Fran,
Could you go into more detail on why women should only take maca in days 1-14 of their cycle? I started Maca a few days ago hoping for increased overall balance and decreased pms symptoms and am now 4 days late for my always regular menstrual cycle. I also have much more breast tenderness than pms typically brings on.
I’ve tried the GNC 525 mg maca whole herb capsules for several months now, and I can definitely say that in regards to libido, this stuff can perform like viagara without the side effects! I’ve never had any of the side effects that any one is talking about, because like anything else, you take it in moderation to see how your body adjusts to it. At the most I’ve taken 2 in one day, and not at the same time. Usually, 1 is enough, but that’s also because I eat a fairly stable diet, without junk food, sodas, and sweets everyday.
You wouldn’t just plop 4 motrins in your mouth for the 1st time, because you woke up in the morning with a killer headache! That’s common sense. You gradually move into ANYTHING you ingest into your body. If you’ve never tasted mussels before, would you stuff 6 of them in your mouth to get the full effect? Of course not.
Maca is no different. I’m not saying people may not have reactions to maca, but I can assure you wouldn’t have the same 30 second paper long list of “serious” side effects on the prescription commercials. And if you do have an effect, you would’ve had to take an awful lot of maca to feel weird or completely abnormal. I don’t have problems with it. And as for a sexual enhancement, YES unequivocally it does give you that, very well.
My package of maca powder suggests going 3 weeks on, and 1 week off. It’s not meant to be taken continually over a long period.
Personally, I use it about once a week as part of my ‘variety is the spice of life’ routine. Perhaps, that is not enough to experience any benefit but, when I was taking it for a few days in a row once, I felt like it turned on my fat-storage hormones (could have just been in my head). I mainly add it to my smoothie when I need it to be extra filling.
[...] the internet, however, there are reports of side-effects from Maca (here and here), especially at a high dosage (1500-3000 mg/day). Before beginning any new supplement [...]
There are a few different types of maca root. Becky’s approach seems to be a good approach for me as well (and I am male). I have noticed that if I consistently use maca week in and week out without a break I grow impatient and less tolerant with those I interact with, and it is not good for my anxiety. Taking a break from most ayurvedic medicine, or using them only when needed seems like a good approach for me.
Try growing wheatgrass to clear your skin. Remember your skin is the biggest organ of the body, and acts as a filter, much like a giant kidney. To rid your entire body of toxins which inevitably exit via the skin, juice wheatgrass with an inexpensive MANUAL wheatgrass juicer. The seeds are also inexpensive, and you can learn how to grow it, from videos on youtube. Remember to toast good health with every shot. Take care, Godbless.
I have noticed that when I started taking the maca I got my period early. Then I didn’t really seem to bleed that much in the middle. Then all the sudden the bleeding has picked up and my period has been a little longer. I seem to get a lot of blood clots. I have been taking two pills maybe I will just take one.
There are indeed things that many people don’t tell you about maca, especially when there are money involved. Anyway, if you don’t exagerate the maca powder dosage, I remain to my conclusion: Maca is good, and the fact that is an ancient remedy for many conditions user ceturies ago made me trust maca.
Hi! I’d like to know, please, if maca can decrease free testosterone level in women. I’m 22 years old and my doctor says that i have polycystic ovarian syndrome. My level of free testosterone is very high and my LH is low. Do you think Maca can help me? Or it can do more damage? Do you know somebody with the same problem who tried Maca? Thanks!
Diana can I strongly recommend that you contact our medical.team@naturalhi.com who can give you a complete holistic protocol on how to address PCOS using both Femmenessence MacaHarmony and other diet, lifestyle, exercise and supplement options.
We have actually seen that normal maca products which have phenotypes generally ideal for energy and men’s health can actually make PCOS worse while with Femmenessence we see it reverse. However it isnt a one stop solution of just Femmenessence but a protocol as mentioned.
Feel free to also email your phone number and one of our doctors can also talk to you and answer any questions you may have.
Regards,
James Frame
CEO
Natural Health International
Are you sure it was the maca root causing your issue? I had ALL of the same symptoms as you, nearly suicidal on depression (never happened before in my 30+ yrs), on VITEX (chaste berry). I was taking it one per day and after a week noticed significant decline in my mental health although my spotting was controlled. I have had ZERO effects from Maca root…although I also only take that once per day. I have never taken both at the same time as they do the same thing in the body and it would be overload.
Hi – I just bought some Holland & Barrett Organic Maca powder for libido issues – it says take 10-15g a day….yet everywhere else is saying 1.5-3…what are your thoughts please?
Thanks!
