Is it true that maca root (maca root) can increase sexual arousal?

Maca root supplements are popularly used as herbal tonic for men. In fact, maca root has long been used since two thousand years ago by ancient Incan men to increase their sexual arousal. Is it true that maca root supplements are a long-lasting proven effective method? This is what the doctors said.

What does maca root contain?

Maca is a rhizome plant similar to jicama, which has a Latin namelepidium meyenii. The original habitat of maca is the Andes mountains in Peru, South America. Generally, maca root is dried and consumed in powder form, but some are packaged in capsules and liquid drink forms. The taste of maca root is similar to nuts.

100 grams of maca root powder contains 14.3 grams of protein, 285 mg of vitamin C, 250 mg of calcium, and 14.8 mg of iron. Thanks to these high nutritional content, maca root is reported to be useful for relieving PMS and menopause symptoms in women to sharpen memory. Maca root also contains various polyphenols which are good for warding off exposure to free radicals in the body.

Are maca root supplements effective in increasing male sex drive?

Market claims that maca root supplements can make men last longer in bed have been supported by a number of studies. A review study from 2010 that processed data from four randomized studies with a total of 131 participants found evidence that maca root was effective in increasing male sex drive after consumption for at least six weeks.

Reporting from NCBI, a study published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology found that maca root can improve sexual performance and fertility in male rats after 15 days. Then, the study was continued by giving maca root supplements to 25 men who had mild impotence problems compared to 25 men with the same condition who took placebo pills, aka empty pills. After 12 weeks, men who took maca root extract experienced a more dramatic increase in sexual performance.

There is also some small evidence reporting that maca root helps increase male fertility by increasing the production of sperm count and improving its quality. Several small studies have also found that maca root helps increase energy and stamina.

However, health experts are still skeptical of these conclusions. More scientific evidence is still needed and on a large scale to support the theory of the effectiveness of maca supplements for male vitality.

Are there any side effects of maca roots supplements?

Reporting from WebMD, Kalthleen Zelman, MPH, RD, a nutrition leader at WebMD, revealed that until now no one has reported any side effects from using maca roots supplements.

However, the distribution and use of herbal supplements is not regulated by the FDA, the food and drug regulatory agency in the United States, and also by the BPOM in Indonesia. This makes the safety assurance and the risk of side effects of maca roots supplements not really known for sure.

The efficacy of maca supplements has so far only been proven through experiments on lab animals or small human tests. The results of these experiments are often used as the basis for herbal medicine to cure various diseases. In fact, the effect is not necessarily reflected in the public. In addition, each manufacturer will mix their products with different dosages and ingredients, so that they can cause different benefits and risks of side effects for each person.

Many supplement products do not have a BPOM distribution license, aka illegal. For that, you as a consumer must be wiser in choosing and buying safe herbal medicines. Reporting from the Ministry of Health, Jamin Brahmbhatt, MD, a urologist at Orlando Health, believes that maca roots can be used as part of a healthy diet, but cannot be used as a mainstay as a long-lasting way in bed.