IO Genix Maca Plus

What is IO Genix Maca Plus?

IO Genix Maca Plus is a food supplement in vegetable capsules, sold in a tub of 60 capsules for a net weight of 48 g. One capsule a day, which works out at two months of use per tub.

The formula comes down to three active ingredients: 750 mg of dry maca extract (Lepidium meyenii), 10 mg of zinc and 1.4 mg of vitamin B6. The rest is the shell and the excipients: hydroxypropyl methylcellulose capsule, magnesium stearate as an anti-caking agent, microcrystalline cellulose as a bulking agent.

Maca is a root plant grown at altitude in the Andes; the manufacturer states a Peruvian origin above 3,500 metres, and we report that information as it publishes it, without having verified it ourselves. The product joins our maca and IO Genix ranges. As the capsule is plant-based rather than gelatine, the formula is suitable for vegetarians and vegans.

What does one capsule contain?

Packaging: 60 capsules, 48 g net, 60 servings. NRVs within the meaning of Regulation 1169/2011: 10 mg for zinc, 1.4 mg for vitamin B6. The manufacturer publishes neither an energy value nor macronutrients per capsule — at this scale they are negligible in any case.

Let us take things in order, because this label mixes two very different registers. Zinc and vitamin B6 are the only ingredients about which anything can be claimed. At 100% of the NRV each, they comfortably exceed the 15% threshold that permits the use of the regulatory wordings. The ones that apply here: zinc contributes to the maintenance of normal testosterone levels in the blood, to normal fertility and reproduction, to normal protein synthesis and to the protection of cells from oxidative stress; vitamin B6 contributes to the regulation of hormonal activity, to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue and to normal energy-yielding metabolism.

One nuance about testosterone, because it is invariably glossed over in this category: the wording refers to the maintenance of a normal level. That concerns someone whose zinc intake is insufficient. In a man whose status is already adequate, adding zinc does not raise anything at all.

For maca, the answer is shorter: no health claim is authorised in Europe for this plant. You will therefore read no promise here about energy, libido or hormonal balance. What we can say is factual: a plant, an extract, a dose of 750 mg, a format. Note too that 750 mg refers to the weight of the extract, not of dried root — the two figures are not comparable, and that is pitfall no. 1 when comparing two maca products against each other.

Finally, one point the manufacturer does not highlight and which matters: zinc is provided here in the form of oxide. It is the least well absorbed form on the market, far behind a bisglycinate or a picolinate. If zinc is your main requirement, a dedicated product from the zinc range will serve you better.

How do you take Maca Plus?

Dose: 1 capsule. Liquid: a large glass of water. Timing: in the morning, with breakfast. Frequency: one serving a day. Duration: a course of 8 to 12 weeks, with a one-week break every three months.

The manufacturer expressly asks that you avoid taking it in the evening, maca being described as stimulating. That is a usage instruction, not a claim: we repeat it because it appears on the leaflet and because it saves a bad night for those who are sensitive to it.

The capsule can be taken on an empty stomach or with a meal, depending on your tolerance. In practice, 10 mg of zinc on an empty stomach causes nausea in some people: if that applies to you, swallow the capsule halfway through breakfast. You will lose a little on absorption and you will stick with the course, which counts for more over ten weeks.

Two combination precautions given by the manufacturer. Do not add a second source of zinc without advice: beyond 25 mg a day on a sustained basis, the surplus serves no purpose and hinders copper absorption. So check the label of your multivitamin or your ZMA before stacking them. And space out any iron supplement, as these two minerals compete for the same intestinal transporters.

A word on the timescale: the manufacturer mentions a gradual perception over two to six weeks. This is not a product with an immediate effect, and it should not be judged after three days.

Who is Maca Plus for, and who is it not for?

It is aimed at adults, and suits in particular those who want to try maca without swallowing a spoonful of earthy-tasting powder — that is the main practical advantage of the capsule format. The composition contains no ingredient of animal origin, and the manufacturer declares the absence of gluten, lactose, added sugar, artificial colours and GMOs.

