Herbs & Adaptogens · Adaptogens

Maca Root Powder: Benefits, Nutrition Facts, Dosage & Side Effects

Q: How long does maca take to work?

Give it at least four weeks before you judge it.[34] One small trial saw more desire after 14 days,[46] but most trials measured their main results at six weeks to four months.[16][12]

Q: Is maca safe if you have thyroid disease?

TSH didn't change significantly in two trials.[8][9] If you have thyroid disease, see who should be careful first.

What a spoonful of maca powder holds, what the human trials show for desire, menopause and mood, what they found about hormone levels, and how to choose, dose and use it.

By Dr. Josh Axe, DC, DNM, CNS·17-min read

Meet the Medical Advisory Board

Evidence-based52 sources citedUpdated October 1, 2026

Published Oct 1, 2026Last updated Oct 1, 2026Editorial policyMedical review policyFact-checking policy

Maca (Lepidium meyenii) is a cruciferous root from Peru's central Andes, dried and milled into the powder sold today.

The Dr. Axe Score™

7.4/10

Overall Dr. Axe Score · Maca Root Powder

Maca earns its score from two places: a long Andean food tradition, and a cluster of placebo-controlled trials on desire, sexual function, menopause symptom scores and mood.

Scientific Evidence

6.2/10

More than 20 human studies, the largest starting with 193 people.

Traditional Medicine

8.4/10

Centuries of Andean use as a food and a vitality and fertility tonic, within one regional tradition.

Clinical Effectiveness

6.8/10

Our judgment: modest gains on desire, sexual function, menopause scores and mood.

Safety

8.6/10

Well tolerated in trials of up to about four months; the deduction reflects lead and cadmium from mining-area soils and thin long-term data.

Why this score?

Why Maca Root Powder scores 7.4 / 10

In 57 healthy men, 1.5 or 3 grams a day of gelatinized maca improved desire from week 8.[16][2]
How the score works: Scientific Evidence rates human, animal and lab research; Traditional Medicine, how long and widely it has been used; Clinical Effectiveness, the team's judgment of how well it works in human trials, informed by Dr. Axe's clinical experience; Safety, side effects weighed by dose, form and who is taking it. Interactions get their own rating in the Interaction check. These are editorial judgments, not clinical measurements.
Weighting: Evidence 30% · Traditional Medicine 25% · Clinical Effectiveness 25% · Safety 20% (6.2×0.30 + 8.4×0.25 + 6.8×0.25 + 8.6×0.20 = 7.38, shown as 7.4).
Interaction check: Low; the details are in the side effects section. Interactions are rated separately and don't change the score.

It stops short of a higher number because the trials are small and brief, and fertility and sports results are mixed.

A transparent, weighted index built for supplements. See how it’s calculated →

Interaction check: Low. Few interactions have been reported for maca, and human evidence is limited.17 One case report linked maca taken with the antidepressant mianserin to restless legs, though a single report can't show how often that happens.17 Blood pressure fell on maca in two placebo-controlled trials in women around menopause8 43 and didn't differ from placebo in a 12-week trial in Peru,25 while in a 90-day placebo-controlled trial in people with metabolic syndrome, diastolic pressure rose moderately in volunteers taking 0.6 grams of maca a day.50 If you take an antidepressant or blood pressure medication, tell your prescriber and watch for new symptoms or unusual readings. See who should be careful. Interactions are rated separately and don't change the score.

Dr. Josh Axe Vitamin Advisor · 4–5 questions

Which supplements belong in your top 5?

What's your biggest goal right now?

Maca at a glance

Maca is the dried root of Lepidium meyenii, a cruciferous plant Andean families have eaten for 1,300 to 2,000 years, and its best human evidence is for sexual desire, sexual function and menopausal symptom scores.1 2 3 A tablespoon (about 8 grams) has roughly 27 calories, 6 grams of carbohydrate and 1.1 grams of protein.4 5 Maca doesn't supply hormones of its own; in most placebo-controlled trials that measured them, sex hormones didn't rise significantly, and in reports from a maca supplier's research group in women around menopause, estradiol rose from the body's own production.7 6 37 12

Amount: most trials used 1.5 to 3.5 grams a day of powder or gelatinized powder, often about 3 grams13
Timing: most trials measured their main results at six weeks to four months12 16

Maca is a knobby, radish-like root from Peru's high plateaus, and in the Andes it has been food first for centuries. Families there cook it, bake it, stir it into porridge and ferment it into a drink, and they've prized it as a tonic for vitality and fertility in people and livestock.1

I give that kind of long, consistent use real weight. Maca is also a crucifer, a relative of cabbage and radish,4 and I often favor gently cooked crucifers over raw ones because they're easier on the gut. Gelatinized maca is the modern, cooked version. In the research, maca behaves like a mild tonic: desire, menopause symptoms and mood improved in several placebo-controlled trials.

