Maca

What is maca, and which part is used?

Maca is Lepidium meyenii Walp., a small plant in the Brassicaceae family—that of cabbage, turnip, and radish—cultivated on the Andean plateaus of central Peru, between 3,800 and 4,500 meters altitude, in poor soils and a climate that discourages almost everything else. It is a traditional food before it is a supplement: the consumed organ is the hypocotyl, the swollen part between the root and the stem, dried in the sun then boiled or ground into flour in local cuisine.

This historical point matters because it explains the composition. Dried maca is primarily a starchy food: starch makes up the majority, accompanied by proteins, fiber, and minerals. The compounds mentioned by manufacturers—macamides, macaenes, glucosinolates and their isothiocyanate derivatives, sterols—are only present in small quantities, and their profile varies with the ecotype, altitude, harvest year, and drying method. Maca powder is therefore not a standardized extract: it is a dried food, with all the variability that entails.

Yellow, red, or black maca: what's the real difference?

The colors correspond to ecotypes, meaning populations distinguished by the color of the hypocotyl skin, and not to different species or quality grades. Yellow accounts for the largest part of the harvest and is ordinary maca; red and black are rarer, and their rarity accounts for a good part of their price.

Analyses have shown that these ecotypes do not have exactly the same profile of glucosinolates, macamides, and polyphenols. This is an established fact in analytical chemistry. However—and this is where marketing takes liberties—direct comparisons between colors in humans are rare, conducted on small sample sizes, and have not led to any regulatory recognition. Stating that black maca is "for men" and red maca is "for women" is a commercial distinction, not a scientific demonstration.

What is verified in practice: an unsorted blend costs less than a pure ecotype, a pure ecotype requires selection at harvest, and a serious seller indicates which one they are selling. A bag marked only "Peruvian maca" is, unless otherwise stated, yellow maca or a blend.

Raw or gelatinized maca: which to choose?

This is the most useful information on this page, and the least written. In the Andes, maca was never consumed raw: it is dried then cooked, boiled, grilled, or fermented. The raw powder sold in Europe as "more natural" is actually a recent use and a misinterpretation of tradition.

The reason is digestive. Dried maca is rich in ungelatinized starch, which human digestive enzymes struggle to break down. This starch largely reaches the colon intact, where the flora ferments it: this is what causes the bloating, gas, and abdominal discomfort that so many people complain about after a few days of raw powder—and which makes them stop, believing they have an intolerance to the plant.

Gelatinization is a physical process, not an additive: the powder is heated under pressure, water penetrates the starch granules which swell and burst. The starch becomes assimilable, and the powder significantly more digestible. The volume is reduced by about a third in the process, which concentrates the dry matter: the same spoonful provides more maca. The process partially degrades heat-sensitive compounds, including glucosinolates—a real compromise, it must be said, but one that remains very favorable if you cannot tolerate the raw version.

In summary: gelatinized if you have a sensitive digestive system or if you are aiming for daily quantities; raw if you tolerate it and want the most complete profile. Do not conclude that maca "does not suit you" before trying the gelatinized form.

What quantity per day, and in what form?

No maximum daily dose is regulated in France for maca. In the absence of an official threshold, stick to the dose indicated on the label of the product purchased and do not combine several sources.

The uses noted in the literature refer to orders of magnitude in grams of powder, not milligrams of extract: this is consistent with a food. A practical consequence, often ignored: a 500 mg maca powder capsule represents half a gram. Reaching the usual order of magnitude with this format requires about ten capsules per day, which no label recommends. If you want a significant quantity, powder is the only economically sensible form; capsules are useful for convenience and regular dosage, provided you know that they provide little.

On the label, three lines matter: the quantity in grams or milligrams, the mention raw or gelatinized, and the plant part, which must be the hypocotyl—the tuber. A powder with a very pronounced, earthy and slightly caramelized taste is normal; it pairs better with porridge, a smoothie, or rice cream than with a glass of water.

What are the dangers and contraindications of maca?

