Maca Benefits – What Happens When You Take Maca Powder?

The best-supported maca benefits are modest improvements in sexual desire, mood, and subjective energy, with small studies also pointing to better endurance and relief of some menopause symptoms — typically at 1.5-3 grams of gelatinized maca daily taken for several weeks. Maca is not a stimulant and does not reliably raise testosterone. Most research is small and short, so treat it as a promising food-based supplement rather than a proven performance aid. It works gradually, over weeks rather than hours. Many people also enjoy it simply as an earthy, malty addition to smoothies and oatmeal.

What Is Maca

Maca (Lepidium meyenii) is a root vegetable from the high Andes of Peru, where it grows at altitudes above 4,000 meters. It belongs to the cruciferous family, alongside broccoli and cabbage, and has been eaten and used as a traditional remedy for at least 2,000 years. Most maca sold today is dried and ground into powder or packed into capsules.

As a food, maca is mostly carbohydrate, with some protein, fiber, and a range of amino acids. It also contains vitamin C, copper, iron, potassium, and B vitamins, plus plant compounds called glucosinolates and macamides that researchers think drive many of its effects. At supplement doses of a few grams, however, its vitamin and mineral contribution is small. The interest lies in those bioactive compounds, not the nutrition label.

How Maca Is Thought to Work

Maca is often called an adaptogen: a substance thought to help the body handle physical and mental stress. It is not a hormone and does not contain testosterone or other androgens. Most human trials find it does not significantly change blood testosterone, LH, FSH, or estrogen. Researchers believe its effects come from acting on the brain’s hormonal control centers and stress response rather than on hormone levels directly.

Unlike caffeine, maca does not block the brain’s fatigue signals. Any effect on energy builds gradually with consistent use. That is why studies usually run for at least two weeks, and why a single dose before a workout is unlikely to feel different.

Maca Benefits Backed by Research

Sexual Desire and Function

This is maca’s best-studied use. A systematic review in BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine found limited but encouraging evidence that maca improves sexual desire in both men and women, usually after six weeks or more. Small trials also suggest it may ease antidepressant-related sexual dysfunction and mildly improve erectile function. The effect appears unrelated to testosterone, which stays unchanged in most studies.

Mood and Energy

Several small trials report improvements in mood, anxiety, and subjective energy with regular maca use, including in postmenopausal women. People often describe a steadier sense of energy rather than a jittery lift. Our guide to saffron for mood and stress covers another option with stronger mood data.

Menopause Symptoms

A review of four randomized trials found maca may reduce menopause symptoms such as hot flashes, sleep disruption, and mood changes. The trials were small and varied in quality, so the conclusion is tentative. Women with hormone-sensitive conditions should talk to a doctor before using it.

Fertility and Semen Quality

A few small studies in men found maca improved sperm count or motility over several months. Maca is also used in Peru to improve fertility in livestock. Human evidence remains preliminary, and it should not replace medical fertility care.

Maca for Exercise and Performance

Endurance

The most-cited performance study, published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology, gave eight trained cyclists 2 grams of maca extract daily for 14 days. Their 40-kilometer time-trial times improved compared with their baseline, and they reported higher sexual desire. It was a small pilot study, so the result is encouraging rather than conclusive. Any endurance benefit likely comes from reduced perceived fatigue rather than a direct physiological boost.

Strength and Recovery

There is little direct evidence that maca increases maximal strength in trained lifters. Its potential value for strength athletes runs through recovery: steadier energy, better mood, and possibly a better response to training stress. Lifters report feeling more ready to train, but those reports are hard to separate from placebo. If you want proven strength support, creatine monohydrate is the better first purchase; see our guide to creatine loading.

Who Is Most Likely to Notice a Difference

People training hard in high-volume blocks, dieting, or dealing with stress and low energy are the most likely to notice benefits. If your sleep, nutrition, and recovery are already dialed in, expect a smaller effect. No supplement overrides sleep debt or chronic undereating. Maca belongs in the “nice to have” tier after protein, sleep, and consistent training.