In perimenopause? Open the free Perimenopause & Menopause protocol.

Did you know?

Maca's traditional home is Peru's central Andes, where it grows at 4,000 to 4,500 meters (about 13,100 to 14,800 feet).15
Since 2005, Peru has counted maca among its seven national "flag products."15
In counted Peruvian harvests, more than half the roots were yellow; black made up only 6% to 10%.4

What is maca?

Quick answer

Maca is the dried root of Lepidium meyenii, a cruciferous plant grown at 4,000 to 4,500 meters in Peru's central Andes.15 It's sold as dried powder, pressure-cooked (gelatinized) powder or concentrated extract, and its signature compounds, macamides, have been identified only in maca.14

You'll find maca in yellow, red and black, and the colors differ more in their plant compounds than in their nutrition.4 19 The form matters even more: in one Peruvian trial, each 3-gram dose of extract came from about 20 grams of dried root, so check which form a study used.25

A short history of maca

Andean people have grown maca for 1,300 to 2,000 years as a staple food and a tonic for vitality and fertility.1 It first appears in written records in the 17th century.20 Local custom eats it dried and boiled rather than fresh, and a 2024 review puts average Andean intake at more than 100 grams a day, far beyond any supplement dose.14

Among 50 adults living at 4,100 meters, the 27 who ate maca regularly had lower levels of the inflammation marker IL-6 and better health-status scores than neighbors who didn't, a pattern that fits maca's old role as a vitality food.21

Maca powder nutrition facts

Quick answer

A tablespoon of maca powder (about 8 grams) has roughly 27 calories, 6 grams of carbohydrate, 0.8 gram of fiber and 1.1 grams of protein, with almost no fat. A 3-gram trial amount is about 10 calories.4 5

Dried yellow Peruvian maca powder, calculated from lab values per 100 grams of dry matter and adjusted to the powder's 93% dry matter; calories at 4 per gram of protein and nonfiber carbohydrate, 9 per gram of fat, 2 per gram of fiber; zinc from four Peruvian samples.4 22

Nutrient	3 g (a typical trial amount)	1 tablespoon (about 8 g)	Per 100 g
Calories	10	27	340
Carbohydrate	2.2 g	6.0 g	74.5 g
Fiber (part of carbohydrate)	0.3 g	0.8 g	9.6 g
Protein	0.4 g	1.1 g	13.4 g
Fat	under 0.1 g	0.1 g	0.8 g
Zinc	about 0.1 mg	0.2 to 0.3 mg	2.5 to 3.6 mg

Use maca as a small addition to a nourishing meal: a spoonful adds little protein or fiber. The powder is mostly starch;19 researchers credit its effects to plant compounds such as macamides and glucosinolates.14 19 Read the grams on your label, since a tablespoon runs from 5 to 15 grams by product, and USDA's FoodData Central has no standard entry for maca.5 Minerals vary with the soil.22

What is maca good for?

Quick answer

Maca's best human evidence is for sexual desire, sexual function and menopausal symptom scores, with emerging evidence for mood and energy, all from placebo-controlled trials.2 3 25 Results for male fertility and sports performance are mixed.24 29 30

Where the research stands

Maca has more than 20 human studies; the largest trial started with 193 people, and a multicenter menopause report enrolled 168 women across two trial protocols.19 25 12 Reviews call the evidence limited,2 3 19 49 and several trials, including the largest menopause series, come from researchers tied to maca sellers.19 25