Maca is a common food in its country of origin, which is rather reassuring, but this does not make it harmless for everyone.

• Thyroid disorders. Like all cruciferous vegetables, maca contains glucosinolates, some derivatives of which can interfere with the thyroid's uptake of iodine. This family of compounds warrants particular caution in cases of hypothyroidism, goiter, treatment with thyroid hormones, or limited iodine intake. Medical advice before taking it.
• Pregnancy and breastfeeding: safety data are lacking. To be avoided, unless explicitly advised by a doctor.
• Hormonal treatments, history of hormone-dependent cancer, contraception: talk to your doctor rather than a forum.
• Children and adolescents: no supplementation data.
• Sensitive bowel, irritable bowel syndrome: the raw version is particularly poorly tolerated, see above.

French regulations add a specific requirement for this plant. Lepidium meyenii is listed in the annex of the decree of June 24, 2014, authorized part "tuber," but with named substances to monitor—imidazolic alkaloids (lepidilines A, B, and C), macaridine, methyltetrahydrocarboline derivatives—and an explicit restriction: "the absence of alkaloids must be demonstrated by analysis reports". In other words, a manufacturer selling maca in France must have analyses. You have the right to request them, and a serious supplier will know how to respond.

What can be said about its effects?

Nothing, in the regulatory sense. No health claims are authorized in Europe for maca. The evaluation of claims relating to plants has been suspended since 2010 and no validated wording exists. Unlike zinc, magnesium or vitamin B6, whose claims have an official text approved by the Commission, maca has none. A seller who writes that it increases energy, libido, fertility or performance is outside the legal framework, regardless of the prudence of their wording.

What can be said: published research has focused on sexual function, mood, and certain parameters of menopause. This work most often involves small sample sizes, durations of a few weeks, and preparations that are not comparable to each other. None have led to regulatory recognition. We sell a dried Andean root, with its ecotype and preparation method; not a result.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is maca?

It is the dried tuber of Lepidium meyenii, a plant in the cabbage and radish family cultivated on the high plateaus of Peru, above 3,800 meters. The maca powder you buy is this dried and ground organ—a food, not a concentrated extract: its base is starch, accompanied by proteins, fiber, minerals, and minor compounds like macamides and glucosinolates. It is sold in three ecotypes (yellow, red, black) and in two forms, raw or gelatinized, the latter being significantly more digestible.

What are the benefits of maca?

No benefits can be advertised to you, and this is a legal constraint, not a stylistic precaution: no health claims are authorized in Europe for maca, as the evaluation of plant-based claims has been suspended since 2010. Neither energy, libido, fertility, nor performance: a seller who writes this is outside the framework. What can be said is what research has focused on—sexual function, mood, certain parameters of menopause—with small sample sizes, durations of a few weeks, and preparations that are not comparable to each other. None of these studies have led to regulatory recognition.

Why take maca, and how does it work?

The motivations we hear most at the counter are fatigue, menopause, and intimate life. Regarding the mechanism, the honest answer is that it is not established: contrary to popular belief, maca contains no hormones and nothing shows that it acts as such. Research hypotheses revolve around macamides and glucosinolates, without validated conclusions. In practice, it is consumed for what it is: a dense Andean food, rich in starch and minerals, not an active ingredient.

What vitamins and nutrients does maca contain?

On a dry matter basis, maca mainly provides carbohydrates (starch largely dominates), 10 to 14% protein, fiber, and in terms of minerals, potassium, calcium, iron, and copper. It also contains B vitamins and vitamin C, in moderate amounts. Pay attention to the scale: these contents are given per 100g of powder, while only a few grams are consumed. At the actual dose, maca is not a significant source of vitamins—for that, look at the multivitamin section, whose contributions are quantified and covered by official claims.

How to take maca?

In powder form, diluted in a liquid or mixed into a preparation: porridge, smoothie, yogurt, rice cream. The taste is distinctive, earthy, and slightly caramelized; it doesn't mix well in a plain glass of water. Start with a small amount for a few days before increasing, and take it with a meal—this helps limit digestive discomfort. If you experience bloating, it's probably not the plant itself but the form: switch to gelatinized before giving up. If using capsules, know that a 500 mg capsule provides only half a gram of powder.

