and I. Barchia
(6)
*Nothing on this website should be interpreted as personal medical advice. Always consult a qualified Doctor or health care professional before changing anything related to your healthcare. *Please see the About page for the references
I had never heard about Maca until I read your article. It sounds like an amazing plant. Many of the benefits I feel I need, particularly the calming properties. I have gone onto the click through sites and have seen the product for sale in a couple of different forms. Your article is book marked so that when I purchase Maca it will be through your site. Thanks for all this new information.
Thank you Anastazja for your helpful and full comment. Its quite an astonishing plant. Did you have a chance to look at our information on spirulina too? You might find the frequently asked questions on spirulina helpful, the history of spirulina might also interest you as well as how much spiruina to take. The calming properties of Maca were interesting for us to learn, indeed, spirulina can also help with anxiety and depression too!*
Hello Trevor – Fascinating article on Maca Powder. I am always impressed with the healing power that nature provides. Maca does so much for the body. I want to take advantage of the energy-boosting properties, and according to the Macateam sight, the red macc is best for me. What are the significant differences between spirulina and maca? Thanks for this opportunity!
Thanks for stopping by Nathaniel. I`m glad you identified the best Maca for you as there are different types. You raise an interesting question. The difference relate specifically to the fact that spirulina grows in water picking up its nutrients there, whilst quality Peruvian Maca traditionally grows in the Peruvian Andes. We think Maca and Spirulina complement each other, as they are both superfoods with different qualities. Thank you for stopping by.
While I have seen consumable Maca come in many forms, is there one type of Maca better than another?
For example, is it ok to ingest in its natural root form?
Wow, great job Trevor! I’ve never heard of such a thing, so its nice to fill my brain up with some new knowledge. Lately i have been messing around with a few “superfood” but ‘Maca’ seems to stand out from what I’ve been trying. I’ll definitely look more into this. Thank you
Thanks for the feedback Sevian. Maca is certainly a very interesting superfood and I can tell you from personal experience that it works! If you are into superfoods I recommend you also take a look at our spirulina FAQs. Its benefits are wide ranging. The history of spirulina is also fascinating. We also include in that article those few examples where spirulina is best avoided. Thanks again for stopping by.
It is from your website here that I am first learning about Maca and how to use it too. Even when the plant has this kind of record for being the highest growing crop. I didn`t know this before. Well, now I do and that’s all thanks to you. You really shared ways to use it and everything, I needed to know about this plant and the power too. Its great that Maca can help with menopause! Thank you!
Alongside spirulina that has many benefits, maca is another fantastic superfood. We are using it and can confirm the benefits we have described, from personal experience! For menopause too!
Thanks so much for your informative article about Maca! I use Maca powder in a blended drink I make with frozen berries and other powders.
I had no idea of all the benefits of Maca powder. Now I am going to be sure I consume some every day!
The target audience of my website and blog posts are men over 60 years of age. I will refer them to your article. They’ll be glad for the libido and memory boosts, for sure!
Thank you for stopping by Glen and thank you for the offer to refer your readers to our site.
Wow I have never heard about this before but from what you have listed about maca, it seems to be very beneficial to our health and it all stems from a plant. This seems to be a winner and is worth the investment. I must look more into this, because on what has been said it has been proven to give good results.
Thank you for visiting and leaving your comment. Yes, we prefer natural products with a plant origin, we believe its better to eat your way to health and plants play a important role in this. You might also be interested to learn about spirulina that is fundamentally the the evolutionary bridge between bacteria and green plants.
Our Spirulina FAQs have more details.
I think I have heard about Maca before, but I can´t recollect where. The properties of the Maca plant (the root) is definitively worth taking notice of. There is seemingly no reason not to add this plant to the daily food intake. A long history of use among the indigenous people in South-America as well as studies you have referred to makes the plant and claims of benefits trustworthy.
It seems to be similar to both ginseng, Reiki mushroom and Chaga mushroom. I have used both Reiki and Chaga mushrooms for a while and it has helped noticeably for better everyday health.
Are there any downsides of using the Maca root? I have a condition of low blood pressure, so if this plant reduces it further that will not be good for me. I expect that the answer is no as it is helping in virility according to your article.
Roy
Thank you for stopping by with your detailed and welcome comment. The benefits of organic Maca are indeed widespread. An impact on blood pressure is not generally that noticeable but the impact for somebody seeking to enhance their Libido (either men or women) is something you do notice gently build up. Far better than chemicals from expensive viagra for example!
If you are interested in superfoods, you might also be interested to learn about the many benefits of spirulina, which you can discover on our spirulina FAQs page.
Excellent article on maca. Here in Argentina it is easy and cheap to get. I have it but do not take it regularly enough take, which I should, because of all the health benefits you mention, in particular related to enhancing my sex life and helping with emotions. You can use it in smoothies, over salads or salad dressings.
What I take 2x daily is spirulina. I am 55 years old and it has helped overcome headaches for lack of iron.
Hello Karin and thank you for your comment, we are glad you liked it. You are absolutely right, you can add it to smoothies, salads and also to salad dressings. But I agree, it can sometimes be a bit of a chore remembering to do that, so it can then become a bit irregular. The benefits we describe in the article have certainly been seen in our family. It has helped my partner´s hormones and like you, we have also seen the other benefits described! I no longer need viagra! One way you can get around remembering to take maca regularly, is to take organic maca capsules each morning, which is actually my preferred method, ditto with spirulina.
I was fascinated to learn that you had overcome a problem with headaches by taking spirulina and so boosting your iron levels. Thank you for sharing that.
Hello Trevor, it’s really nice to read your review on Maca powder and I’m really fascinated about the beautiful power that this plant has. I like the calming effects it gives and how you call it the age long Viagra. Maybe this would be good for erectile dysfunction too or what do you think?
Thanks for visiting our site Jackie and for leaving a comment. Yes, Maca is regarded as being helpful in managing erectile dysfunction. We know that spirulina helps andropause, so perhaps for those seeking a natural way to manage erectile dysfunction, they should try a combination of spirulina and black maca. But as with all superfoods, it will require taking them consistently. This is not a question of “popping” a pill. You might be interested in checking out our spirulina FAQs to discover the many benefits of spirulina. The history of spirulina page is also worth reviewing. Thanks again for stopping by.
Thank you for the research you have undergone to come up with such a great post as this one here. Honestly, I value all that you have shared here about maca powder and exactly the benefits that is attached to it. Seriously, it is never as easy as it is, right now to know that such a plant as this has so much health benefits. Thanks you for sharing this here with us
Thank you Darmi. Maca is not very well known in the world, which is one of the reasons we have added Maca to this site about superfoods. We also know that it works effectively. We are currently preparing a new page on the different types of Maca which you might find useful. if you are interested in superfoods, you might find it interesting to learn about spirulina, our spirulina FAQs or perhaps the history page is a great place to start.