It is not recommended for pregnant or breastfeeding women or for the under-18s. In the event of hormone treatment, a thyroid disorder or a diagnosed hormonal disorder, the manufacturer asks for prior medical advice, and it flags a possible interaction with hormone replacement therapy. These are questions to settle with a doctor or a pharmacist, not with a product page. Traces of SOYA, NUTS and CELERY are possible.

It is not suitable if your real objective is to cover a zinc intake: oxide is not the right form for that. Nor is it suitable if you are already taking a zinc supplement, at the risk of doubling up without realising it.

What you should not expect from it, and this is the most useful point on this page: it is not a performance product and it is not a treatment. Maca has no authorised claim, zinc does not raise the testosterone of a man whose status is normal, and 750 mg of plant extract replaces neither sleep, nor diet, nor training. What you are buying is an intake of zinc and B6 at 100% of the NRV, alongside a traditional plant.

Maca Plus or a tribulus?

The two sit in the same category and answer the same question asked over the counter. It is worth establishing straight away: neither maca nor tribulus has an authorised health claim in Europe. Deciding on the basis of promises therefore makes no sense here, and what remains is to compare what is comparable — the composition, the format, the precautions.

Our tribulus terrestris products are generally standardised for saponins and combined with vitamin B6, with higher plant doses. Tribulus is the better choice if you are looking for a standardised extract, that is to say one whose compound content is guaranteed on the label: with a plant, that is the only serious benchmark for comparing two products.

Maca Plus wins on simplicity and on zinc. One capsule a day, two months per tub, and 100% of the NRV in zinc and B6 — the only two ingredients in the formula for which a regulatory wording exists. That is in fact what justifies the purchase, more so than the plant itself. If your concern is rather nervous fatigue or coping with stress, our ashwagandha range matches the need better, with its own contraindications — thyroid, pregnancy — to read before buying.

Frequently asked questions

Is 750 mg of maca a lot?

It is the daily dose chosen by the manufacturer, and the figure to compare from one product to another. Watch out for the pitfall: 750 mg here refers to a weight of dry extract, not of dried root. Some labels advertise several grams of root powder, which is not comparable. Always check which of the two is stated.

Why do you not talk about the effects of maca?

Because no health claim is authorised in Europe for this plant. Writing that it acts on energy, libido or hormonal balance would be an infringement, whatever the tradition surrounding it. The only wordings permitted on this page concern zinc and vitamin B6.

Is zinc as oxide a good choice?

It is the least well absorbed of the common zinc salts, far behind a bisglycinate or a picolinate. Here it provides 100% of the NRV per capsule, which remains adequate as a supporting intake. If zinc is your main objective rather than one component of the formula, choose a dedicated, better-formulated product.

How long does a tub last?

Two months, at one capsule a day for 60 capsules. That corresponds to the lower end of the 8 to 12 week course advised by the manufacturer: reckon on a tub and a half to see out the twelve weeks, then the one-week break it recommends.

Can it be taken in the evening?

The manufacturer advises against it and settles on the morning, with breakfast. It describes maca as stimulating and prefers to avoid any interference with sleep. It is a usage precaution rather than a demonstrated effect, but it costs nothing to observe and a night's sleep is worth more than a capsule.

Are the capsules suitable for vegans?

Yes. The shell is made of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, a modified cellulose of plant origin, and not of bovine or porcine gelatine. No ingredient of animal origin goes into the composition. The manufacturer does, however, flag possible traces of soya, nuts and celery.

How long before you notice anything?

The manufacturer mentions a gradual perception between two and six weeks. We can neither confirm nor promise anything on that point, in the absence of an authorised claim. What we can say: this is not a product with an immediate effect, and a judgement passed after three days is worthless.

Where can you buy IO Genix Maca Plus?

The 60-capsule tub can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. It is a simple product, at one capsule a day, that requires no particular organisation.

At the counter in Vendargues, about ten minutes from Montpellier, this is a product page we take the time to go through with the customer, because maca drags along a great many reputations that the regulations do not allow us to repeat. The conversation almost always ends on the same question: what are you already taking that contains zinc? The rest of the plants and minerals can be browsed in our vitamin B range and in our sports nutrition range.