When to take it, and should I do a course of treatment?

No solid data indicates an optimal time. Taking it with a meal improves digestive tolerance; taking it in the morning avoids sleep issues for those sensitive to it. Regarding courses of treatment with breaks, let's be honest: it's a commercial practice, not a demonstrated necessity.

What are the side effects of maca?

The most commonly reported side effects are digestive—bloating, gas, discomfort—and primarily concern raw powder. Headaches and difficulty falling asleep if taken late are also reported. These effects generally subside upon discontinuation or switching to the gelatinized form.

Who should not take maca?

Four situations require at least medical advice before purchase. Thyroid disorders first: like all cruciferous vegetables, maca contains glucosinolates, some derivatives of which can interfere with iodine uptake—hypothyroidism, goiter, substitutive treatment, or limited iodine intake are all reasons to ask first. Pregnancy and breastfeeding next, due to lack of safety data. Hormonal treatments and a history of hormone-dependent cancer. Finally, children and adolescents, for whom no supplementation data exists. If you have a sensitive gut, it's not a contraindication but a reason to choose the gelatinized form.

Does maca make you gain weight?

At typical quantities, a few grams of powder provide a handful of calories: this does not lead to weight gain on its own. Maca also has no demonstrated slimming effect, and does not belong in our weight loss section. Weight depends on the overall energy balance.

Which is the best maca?

The one whose ecotype, preparation method, and origin you know. With equal characteristics, a blend costs less than a pure ecotype without being inferior. The question "black or red" comes long after "raw or gelatinized."

Is organic maca better?

Certification regulates synthetic inputs in cultivation. It says nothing about gelatinization, ecotype, or the alkaloid analyses required in France. It is one criterion among others, not a shortcut.

Can it be combined with other supplements?

Nothing prevents it from being combined with the micronutrients in our multivitamin, vitamin D, or omega 3 sections. However, avoid stacking several plants at once: in case of an adverse effect, you won't know which one to blame.

Maca and bodybuilding, does it make sense?

It does not belong to the core of a practitioner's regimen. That core relies on training, proteins, creatine monohydrate, and sleep; our complete guide to sports nutrition places each product family in its proper context.

Where to find maca?

In specialized stores, organic stores, pharmacies, and online. The location matters less than the label: specified ecotype, raw or gelatinized mention, plant part (the tuber), identified Peruvian origin. A specific point for France worth knowing: regulations require that the absence of alkaloids be demonstrated by analysis reports—you can ask your seller for them, and a serious supplier will know how to respond. Our references are in stock in Vendargues, ten minutes from Montpellier, with pickup within 2 hours, and shipped throughout France and Europe.

What can you find in this section?

Our criteria: identified Peruvian origin, specified plant part, indicated preparation method. IO.Genix offers maca combined with zinc and vitamin B6, two nutrients which, unlike maca, have official claims—and it is these micronutrients that the regulatory wording of a compound formula refers to, never the plant.

Maca is often found alongside other traditional plants in our sections: ashwagandha, whose page details a much-discussed regulatory status, tribulus terrestris, fenugreek, or shilajit. We do not stock powders without origin, or mixtures where maca is behind eight other ingredients, or boxes bearing a prohibited claim.

Advice at the store near Montpellier?

Our store in Vendargues, about ten minutes from Montpellier, allows you to return a sachet and read the two lines that determine everything: ecotype, and raw or gelatinized powder. We also ship everywhere in France and Europe. We will tell you what a product contains and what regulations allow to say about it; whether maca is suitable for you, especially if your thyroid is monitored, is up to your doctor.

Sources: Decree of June 24, 2014, on authorized plants in food supplements, Annex I, Lepidium meyenii Walp.; ANSES for nutrivigilance and regulation of food supplements; EFSA for the health claims regime. The status described here is that in force on the date of writing.