Is Maca Root Safe For Your Thyroid?

Have you thought about your thyroid health lately? The thyroid is a small, butterfly-shaped gland found at the base of the neck, and it isn’t necessarily a part of the human body you hear mentioned very often unless you’re living with thyroid disease. That can mean hyper- or hypothyroidism, conditions where your thyroid produces either too much or not enough thyroid hormone. Which is a problem, because thyroid hormones play a role in numerous bodily functions ranging from your metabolism to your brain function.

As with many health conditions, a healthy diet can help mitigate the worst effects of thyroid disease. This means giving serious thought to the foods you’re putting in your body. According to Harvard Medical School, you don’t need to follow a special diet while on thyroid hormone medication with a few exceptions, namely avoiding foods high in soy protein and iodine. In the case of hypothyroidism, particular care with cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower is strongly suggested. Which brings us to the question at hand: is maca root safe for your thyroid?

Maca Root and Thyroid Health

Maca root is a cruciferous root vegetable, and in many cases, thyroid patients are advised to steer clear from significant servings of vegetables from the Brassicaceae family. This is because there are some concerns that cruciferous veggies like kale and Brussels sprouts may interfere with how your thyroid gland uses iodine, which is essential for thyroid function.

While this is certainly cause for concern, it’s worth noting that it’s unlikely for maca to pose a measurable risk to your thyroid health. Though it’s essential that you consult with your doctor if you live with hyper- or hypothyroidism, the iodine content in maca root is in a bio-available form that can be readily used by the thyroid to help balance your hormones. Every 9 grams of maca powder contains only about 70% of the daily recommended dietary allowance of iodine, and in order to reach risky levels of iodine from maca you’d need to consume nearly 4 tablespoons daily, well beyond the recommended serving size for even our sturdiest maca athletes.

Can Maca Help Your Thyroid?

If you’re living with a thyroid condition, can maca help reduce its effects? It’s worth noting that while maca itself doesn’t contain hormones, the hormone-balancing effect it exudes as an adaptogen has been observed to help balance the adrenal glands, thyroid, and pancreas in research studies.

Adaptogens are plants and herbs that help the body respond to inside and outside stressors. Experts believe that adaptogens like maca root interact with the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, which initiates your body’s stress response and plays a big role in keeping your body functioning at its best.

If you still have concerns about the iodine content in maca root, though, we recommend you try out our gelatinized maca productsinstead of raw maca. Gelatinized maca has been pre-cooked, altering the glucosinolates, or sulfur-containing compounds in the vegetable. It also cuts down on the starch content, making maca root easier to digest. 

About The Maca Team

The Maca Team is a family-run company of true Maca specialists here to bring you the most Maca has to offer. We are passionate about sharing high-quality Peruvian grown Maca with the world and proud to offer the best selection of maca products anywhere. Our products are always organically grown, fairly traded, non-GMO, gluten-free, fresh, and potent.

If you have any more questions about our maca,, we’d love to hear them! Don’t hesitate to Contact Us using our web form, or call us toll-free at (888) 919-8616.

Enjoy the day!