Tuesday, March 19, 2024

How Does Maca Affect Hormones

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MACA & HORMONES: Thyroid, Estrogen, Progesterone & Cortisol

Excess oestrogen can be reduced in five simple steps. Consume foods that are high in phytoestrogen. Phytoestrogens, which can be found in soy and legumes, are a weaker form of oestrogen that helps to lower your total oestrogen load. Reduce your alcohol consumption.. Consume Magnesium-Rich Foods or Supplements.. Consume Cruciferous Vegetables on a Regular Basis.

How To Use Maca For Hormone Balance: A Complete Guide For Beginners

Knowing how to use maca for hormone balance requires having a basic understanding of how it works, the different types that are available and what to expect from this herb. Were going to cover all those things in this article so that you can see for yourself why its become such a popular hormone-balancing herb.

But before we get into all those details, heres a very brief overview of why maca is worth paying attention to:

Maca balances hormones by supporting the hypothalamus and pituitary glands. Because these two glands influence the hormones that are produced by other glands , maca is able to have a wide range of positive effects on the overall state of our hormones.

Now, whether youre new to maca or youre already using it, this article will help you get the most out of this herb by explaining:

  • How maca works.
  • How and when to take maca.
  • How long to use maca.
  • Where to get the best quality maca powders and supplements.

Note: this post contains affiliate links and I earn a commission if you use them to make a purchase.

How To Take Maca To Balance Hormones

The dosage of supplement you purchase will determine how much you take. Generally you can take 1-3 supplements daily of a 500 mg tablet. In our CHIOMA Asana LadiesBalance, we use custom cultivated, gelatinized black maca from the andes. This is maca in one of its most potent and powerful form, meaning that you dont need large doses to get the many benefits of maca.

The maximum recommended dosage is 1500mg daily. Anything more than 1500 mg a day could lead to overstimulation. There have been reports of rapid heart beats, increased anxiety or shaking when taking maca and I believe this is a result of a dose that is too high.

Since Maca is a root vegetable in the radish family, it can be taken in small amounts daily. It is available typically in capsule or powder form. The powder can be mixed into smoothies, water, juice, in cereal, yogurt, herbal teas or coffee.

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Should I Take Maca Root Powder Or Capsules

Personally I dont believe it really matters if you take maca in powder form or capsules. What really matters is the concentration of maca, the dosage and of course the quality of the maca in the product.

There are actually different types of maca including: red, yellow and gold maca and gelatinized maca, and each of these have different concentrations. Well be covering each of these different types of maca in a future article.

The form of maca to take depends on lifestyle. For most people, the capsule form is most convenient and an easy way to get a concentrated dose very quickly. Maca powder on the other hand is more flexible and can be taken by itself or mixed in with a smoothie. It has a light nutty taste and blends very well with other foods. I personally like to blend maca powder into a smoothie with fruits, yogurt and other foods. Heres a simple recipe:

How Long Does Maca Take To Work

Maca  Your Wonder Herb For Fertility

The onset of action of Maca varies depending on what effect you expect from the root. Since there are no concrete explanations of how Maca works, it is more complex to understand how long it takes for Maca to work.

Maca increases appetite and stimulates metabolism, thus we can expect these effects to show within hours. However, the effects related to hormones might take longer.

Though Maca will increase your appetite, Do not eat excessively. Eat healthy high-calorie foods throughout your day. Whole grain bread, potatoes, soy milk, and wheat pasta are great additions to your diet. Adding a protein shake or Ensure drink to your meal plan is also beneficial. Once you achieve your desired weight gain results, can discontinue Maca consumption. Great Luck and Healthy Living!

  • I wish Id known maca causes wt. gain b/f I bought it. Thats not the result I need.

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    May Increase Libido Levels

    Despite the traditional use, this is where maca is gaining a reputation in modern alternative medicine. Maca is rich in carbohydrates, a primary fuel source for our bodies, particularly our brain and muscles. But researchers believe this medicinal herb may help boost energy beyond replenishing our glycogen stores. Trials are preliminary and mostly involve animals , so its impossible to say the results hold true in humans. Rats were able to swim longer when given maca supplements, one study found . Researchers believe maca may lessen the effects of oxidative stress caused by exercise.One small study has been done in humans, however. Researchers gave trained male cyclists maca extract for 14 days and found that at the end of the period, they could complete a 40 km cycling time trial faster than before supplementation . Though the times were significantly higher than the baseline, they werent statistically significant in time from the placebo group. More work needs to be done to see if the results found in multiple animal studies possibly hold true in humans.

    Benefits Of Maca For Thyroid Disorders

    • note:
    • This article was written by a Medical Doctor and reviewed by the thyroid health experts at ThyroMate.

      ThyroMate articles uses only proven, accurate, credible sources in order to provide accurate, fact-checked information about thyroid health that is helpful and objective. All references are linked throughout the article and sources for each are cited at the end. Visit these links to learn more about the research studies and conclusions drawn from the research methods.

