Additional maca root studies - maca benefit
Feeding maca herb to rats prevented high altitude disruption in sperm formation. Additional research indicates feeding maca to rats decreases the size of their prostate gland which perhaps is a benefit to men with prostate enlargement if maca root has a similar effect in humans.
A human study with maca root confirms the rodent findings. Researchers at the Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, in Lima, Peru, performed a 12-week double blind, placebo-controlled, randomized trial in which active treatment with different doses of maca was compared with placebo. Men aged 21-56 years received 3 g of maca. An improvement in sexual desire was observed with maca at 8 weeks of treatment. Serum testosterone and estradiol levels were not different in men treated with maca than in those treated with placebo.
Another study was designed to determine the benefit of a 4-month oral treatment with tablets of maca on seminal analysis in adult normal men aged 24-44 years old. Nine men received tablets of maca (1500 or 3000 mg/day) for 4 months. Serum luteinizing hormone, follicle stimulating hormone, prolactin, testosterone and estradiol levels were measured before and after treatment. Treatment with maca resulted in increased seminal volume, sperm count per ejaculation, and sperm motility. Serum hormone levels were not altered.