Maca benefits, graded by evidence (updated September 2026). Labels are editorial judgments that compare maca's uses with each other; they aren't formal certainty ratings.
Use	Evidence	What was studied	What the research shows
Sexual desire	Moderate	Gelatinized maca 1.5 to 3 g; powder 3.5 g; extracts	More desire than placebo from week 8 in 57 men and after 14 days in 8 cyclists; red maca extract beat placebo for desire at high altitude, not at low altitude; lower sexual-dysfunction scores in postmenopausal women16 46 25 7
Menopause symptom scores	Moderate	Powder or pre-gelatinized maca, 2 to 3.5 g	All four reviewed trials reported better symptom scores, and a 2018 meta-analysis found maca improved sexual function after menopause3 44
Mood and energy	Emerging	Extract 3 g; powder 3.3 to 3.5 g	Better than placebo at low altitude, not for energy at high altitude; depression scores fell in two trials in women25 7 8
Sexual function on antidepressants	Emerging	Maca root 3 g, 12 weeks	9.5% on maca vs. 4.8% on placebo met one remission cutoff; average scores didn't differ26
Men's sexual-symptom scores	Emerging	Dry extract 2.4 g; gelatinized maca about 5 g	Erectile-function score up 1.6 points vs. 0.5 on placebo, a result a 2018 meta-analysis rated positive but very preliminary; aging-male symptom score down from 45.6 to 35.0, with no gain on placebo27 52 11
Male fertility	Mixed	Maca 2 to 2.8 g, infertile men	One of three trials raised sperm concentration; pooled, no significant gain28 10 24
Sports performance	Mixed	Black maca extract 2.5 g twice a day; maca 2 g	Better shuttle run and strength than placebo in handball players; no change in basketball players29 30

How does maca work?

Quick answer

Maca doesn't supply hormones of its own, and in most placebo-controlled trials, sex hormones didn't rise significantly while symptoms eased.7 Of 11 published reports that compared maca with placebo and measured sex hormones, six, in men and women, found no significant rise in any of them.6 7 8 9 10 11 In a seventh, estradiol, progesterone and prolactin didn't differ from placebo, and changes in testosterone tracked with gains in sexual function in the maca group.26 The other four, all in women around menopause, come from a maca supplier's research group, and two of them report parts of the same multicenter study. In all four, estradiol rose from the body's own production: the researchers described maca as non-hormonal, and in three of the reports FSH fell as estradiol rose.37 43 12 40 In the trial in which each woman tried both maca and placebo, cortisol and ACTH also fell.40

No hormone-like activity in yeast tests. Maca extracts showed no estrogen- or testosterone-like activity in a yeast-based assay, though one cell study reported estrogen-like activity.7 42
Macamides may act on the nervous system (proposed). These fat-based compounds are the leading candidates for maca's effects on desire, mood and fatigue; an analysis of mostly animal studies credits them with its anti-fatigue effect, and the route hasn't been shown in people.14 31
Antioxidant activity in cells and animals. A 2024 analysis of lab and animal studies found maca raised antioxidant enzymes; human data are scarce.32

Maca benefits, ranked by evidence

The most encouraging human findings are for sexual desire and menopause symptoms, with emerging evidence for mood, energy and men's sexual symptoms.

Sexual desire

Moderate evidenceHuman studyRCTs · 57 men; 14 women

Men on gelatinized maca reported more desire than placebo from week 8, and postmenopausal women on maca powder saw sexual-dysfunction scores fall.16 7 See maca for women and maca for men.

Study takeaway: desire and sexual function improved on maca.

Menopause symptom scores

Moderate evidenceHuman study4 RCTs in a review

All four trials in a 2011 review reported better menopause symptom scores, and in the largest maca menopause report, a standard menopause symptom index in the same 55 women averaged 22 in their placebo month and 10 over the two months on 2 grams a day of maca that followed.3 12

Study takeaway: four menopause trials all pointed the same way.

Mood and energy

Emerging evidenceHuman studyRCT · 193 started, 175 finished

In Peru, 3 grams a day of red or black maca extract improved mood and energy more than placebo in lowlanders over 12 weeks.25 In a 4-week trial of 60 women, fatigue improved in both groups; maca's edge appeared only in women under 45.33

Study takeaway: mood and energy improved at low altitude.

Men's sexual-symptom scores

Emerging evidenceHuman study2 RCTs · 50 and 80 men

Men with mild erectile problems gained 1.6 points on a standard erectile-function score versus 0.5 on placebo, and men with aging-male symptoms improved more than on placebo.27 11

Study takeaway: symptom and erectile scores improved.

