How Does Maca Improve Cognitive Function?

Despite the variety of health benefits associated with adding maca to your diet, most people associate a maca regimen with easily visible, physical results - i.e. more muscle mass, clothing that fits better, or even just an improved mood. But there are plenty more “quiet” ways you might be feeling the payoff after you’ve been enjoying maca for a while.

Maca For Your Brain

Previously we’ve talked a bit about maca for brain function. We cited a research study that was performed in 2016, which found that subjects consistently served maca showed signs of improved mental acuity in addition to motor coordination and endurance capacity. Its findings suggest that regular consumption of maca can effectively slow down age-related cognitive decline.

Some scientists investigating the potential benefits of a diet containing maca have come to refer to the superfood as a “neuroprotectant,” which may be used to “target oxidative stress, stabilization of membranes, inactivation of enzymes, inhibition of apoptosis, or inhibition of inflammation so as to inhibit or decrease the cellular death and neuronal injury.” In short - maca can help keep your brain healthy and operating at optimum capacity.

How Does Maca Affect Your Brain?

Did you know that depression can affect your memory? Even if you keep up with your antidepressants, factors like chronic stress “may impair pattern separation, disrupt the encoding of positive experiences, and bias retrieval towards negative events.” Remember those physical responses to consuming maca that we mentioned earlier, like building muscle and an improved mood? Maca won’t just have you smiling more often. Research has found that adding maca to your diet demonstrates a psychological impact, namely reducing anxiety and depression.

In 2006, scientists performing tests on lab mice served maca found that the mice who’d consumed black maca showed improvements in latent learning compared to mice who hadn’t consumed maca, and to mice that had been fed red and yellow maca.

In 2016 similar research determined that mice receiving maca powder consistently for five weeks displayed improvements in cognitive function, motor coordination, and endurance capacity.

Maca isn’t a nutritional supplement, it’s a food. Like with any dietary change, it might take a while for you to see the effects. As an adaptogen, maca works to balance out your hormones and other bodily functions. On the surface, this really might just look like a smile. But besides that added pep to your step, with dedication to a more active lifestyle and a balanced diet that includes maca, you might see more changes - an easier time focusing in class, for example, or even the ability to simply appreciate living in the moment.

Which Maca is Best for Cognitive Function?

There’s not really a wrong answer to this question. Historically, maca was consumed as a tri-color mix of red, black, and yellow maca roots. It hasn’t been a very long time since research found that the different color roots differ somewhat in the ways they impact the body.

We’ve found that customers who have tried our organic maca root products tend to feel that our black maca root powder has really boosted their alertness and energy, and in turn their ability to focus.

Our Maca Finder tool allows you to enter some basic information about yourself and your goals in order to receive a more personalized recommendation of what maca to try. But whether you’re enjoying our raw black maca powder or our yellow maca root capsules, you’re getting a product that’s 100% pure, organic non-GMO maca.

More Questions?

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Enjoy the day!