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Peru is the home to many beneficial plants and herbs, including
maca, a popular sex-enhancing root that dates back a far as the
Incas. Thus as far back as 500 years ago, maca's reputation for
enhancing strength, libido, and fertility was already well
established in Peru. To many in South America, maca has been dubbed
the "Peruvian ginseng," even though it is not chemically similar to
ginseng. However, like ginseng, maca is employed by many to increase
energy, strength, stamina, and sexual drive - a winning combination
of benefits.
While native to South America, maca is now
available as a supplement in U.S. health food
stores.
What is Maca?
Maca is an
annual which produces a root that appears like a radish. The root of
maca is typically dried and when preserved properly, will easily
last for seven years. The herb is grown and cultivated in the Junin
plateau of Peru's Central Highlands and was highly revered by the
Inca for its medicinal and stimulating abilities.
Today,
maca's popularity continues to grow as people discover that the
plant does in fact increase libido, sexual function, and overall
energy. The amount of land in Peru dedicated to Maca cultivation is
increasing every year as demand for the herb rises, and a number of
medical researches have turned much of their attention to validating
the properties of this root. In Peru, maca is generally used by both
men and women who want to spice up their sex lives. In the U.S.,
Europe, and Japan, dietary supplements containing maca are growing
very rapidly in popularity.
Maca
Nutrition
An in-depth analysis of maca was conducted
in 1998 by Dr. Qun Yi Zheng and his associates at PureWorld
Botanicals showning that maca contains about 10 percent protein,
almost 60 percent carbohydrate, and an assortment of fatty acids.
These ingredients are actually quite common and nothing noteworthy.
However, investigators also discovered two groups of unique chemical
compounds called macamides and macaenes. Both of these agents are
believed to be directly responsible for maca's sex-enhancing
ability.
To test the validity of these findings, researchers
carried out a series of animal experiments, the results of which
were published in April 2000 in the medical journal Urology. Rodent
specimens given MacaPure extract, which contains relatively high
concentration of macamides and macaenes, demonstrated greatly
increased energy and stamina. The rodents also exhibited a very
noticeable increase in sexual drive and stamina as compared with
other rodents that were given a lesser amount of macamides and
macaenes. So how does maca work for humans? As shown in the animal
the results of the animal studies, individuals who consume maca also
exhibit sexual results. Men and women with low libido feel an
increase in sexual desire, and men with erectile problems notice
greatly improved sexual function.
Today, maca's popularity
continues to grow as people experience that the herb really does
enhance libido, sexual function, and overall
energy.
Other Uses for Maca
Maca and
maca extracts are also employed in medical practice in Peru. A
doctor first discovered maca through a group of sexually active
older men patients who were using the plant to maintain and enhance
their sexual function. "One of this group started taking maca and
found he was able to perform satisfactorily in a sexual relationship
with a lady friend. Soon everyone in the group began drinking the
powdered maca as a beverage and enjoying the boost that the root was
giving their hormonal functions. I have several of these men as
patients, and their improvement prompted me to find out more about
maca and begin recommending it to my other patients."
Another
physician, Doctor Aguila Calderon, M.D., a former dean of the
Faculty of Human Medicine at the National University of Federico
Villarreal in Lima, uses maca for male impotence, erectile
dysfunction, menopausal symptoms, and general fatigue, and claims
good results.
Arizona physician Gary Gordon, M.D., former
president of the American College for Advancement in Medicine, also
believes in the medicinal benefits produced by maca. "We all hear
rumors about various products like maca. But using this Peruvian
root myself, I personally experienced a significant improvement in
erectile tissue response. I call it nature's answer to Viagra.
What I see in maca is a means of normalizing our steroid
hormones like testosterone, progesterone and estrogen. Therefore it
has the facility to forestall the hormonal changes of aging. It acts
on men to restore them to a healthy functional status in which they
experience a more active libido."
How Much Maca
Should You Take?
Keep in mind that maca is a food
and is not used in tiny quantities. Most supplement companies that
are selling maca are putting about 500 milligrams of ground, dried
maca in each capsule. Some recommend three capsules daily, while
others recommend six.
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