Get the free Perimenopause & Menopause protocol

This free 90-day protocol lays out:

Four phases, in order
The herbs that work, ranked
The foods that carry the transition, plus a 7-day meal plan
How to test, ranked

Free with your Dr. Axe account (email or Google). You'll also get the protocol's short email series and the Dr. Axe newsletter; unsubscribe anytime.

Open the free protocol → →

Is maca good for women?

Quick answer

For women, maca's best evidence is for sexual function, menopause symptom scores and mood. In 14 postmenopausal women, 3.5 grams a day of maca powder for six weeks lowered anxiety, depression and sexual-dysfunction scores compared with placebo, while estradiol, FSH, LH and SHBG didn't differ from placebo.7

If hot flashes, night sweats or mood swings brought you here, the trials point one way: a 2011 review found four placebo-controlled menopause trials, and all four reported better symptom scores.3 The largest maca menopause report enrolled 168 women across two trial protocols, and 124 finished. In the 55 women who took placebo for a month and then 2 grams a day of pre-gelatinized maca for two months, a standard menopause symptom index averaged 22 on placebo and 10 on maca, with hot flashes and night sweats easing most, and estradiol rose.12

The same group saw symptoms ease in 18 perimenopausal women, where the researchers counted relief in 74% to 87% of them, with lower blood pressure, body weight and triglycerides,43 and in a trial in which each of 22 early-postmenopausal women tried both maca and placebo; in a separate pilot of nine women in the same report, forearm bone density rose on maca and fell on placebo, a group too small for the authors to test statistically.40 Trials from other teams saw symptoms ease with no significant hormone change. In 29 postmenopausal women, 3.3 grams a day for six weeks lowered depression scores and diastolic blood pressure, with estradiol, FSH and TSH no different from placebo,8 much like the 14-woman trial above.7 A 2018 meta-analysis of plant compounds for sexual function after menopause found maca improved it significantly.44

If an antidepressant has dulled your sex life: in a 12-week trial that analyzed 42 women (21 on 3 grams of maca a day, 21 on placebo), more women on maca reached each of three sexual-function remission cutoffs, from 9.5% versus 4.8% on one scale to 30% versus 20% on another. The gains sat mostly with the 12 postmenopausal women, where 4 of 7 on maca and 1 of 5 on placebo reached that second cutoff, though average scores didn't differ between the groups.26 In an earlier study that compared two doses in 20 people on antidepressants, 17 of them women, 3 grams a day lowered a sexual-dysfunction score from 22.8 to 16.9, while 1.5 grams didn't.47 A 2022 review of supplements for antidepressant-related sexual problems concluded that higher-dose maca may help,48 and a 2026 review placed maca's signal in women with these problems, particularly after menopause.51 Don't stop your antidepressant on your own; tell your prescriber you've added maca.

For perimenopause and menopause, I start by asking why estrogen, progesterone, thyroid hormones or DHEA have dropped, and I'd put someone on a protocol before a pill. Chronic stress is often the first domino, since high cortisol can throw off blood sugar, thyroid and sex hormones, and after menopause the adrenal glands help supply the body's estrogen.34 That protocol covers sleep, steady blood sugar, protein, strength training, support for the stress response, and herbs such as black cohosh, red clover and sage.34

The markers that show where your hormones stand

Bloodwork gives you a baseline; targets need your practitioner's read.

FSH and estradiol: These can help clarify where you are in the transition when that's unclear.
TSH: Shows how your thyroid is running.
Total and free testosterone: If a result comes back unexpectedly high on maca, ask for a retest on a different assay.18
Progesterone and DHEA-S: Show whether other hormones your body makes are running low. DHEA-S comes from the adrenal glands, which supply more of the building blocks for sex hormones once the ovaries slow down.
Cortisol: Shows how your stress response is running.

See the cellular bloodwork panel

Have results? Analyze them free → →

Does maca work for men?