      Information contained on this website is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. You should always consult your physician for questions related to your health.

    For thousands of years now, Maca has been a part of the traditional medicine because of its multiple beneficial effects that it has on our health.

    For some of these beneficial effects, there is solid scientific proof that it is to be believed, while for others, there is the positive feedback that past individuals have expressed after their experience with Maca root.

    Today we explore the possibility of using Maca to combat the most common thyroid issues hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism.

    Can these thyroid issues be eliminated by the sole use of Maca?

    And what other health benefits do you need to consider?

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    Indices Of Menopausal Discomfort According To Kuppermans And Greenes Questionnaires

    After one month of treatment with either Maca-GO or Placebo, both sequence groups responded in similar, statistically significant manner showing reduction in total values of KMI and GMS, with Maca-GO having much more pronounced effect on sum of the individual symptoms than the same length of Placebo treatment .6). The second month of Maca-GO treatment magnified the positive effect on alleviation of individual menopausal symptoms as measured by KMI only. Extending Placebo treatment into the second month resulted in reversing the positive effects observed in total KMI values after the first month of Placebo use. This was particularly distinctive in the APPMM sequence group and when the KMI was used. Differences between Placebo and Maca-GO treatments were more pronounced in the KMI as compared to GMS with the GMS values showing significant effect of Placebo in one sequence group only while KMI recorded values in both sequence groups showed highly significant difference between Placebo and Maca-GO treatment.

    It May Help With Your Memory And Concentration

    Maca for fertility and hormone balance

    A handful of studies suggests maca may aid cognitive functionat least in mice. In one study conducted by Peruvian researchers, mice were given a dose of ethanol to get them drunk, then tasked with completing an obstacle course they had already mastered during training sessions. Without maca, the tipsy mice struggled to find their way but the drunk mice who were given maca extract had no trouble completing the challenge, suggesting, the researchers write, that maca essentially reversed the effect of EtOH .” Translation: The maca appeared to totally counteract some of the memory-impairing side-effects of booze in mice.

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    Maca Root Blocks Estrogen

    DIM is a well knowns and studied estrogen blocker. While I am personally against supplementing with DIM supplements due to the unnatural levels it will put in your body, it is still extremely effective in its natural form.

    Maca root is actually a cruciferous vegetable and absolutely loaded with DIM in its natural state.

    Maca Side Effects: Brace Yourself This Needs Your Attention

    Maca, the unique root from the radish family cultivated only atop the Andes in Peru, is a known aphrodisiac and fertility booster. However, the possible adverse effects of maca may give you some hard time, if you do not adhere to the dosage of maca. There are also certain other factors related to side effects of maca that you should consider before adopting maca. Read on to find out more on Peruvian maca side effects.

    Maca, the unique root from the radish family cultivated only atop the Andes in Peru, is a known aphrodisiac and fertility booster. However, the possible adverse effects of maca may give you some hard time, if you do not adhere to the dosage of maca. There are also certain other factors related to side effects of maca that you should consider before adopting maca. Read on to find out more on Peruvian maca side effects.

    Believed to have a history at least five millennia old, the Incas were so smitten by the energy-boosting qualities of maca that they limited the use of maca among only the nobility. Even with the arrival of the Spanish conquistadors in Peru circa 1533, maca became a regular among the Spanish nobility when the invaded Incas paid tribute to the Spaniards by sending them enormous quantities of this herb.

    Side Effects of Maca

    It is advised that a stipulated dosage of maca is strictly followed in order to avoid any overdose issues.

    A stimulant by nature, maca is known to disrupt the sleeping patterns of certain individuals.

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    How To Use Maca

    Maca is easy to incorporate into your diet.

    It can be taken as a supplement or added to smoothies, oatmeal, baked goods, energy bars, and more.

    The optimal dose for medicinal use has not been established. However, the dosage of maca root powder used in studies generally ranges from 1.55 grams per day.

    You can find maca in some supermarkets, at health food stores, and from various online retailers. There is also a very good with thousands of interesting reviews.

    Higher quality maca with personalized dosages can also be found with the assistance of a licensed healthcare professional.

    It is available in powder form, 500-mg capsules, or as a liquid extract.

    While yellow maca is the most readily available type, darker types like red and black may possess different biological properties (

    2 ).

    However, Peruvian natives believe that consuming fresh maca root may have adverse health effects and recommend boiling it first.

    Additionally, if you have thyroid problems, you may want to be careful with maca.

    Thats because it contains goitrogens, substances that may interfere with the normal function of the thyroid gland. These compounds are more likely to affect you if you already have impaired thyroid function.

    Lastly, if youre pregnant or breastfeeding, you should consult with your healthcare team before taking maca.

    How Maca Can Help Balance Your Hormones

    The 10 Hormone Balancing Wonders of Maca (and Why It Does ...