Hi to all,
I am a 34 year old woman suffering from depression, irregular periods and a chronic skin condition. I discovered Maca Root through recommendations on a website I frequent. I started taking Maca Root Capsules of 525 mg 2 times a day, then the next day went up to 3. It was great at first. I felt a lift in my depression, libido and energy. I have never felt a vitamin ” work” so fast. Then I noticed my heart would race and I was experiencing hot flashes. Am I taking too much? I really like the feeling I had because of the Maca at first, but the heart racing and the hot flashes I had later on made me extremely comfortable. I stopped taking the vitamin for a day and those effects almost immediately went away.
Also, is Maca Root safe to take while I am breastfeeding? There is a lot of conflicting info on the Internet. My 18 month old seems to have many of the same hormonal issues I do and is big and slightly developed for her age. She has been blood tested for precocious puberty and I was told her tests showed she did NOT suffer from it, but I don’t want to exacerbate her growth or cause side effects through my breast milk.
After reading only about 1/3 of all the comments, I came to my own conclusion—I should not use it. I am so weak and tired from fibromyalgia I thought it might help. I shop at a very good Health/Organic Food store and they really “pushed” maca as being great for “energy.” However, I also have IBS, bloat immediately after eating anything, and besides that have headaches every day and migraines about 4 times a month. Several years ago, I tried Siberian Ginseng, and other ginsengs. Well, my reaction to that is exactly like my reaction to maca. I immediately develop a fog in my brain, feel my heart race faster, but I actually feel like I have zero energy. My stomach aches, but my entire digestive system is “whacko.” Thus, I quit the ginseng and never felt it until today, when I again tried the powdered root in one of my fruit/vegetable smoothies. And those very same aggravating and frightening symptoms began to occur once again. Then I thought to myself, my smoothie also asked for Goji berries. Now I haven’t looked those up yet, but as far as they and the maca, I took a minute dose of what they wanted. Someone mentioned ginseng and maca taken together. I think they are like duplicates of each other only in the sense that they cause the same symptoms. Now if I read up on the Goji berries, I may just learn that they cause the same outcome. I have decided to stick with fruit and vegetables. In a smoothie they are quite dense anyway, so I am going to be very careful about adding any new berries and such. Remember every person is different. I fall asleep if I drink coffee. So does my son. Neither of us were ever tested to see if we had ADD or ADHD, but people always ask. My old aunt who died years ago once said, when my child was really active and spinning around and dancing (a bit out of control, but not that much) give her coffee, she said. She and my son drink a lot of coffee, but I don’t any more. There are too many things the medical and scientific community haven’t tested—always a strange one like me—so I am sure it is important to be careful. I am 64, but have never looked my age, however, I now am very weak, have a compromised immune system, so all the pain I feel daily (all the time) makes me unable to do the things I used to do. Now I am well overweight, and it is not a healthy weight, whatever. I could say much more, but this is enough!
Is Maca root the basis of the supplement Macafem? If so I have been taking it for 8 months, but about 3 months ago I developed chronic neck pain which eventually caused a bout of depression for a good fortnight, as it really wore me down. I stopped taking the Macafem and two weeks later my neck pain has gone. I initially felt really good taking the Macafem and felt it alleviated my symptoms but possibly taking it for a shorter time with breaks may be more beneficial. What do you suggest?
ihad no side effects at all! i suspect that i have fibro and cfs…but no docs up here are good at diagnosis. gave me energy, motivation, and generally made me feel better. it was a noticeable change…not like most supplements. I will be giving the ol man a couple today and see if he lifts his butt off the couch. I have hope in Maca!
I will never take maca pills because you never know where the manufacturers got the roots. For most part I only trust in one brand that I personally order from Peru. It comes in 80 gr powder presentation and I use to mix it with any juice in the morning. Benefits are awesome but I only use once a day. It is crazy to consider more than a pill a day, I don’t know who tell you that.
A an example of how good is Maca, the Chinese and Japanese governments have breakfast programs for kids in the school which one of the main ingredients is Maca.
i came here cause I heard it makes your bum bigger and hips wider.
; )
I just started taking Maca Root today for the first time. I bought it from GNC. I’m only taking 525 mg a day. I’m taking it because it’s supposed to increase sperm production, sperm mobility and overall sperm quality. My recent sperm analysis was not that great. My wife and I are trying to get pregnant really bad. I am 42 and she is 34. I hope that I get good results and after reading this most informative thread I’m a bit scared. I really can’t handle emotional ups and downs. I’m also afraid of the potential stomach discomfort. I’ll keep an open mind and pray for the best. If anyone has and further advice please don’t hold back. Thanks for all of the input.