For men, the best-supported benefit is desire, and it shows up without a significant change in testosterone. In 57 healthy men, 1.5 or 3 grams a day of gelatinized maca raised self-rated desire from week 8, with nothing yet at week 4, and the effect didn't track with mood.16 2 In 8 trained male cyclists, 14 days of maca extract raised self-rated desire more than placebo.46 The 57-man program found no effect on LH, FSH, prolactin, testosterone or estradiol at either dose,6 and a 2024 review of 27 proposed testosterone boosters, which included two maca studies, didn't list maca among those that raised testosterone.23

Older men show the same pattern. In 88 men over 40 with aging-male symptoms (80 finished), about 5 grams a day of gelatinized maca for 12 weeks lowered a standard aging-male symptom score from 45.6 to 35.0, while the placebo group went from 47.8 to 48.6. The total score on the International Index of Erectile Function, which covers several parts of sexual function, rose 14 points on maca and fell on placebo, urinary symptoms eased, and testosterone didn't differ significantly between the groups.11 So if desire is your goal, maca has trial support (see how to increase libido).

When testosterone runs low, I look first for the root causes: insulin resistance, low vitamin D, low zinc, poor sleep and high cortisol. Then I put the natural work first: eight hours of sleep, strength training, zinc, magnesium, vitamin D and less alcohol. How to increase testosterone covers each step.

If you and your partner are trying to conceive, give maca modest expectations. In an early uncontrolled study, 9 healthy men on 1.5 or 3 grams a day for four months had higher semen volume, sperm count and motility, with no change in reproductive hormones.45 In a placebo-controlled trial of 69 men with mild sperm problems, 2 grams a day for 12 weeks raised sperm concentration more than placebo (15.0 versus 10.2 million per milliliter), with no difference in motility, volume or shape.28 In a placebo-controlled trial of 50 infertile men (39 finished), 2.8 grams a day of gelatinized yellow maca for 16 weeks raised it 40% while placebo raised it 76%, a nonsignificant difference; hormones didn't change except free testosterone, which fell.10

A 2022 review counted a third trial in infertile men that also found no gain in sperm concentration, and pooling two of the trials showed no significant difference.24 These trials measured semen quality, not pregnancy rates, though partners of three men on maca and one on placebo became pregnant during the 16-week trial, too few to show an effect.10 For fertility, I start with blood sugar and insulin: more protein, more fiber, and less sugar and refined carbs.

Red, black or yellow maca?

The colors differ in chemistry, and only a handful of human trials have tested a specific one, so treat color as a preference unless you're matching a study.

Color	Chemistry	Human trials of that color
Yellow	Most common in counted harvests4	Gelatinized yellow maca in two semen-quality trials: upward trends in healthy men, not significant; no significant gain over placebo in infertile men9 10
Red	Extract richer in GABA25	Strongest mood, energy and mountain-sickness results in the 12-week Peruvian trial25
Black	Extract richer in macamides25	Lowered high hemoglobin in highlanders; beat placebo on strength tests in 8 handball players25 29
Purple and gray	Least studied19	None identified in a 2024 review19

The fullest review of maca colors lays out the chemistry and notes that color-specific clinical research is still thin.19

Raw vs. gelatinized maca, and how to buy it

Raw (dried) powder

Dried and milled, starch uncooked. Used in the postmenopausal trial.7

Gelatinized powder

Pressure-cooked and dried, which breaks down the starch; researchers describe it as more digestible, though the trials didn't compare how people tolerate the two forms.9 The form in the men's desire trial, two semen-quality trials and the aging-male trial.16 9 10 11

Capsules and extracts

Capsules can hold dried powder, gelatinized powder or an extract, so check the form and grams per serving; extract grams aren't interchangeable with powder grams.11 25

Gelatinized maca is the closest match to how the Andes has long eaten this root, cooked rather than fresh,14 so it's the traditional alternative if raw powder doesn't sit well with you.

A maca root takes up what's in its soil: in one study, maca grown near Peruvian mines carried cadmium and lead above international food limits,35 and one woman's blood lead rose after she started a maca root powder and fell once she stopped.36 Maca powder diluted with corn, wheat and yam powders has also been reported.19 Buy third-party-tested, single-ingredient powder.

Third-party tested for identity and heavy metals, including lead and cadmium
Origin named down to the growing region, since maca grown near mining areas can carry more lead and cadmium35
Form and color stated, with grams per serving
Stored sealed, cool and dry

Want help fitting maca into your routine?

Ask Dr. Axe AI. Answers are grounded in this library, with sources shown.

