Maca

Lepidium meyenii · Lepidium peruvianum · Peruvian Ginseng · Maca Root

Snapshot

Indications	Contraindications
Sexual function^1–3 Menopausal symptoms⁴ Antidepressant sexual dysfunction⁵ Late-onset hypogonadism symptoms⁶ Mood and energy⁷ Male fertility⁸	Pregnancy or breastfeeding⁹ Hormone-sensitive cancer⁹

Maca (Lepidium meyenii) is a cabbage-family root grown in the high Peruvian Andes and used there as both food and medicine⁹. Macamides modulate neurotransmitter release in vitro, while serum testosterone and gonadotropins did not change in men⁹. Supplementation is used for sexual desire and function, menopausal symptoms, and energy and mood. It is also used for male fertility, where trials are mixed.

Systematic reviews rate the evidence for sexual function and menopausal symptoms as limited, citing few small trials^{4, 10}. Pooled data show unclear effects on semen quality^{11, 12}. A 2023 randomized trial in men with late-onset hypogonadism symptoms found improved symptom scores⁶. A 2026 meta-analysis of randomized trials of herbal supplements for erectile dysfunction found benefit for saffron and ginseng but insufficient evidence for maca¹. Maca is sold mostly as capsules, with powders, liquids, and tablets also available; see Form comparison.

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) states maca may not be safe in pregnancy or breastfeeding⁹. Per MSKCC, maca may interfere with testosterone immunoassays, so patients are asked to tell their healthcare provider about use before labs⁹. Health Canada labels ask for a practitioner's advice before use with antidepressants, blood thinners, or high blood pressure¹³.

Last updated October 16, 2026. Read how we make monographs.

In the full monograph

50 sources, 35 studies

When to useThe situations practitioners use it for, each with the reason and the study behind it.
SafetyWho should avoid it, who needs extra care, and the side effects reported in studies.
InteractionsThe medicines and supplements it interacts with, the effect of each, and what labeling says to watch.
Protocol notesThe doses used in studies, how and when they were taken, and how the forms on the market compare.
How it worksWhat it is and how it works in the body, in plain terms.
Published studiesThe studies behind each use, popular claims checked against them, and trials still under way.
Word of mouthWhat patients and practitioners report online, kept separate from the clinical evidence.
Clinical perspectiveA closing read of where the evidence is solid, where it is thin, and what has not been studied.

Snapshot

In the full monograph

Sources