What Maca Does Not Do

• It does not raise testosterone in most human studies, despite marketing claims.
• It is not a stimulant and will not replace your morning coffee.
• It does not treat disease. Claims that maca treats cancer, depression, or chronic fatigue syndrome are not supported by human evidence.
• It does not act as an iron supplement at typical doses; the amounts in a few grams are small.

Dosage, Timing, and Form

Most human studies use 1.5-3 grams daily, taken consistently for at least two to four weeks before judging results. A level tablespoon of powder weighs roughly 8-10 grams, so a teaspoon or two is closer to research doses. Timing does not matter much; take it with breakfast or in a smoothie, whichever you will do consistently.

Gelatinized maca is the best choice for most people. It is heated to remove starch, which makes it easier to digest and more concentrated. Raw maca can cause bloating and contains more goitrogens, compounds that can affect thyroid function in large amounts. Traditionally, Peruvians cook maca before eating it.

Color varieties — yellow, red, and black — differ slightly. Black maca is linked with male fertility and red maca with prostate health, mostly in animal studies. The differences are not well established in humans, so buy a quality product rather than paying extra for a color. Choose brands with third-party testing, such as NSF Certified for Sport or Informed Sport, especially if you compete.

How to Tell Whether Maca Is Working

Because maca’s effects are subtle, judge it deliberately. Before starting, note your typical energy, mood, sleep, libido, and training readiness on a simple 1-10 scale. Take the same dose daily for four to six weeks without changing other supplements, then rate yourself again. If nothing has shifted, stop and put the money toward food or better-proven supplements. If you notice a clear benefit, keep going and reassess every few months.

Safety and Side Effects

Maca is widely eaten as food in Peru and appears safe for healthy adults at typical doses in trials lasting up to about four months. Reported side effects are uncommon and include digestive upset and trouble sleeping if taken late in the day. People with thyroid conditions should use gelatinized maca and check with their doctor, because of the goitrogens. Avoid it during pregnancy and breastfeeding, where safety data are lacking, and talk to your doctor if you have a hormone-sensitive condition.

Two Maca Smoothie Recipes

Maca has an earthy, malty, slightly nutty flavor that pairs well with naturally sweet fruit. Start with a teaspoon, since too much can overpower a recipe.

Green Apple, Greens, and Maca Post-Workout Smoothie

A nutrient-dense option for after training, before you have time for a full meal. Greek yogurt supplies protein, and turmeric adds its own anti-inflammatory compounds.

• 8 oz Greek yogurt
• 8 oz almond milk
• 1 green apple, sliced with skin on
• A handful of mixed greens such as kale, spinach, and chard
• 1 small knob of fresh turmeric, peeled, plus a pinch of black pepper to aid absorption
• 1-2 teaspoons maca powder
• A few ice cubes

Blueberry, Acai, and Maca Afternoon Snack

A satisfying snack to bridge the afternoon gap between lunch and dinner and keep cravings in check.

• 1 cup Greek yogurt
• 1 cup almond milk
• 4 oz blueberries, fresh or frozen
• 1 frozen acai pack, thawed
• 1 teaspoon vanilla paste
• 1-2 teaspoons maca powder
• A few ice cubes

For both, blend until smooth. Maca also works stirred into oatmeal, yogurt bowls, and baked goods.

The Bottom Line on Maca Benefits

Maca is a traditional Andean root with a reasonable safety record and modest, research-supported benefits for sexual desire, mood, energy, and menopause symptoms, plus early signs of endurance support. It does not boost testosterone, treat disease, or replace the fundamentals. If you want to try it, choose a third-party tested gelatinized product, take a consistent daily dose for at least a month, and judge it by how you feel and train. For another plant-based option with better evidence for stress, look at rhodiola rosea for energy and performance.

Frequently Asked Questions