How much maca should you take a day?

Quick answer

Most human trials used 1.5 to 3.5 grams a day of maca powder or gelatinized powder, often about 3 grams; a few used 4.5 to 5 grams, including gelatinized powder and black maca extract.13 11 29 Trials ran from two weeks to four months, plus one pilot with eight months on maca, and most lasted six to 12 weeks.30 12 37 By weight, 3 grams is roughly a teaspoon, though the trials measured grams and many used capsules or tablets.5

Goal	Form in the trial	Daily amount	How long
Sexual desire (men)	Gelatinized powder	1.5 to 3 g	12 weeks16
Sexual function, postmenopausal	Dried powder	3.5 g	6 weeks7
Menopause symptom scores	Pre-gelatinized powder	2 g	2 months, after a placebo month12
Mood and energy	Spray-dried extract	3 g	12 weeks25
Aging-male symptoms	Gelatinized powder	About 5 g	12 weeks11

Give maca at least four weeks before you judge it.34 Some trials saw changes within four weeks, but most measured their main results at six weeks to four months, and the desire trial saw no change at week 4.25 33 16 12 Start at the low end of the studied range, 1.5 grams a day in the men's desire trial, and take it with food; a step-by-step increase hasn't been tested.16

Maca tastes malty and a little nutty, so it disappears into foods that already have some sweetness.

Blend it into a smoothie with banana and nut butter; see healthy smoothie recipes.

Stir it into oatmeal or yogurt once it's off the heat.

Whisk it into warm milk with cacao and cinnamon.

Choose capsules if you'd rather skip the taste.

Maca vs. ashwagandha

Ashwagandha is best studied for stress and cortisol,38 and for major fatigue with imbalanced cortisol, I consider rhodiola the best herb.

	Maca	Ashwagandha
Best studied for	Desire, sexual function, menopause scores, mood2 3	Stress, anxiety and cortisol38
Strongest human evidence	Placebo-controlled trials on menopause symptoms and desire3 16	Meta-analysis of 9 trials in 558 people38
Effect on hormones	See how maca works	Lowered cortisol compared with placebo38

If stress is driving your fatigue, start with cortisol levels and the adaptogenic herbs overview.

What are maca's side effects?

Quick answer

Maca was well tolerated in trials of up to about four months; the largest reported no serious side effects, and a few people had mild stomach upset.25 11 The people who should be careful are listed below.

Pregnancy or breastfeeding. No human safety studies exist, so skip maca supplements.39
A history of breast cancer or another hormone-sensitive cancer. Decide with your oncology team first.39 In a lab study, maca extract made triple-negative breast cancer cells migrate more, at high concentrations tested only in cells.41
Thyroid disease. Maca is a crucifer. TSH didn't change significantly in two trials,8 9 while one reported lower T3.40 Those results don't establish safety with thyroid disease, so stay near trial amounts and have your doctor recheck your thyroid levels after a few months.
Lab tests. In one documented case, maca was linked to a falsely high testosterone result on one lab method.18
Long-term use. Trials ran two weeks to about four months; one pilot gave eight women maca for eight months.30 12 37

The bottom line

Should you take maca?

Yes, for the right reasons. Maca is a nourishing Andean root, and placebo-controlled trials support it for desire and menopause symptom scores, with promising results for sexual function, mood and energy.

Take 1.5 to 3.5 grams a day of tested powder or gelatinized powder, and give it at least four weeks. If you're pregnant or breastfeeding, have had a hormone-sensitive cancer or have thyroid disease, read who should be careful first. Start with the root cause and the foundations, let this old Andean food support them, and trust that your body was built to heal.

Get the free Perimenopause & Menopause protocol

Four phases, the herbs that work ranked, the foods that carry the transition and a 7-day meal plan. Have recent bloodwork? Analyze it free.

Free with your Dr. Axe account (email or Google). You'll also get the protocol's short email series and the Dr. Axe newsletter; unsubscribe anytime.

Open the free protocol → →

Maca: frequently asked questions

How many calories are in a tablespoon of maca powder?

About 27 calories in an 8-gram tablespoon, with 6 grams of carbohydrate and 1.1 grams of protein.4 5 Tablespoon weights vary by product, so check the grams on your label.

