Can Maca Help With Menopause?

The symptoms of menopause are varied, and each is more unpleasant than the last. Women experiencing menopause might experience hot flashes or chills, drastic mood swings, and weight gain as the result of a slowing metabolism. The bad news is that there’s no avoiding menopause altogether. The good news is that there are treatments designed to alleviate the effects, and research suggests that making changes to your diet can certainly help. That’s where maca comes in.

Menopause and Your Diet

According to the Cleveland Clinic, “a balanced diet of veggies, calcium, and soy may help” reduce the pain and discomfort of menopause as your body produces less and less estrogen. Calcium-rich foods such as soy and dairy products are strongly encouraged, as bone loss becomes more prevalent after your thirties, and neglecting to eat more consciously might result in osteoporosis.

There’s also the option of adopting a regimen that includes supplements to counteract the effects of menopause. Some recommended supplements include calcium, Vitamin D, and homeopathic remedies like (in short doses) black cohosh. But unlike black cohosh, the Peruvian superfood maca can be consumed regularly for an extended period of time without negative impact.

Why Take Maca for Menopause?

The Australian Menopause Centre touts the numerous benefits of maca consumption for those experiencing menopause. Though maca doesn’t contain estrogen, they refer to it as a “fantastic source” of vitamins and minerals including Vitamin C, iron, and calcium associated with reductions in fatigue and improvements in bone density. They also point out that maca contains flavonoids, which have been proven to cut down on age-related cognitive decline, and also to offset the brain fog that’s often symptomatic of menopause.

A 2005 study on the regular use of gelatinized (pre-cooked) maca capsules by early postmenopausal women for periods of three and nine months found that the women taking maca experienced increases in their bodies’ production of estrogen and progesterone. They also noted a substantial decline in menopausal discomfort.

In 2006, researchers performing a clinical study on maca’s effects on postmenopausal women would determine that adding maca to their diet resulted in a sort of “hormone-balancing effect.” The participants demonstrated noteworthy decreases in depression, anxiety, and general fatigue; their BMIs improved along with mood and energy levels, and there were “noticeably-increased bone density markers.”

Research like this indicates that not only does adding maca to your diet make you feel better when you’re going through menopause, but in combination with a balanced diet and regular exercise, it can result in measurable improvements to your overall health and wellbeing.

How Does Maca Work On Menopause?

We could talk about the things that make maca special all day, but we’ll focus on the aspects of maca that have been demonstrated to impact your health. We should probably start with elements that are almost entirely unique to maca, namely the compounds known as macaenes and macamides. These important secondary metabolites have displayed anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative, cancer-fighting, and neuroprotective qualities.

Maca is also known as an adaptogen, which is to say that it’s a natural substance that can help your body respond to stress, anxiety, and fatigue while promoting overall wellbeing.

Our customers have reported significant relief of their menopausal symptoms after adding our organic maca to their diets.

"I love this product! I have suffered with severe symptoms of menopause for several years, tried expensive pills, herbs, etc. The red raw maca settled my hot flashes down to almost nothing, my cravings for carbs and sweets have subsided, I sleep better and have lost weight. Thanks Maca Team" - Mary C. Vest

"This stuff is amazing. I am perimenopausal. I had taken flax seed for the night sweats but it seemed to no longer help much. My menstrual cycle was crazy. I did some research on maca and which one would be best for me. So I ordered the red maca and after 3 weeks WOW. No more night sweats and my menstrual cycle is back to normal, then fewer. I am not having any of the symptoms of menopause. No emotional outbursts, no hot flashes and fewer menstrual cycles. The taste isn't great but I just add it to my smoothie every morning and it's drinkable. The benefits are worth it. I highly recommend this product to everyone. It has worked for me." -K. Patterson

Though all three colors of maca root can positively impact your health, we recommend trying something like our gelatinized red maca capsules for combatting the effects of menopause. The gelatinization process removes much of the starch content from the maca powder, and you don’t have to worry about disliking the flavor of maca, which some consider an acquired taste.

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