    Whether youre regularly fearing that time of the month , trying for a baby, or undergoing the unpleasant symptoms of menopause – no matter which stage of life you are in – you can benefit from the hormone balancing effects of Maca, the ancient root of the Inca.

    Read this post to discover:

    • How a remote community still thrives with almost half the oxygen level of the rest of the world.
    • The way that Maca helps balance hormones .
    • Others sharing how Maca helped them with PMS, breakouts, headaches, painful cramps and more – real life testimonials!
    • The answers to your commonly asked questions.

    At over 14,000 feet above sea level, high up in the Peruvian Andes, there is almost 50% less oxygen in the air and the harsh barren landscape reminds one of an uninhabited planet where life had once existed.

    Barely anything grows at such elevations, apart from one sturdy plant – the Maca root.

    We are in the homeland of the Chopccas community – descendants of the legendary Inca – who have lived in this remote land for centuries.

    After weeks of intensive training our altitude sickness is still unavoidable – our hearts are pounding, the headache is excruciating, we keep forgetting our trail of thought and the feelings of sickness and vertigo are overpowering.

    Despite so little oxygen, high altitude, harsh weather conditions and limited diet, the Chopccas are some of the happiest, most positive, strongest and resilient people we have ever met.

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    Sexual Desire And Performance

    Maca is well known for its aphrodisiac properties, helping both men and women and thus often called Natures Viagra.

    A 2009 study that involved male cyclists taking just 2 g of Maca or placebo for just 14 days resulted in a significant improvement in their sexual desire as a result of taking Maca compared to placebo.14

    Another study published in the Journal Andrologia showed that men with mild erectile dysfunction who took 2.4 g of Maca experienced better sexual performance and well-being both physically and psychologically compared to placebo.15

    More amazing effects of Maca on improving libido and sexual dysfunction were shown in a 2008 study done on mostly women aged 23-49.16

    Studies show Maca significantly improves sexual desire and performance in both men and women.

    Does Maca Increase Estrogen Levels

    Maca may be the ultimate natural HRT. Unlike some herbs and phytoestrogens such as soy, maca does not try to mimic estrogen in your body. Yet it can actually increase the bodys production of estrogen if your levels are too low. Maca in perimenopausal and menopausal women has been linked to an increase in hormones,

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    Maca Can Increase Your Nitric Oxide Production

    Research studies have demonstrated that Maca can increase nitric oxide production.

    How can this help you sexually?

    Nitric oxide is key to get it up and to keeping it up. Let me explain:

    Your penis is normally flaccid. This is because something called the smooth muscles that sit inside your blood vessels, squeeze the blood vessels in your penis flat.

    This forces almost all the blood out of your penis. Hence a flaccid penis.

    This is when nitric oxide gets to work:

    Nitric oxide sets in motion a process that increases your production of something called cGMP. This in turn instructs the smooth muscles to relax.

    And when they relax, your blood vessels open up and blood can enter.

    Now your penis fills with blood and an erection can form.

    Therefore, when Maca enables you to produce more nitric oxide, it helps you get erections easier. And also erections that are fuller and last for longer.

    Irritability And Mood Swings

    All About Maca | Fertility, Hormonal Balance, Energy

    Truly is amazing, I dont ever feel like its that time of the month even when it is. No mood swings or any type of cramps. The taste is amazing too! Burster @kassidyxlynn, on Instagram

    As my exams approached I decided to try the Maca and though it took me a week to notice I must say it became one of my all time favourites because it was the only thing that helped me getting my stress level under control and especially my PMS. I am no longer looking in the calendar to watch out for the moody time of the month. Burster @pixie_dust1912 on Instagram

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    Can Maca Have Side Effects

    In nearly every maca-focused study, researchers note that the root is usually well-tolerated by subjects . This is particularly true when consuming a single servingstudies have shown that a typical three to five gram doseabout a level teaspoonper day is considered safe for most people, with no apparent side effects.

    But again, maca may not be for everybody. As is the case with other supplements, maca isnt regulated by the FDA, and theres little information about the safety of long-term maca consumption. Youre probably already on it, but if not: Talk to your doctor if youre considering taking maca as a supplement, and avoid it altogether if youre pregnant or breastfeeding. Otherwise, keep an eye on these potential maca side effects:

    1. Altered thyroid function

    If you have a thyroid condition, dont take maca until you get the go-ahead from a medical professional. As an adaptogen, maca impacts the endocrine system that rules your body’s hormones. So if you have a thyroid disorder, adding an adaptogen like maca into the mix might not be the best idea without your doctor weighing in.

    Plus, some research suggests that eating too many cruciferous vegetables may cause hypothyroidism in people who are iodine-deficient. You likely have to be way overdoing it on maca to have this happena small study found that people who ate up to five ounces of Brussels sprouts a day didn’t have thyroid issuesbut still, something to keep in mind.

    2. Hormonal changes

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