Does maca increase testosterone?

In placebo-controlled trials, men on maca reported more desire and fewer aging-male symptoms, while testosterone didn't change significantly compared with placebo.16 6 11 For low testosterone, Dr. Axe starts with the root cause and the natural work: sleep, strength training, zinc, magnesium, vitamin D and less alcohol.

Can maca help you get pregnant?

One trial found maca raised sperm concentration: 69 men with mild sperm problems took 2 grams a day for 12 weeks and reached 15.0 versus 10.2 million per milliliter on placebo.28 Across three trials in infertile men, one raised sperm concentration and two didn't, and pregnancy wasn't a trial outcome, though partners of three men on maca and one on placebo conceived during one 16-week trial.10 24

How long does maca take to work?

Give it at least four weeks before you judge it.34 One small trial saw more desire after 14 days,46 but most trials measured their main results at six weeks to four months.16 12

How much maca should I take a day?

Most trials used 1.5 to 3.5 grams a day of powder or gelatinized powder, often about 3 grams; a few used 4.5 to 5 grams, including gelatinized powder and black maca extract.13 11 29

Should you take maca in the morning or at night?

Trials didn't compare timing, and several split the amount into two or three doses a day.12 11 Since people take maca for energy, morning is a sensible start.

Is gelatinized maca better than raw?

Both forms have trial support: gelatinized maca in the men's desire and aging-male trials,16 11 and raw powder in a postmenopausal trial.7 Gelatinized maca is cooked to break down its starch, which researchers describe as easier to digest,9 so it's a good pick if raw powder doesn't sit well with you.

Is black maca or red maca better?

In a 12-week trial of extracts, red maca gave stronger mood and energy results, and black maca lowered high hemoglobin in highlanders.25

Does maca help you gain weight?

Not in the trials that tracked it: weight didn't differ from placebo in 80 men, and BMI didn't change in the 12-week Peruvian trial.11 25

Is maca safe if you have thyroid disease?

TSH didn't change significantly in two trials.8 9 If you have thyroid disease, see who should be careful first.

Can you take maca while pregnant or breastfeeding?

Skip maca supplements. No human safety studies exist in pregnancy or breastfeeding.39

Can you take maca with ashwagandha?

The pair hasn't been tested together in a published trial; people take ashwagandha for stress and cortisol, maca for desire and menopause symptoms.38 2 3

Freshness & update log

September 30, 2026 — Rewrote the page in full. Added a nutrition facts table for maca powder (3 grams, 1 tablespoon and 100 grams) from laboratory composition data; rescored under the current herb weighting (editorial score 7.4) with an Interaction check; added the 2023 aging-male trial, 2025 and 2023 athlete trials, a 2022 fatigue trial, a 2026 review, and the full record of human trials that measured sex hormones, including the perimenopause pilot and the 2018 and 2022 reviews of sexual function; corrected the fertility, hormone, blood pressure and color claims from the earlier version; and added guidance on heavy metals, thyroid disease, pregnancy and lab-test interference.

Originally published October 14, 2024. —

References

Dr. Josh Axe, DC, DNM, CNS

Doctor of Natural Medicine · Founder, DrAxe.com

Dr. Axe is a certified doctor of natural medicine, clinical nutritionist, and multiple New York Times bestselling author. He has spent 20+ years in clinical practice helping people heal at the root cause and founded one of the most-visited natural-health platforms in the world.

Read the full bio →

This article is for educational purposes. See our medical disclaimer.

On this page

What is maca?
Nutrition facts
What is it good for?
How it works
Benefits, ranked
Maca for women
Maca for men
Maca colors
Forms and buying
How much per day
Maca vs. ashwagandha
Side effects
The bottom line
Should you take maca?
FAQ

Quick facts

What it isDried root of Lepidium meyenii, a crucifer
One tablespoonAbout 8 g, 27 calories, 1.1 g protein
Trial amountsMostly 1.5 to 3.5 g a day of powder, often about 3 g; a few used 4.5 to 5 g (gelatinized powder or black extract)
Best studied forDesire, sexual function, menopause scores, mood
Be careful withPregnancy or breastfeeding, a history of breast cancer or another hormone-sensitive cancer, and thyroid disease
Interaction checkLow

Ask Dr. Axe AI

Ask a question→