Maca for Acne
Acne Treatment / Hormonal Acne
If you’re looking at natural ways to heal acne and have heard about the potential of adding maca to your diet for this purpose, you’re in the right place. In this article, we take a deeper dive into how maca root can help people overcome the symptoms of hormonal acne naturally. We’ll cover the following topics:
- Introduction To Maca Root
- The Common Causes and Treatments of Hormonal Acne
- Does Maca Help Acne?
- Is Maca Alone Enough To Heal Acne?
- How To Take Maca For Acne?
- What Is The Best Maca To Clear Acne?
- Frequently Asked Questions About Hormonal Acne
- Final Words on Maca Acne Treatment
Introduction To Maca Root
Maca is a root vegetable native to the very high Andes (it grows above 13,000 feet/3900 m) that has been used for centuries as a nutritionally dense and potent food source. Maca root powder, maca root capsules and maca extracts have shown wide-ranging benefits. That’s in part because maca, like the more widely known ginseng, is an adaptogenic food, which supports the body to heal itself. In addition, because of its content of alkaloids, glucosinolates, flavonoids and phytohormones, researchers consider maca to be a natural stimulant for the hypothalamus and pituitary, which in turn stimulate the endocrine glands such as the thyroid, pancreas, adrenals, ovaries and testes to produce the hormones needed to maintain the homeostasis of the human body. (link).
In simpler words, consistently consuming the right amount of a high quality maca product can lead to a more balanced hormonal system.
The Common Causes and Treatments of Hormonal Acne
Acne is most commonly associated with the hormonal ups and downs during teenage years, but adults also experience acne. Acne among adults is often simply called “hormonal acne” and is linked with unbalanced androgen levels. Poor diet, menstruation, menopause, stress and generally high androgen levels are causative factors for acne outbreaks past puberty.
The common treatments of mild hormonal acne are topical medicines such as antibiotics, benzoyl peroxide and dapsone. For more persistent outbreaks, oral medications such as doxycycline, drospirenone and flutamide are commonly prescribed.
These interventions can have undesirable side effects, which has caused many to seek natural alternatives such as maca as a treatment for acne.
Does Maca Help Acne?
In circumstances where acne is related to an imbalance of hormones, adding maca to your diet can be extremely productive as a treatment. Since maca is a food with no known side effects, it’s much easier for the body to process than drugs. Over the years of selling maca, we’ve received positive feedback about maca root benefits for skin and its effect on acne from many users. Here are a few of the most impressive comments from customers who have treated their acne naturally with maca products:
“My skin has all of a sudden started clearing, and it’s clearer than it has been in months, my mood is great, I’m happy all the time, and I’m sleeping really well and have had none of those symptoms that I had before. I counted 10 cysts on my face at Christmas, now I only have a few that but they’re all very small and healing now. I’m thinking maca is the answer for me…” --Franie
I ordered the red maca capsules (link) and started taking them 4 days ago. Wow, I am amazed. I have been struggling with adult acne for the past year and a half. I've spent hundreds of dollars on various acne regiments which only dried my face out and did not help with my cystic acne. A few months ago, I broke down and went to the dermatologist who put me on a harsh week-long antibiotic, spironolactone, and a face cream. I had marginal improvement over the past three months. Then I decided to give maca a try. Within 2 days, my acne was diminishing. I could not believe it. I am seeing so much improvement in my complexion every day. I also feel great and so energized throughout the day. I am so excited about your product. I can't wait to see continued results over the next month!” – Danielle Wayda
"I love that something natural diminishes my adult acne. It just vanished!" - Amy Gillentine
"I have been taking maca for about a month now and I’m actually going to stop my birth control and just take maca. My acne was so bad that I needed to get on b.c. to balance my hormones. Since taking the maca my acne has lessened and my hormones and periods have been so regular. My mood is stable and it's all around a wonderful peruvian root and I would recommend maca to anyone struggling with hormone imbalance. Also, it's helped my libido a lot and gives me energy in the morning! Lots of love fromthis maca family" - Danielle Jenkins
"This product has worked well for me and my adult daughter in balancing our hormones. Mine for post menopause symptoms and for her, no more acne breakouts and less menstrual cycle cramping since taking Red Maca everyday." - Jan
"I've had cystic acne since my teens, I am now in my 30's and have been on and off birth control for a decade since literally nothing else phases my acne and living with it is painful, uncomfortable, unsightly and embarrassing. I started taking Red Maca (4 capsules every day) and I have not had one breakout since. It’s been about 3-4 months so far. I can't believe how well it works, I have tried every over the counter product and dermatologist prescription and nothing has worked like this (except the birth control, but we all know how bad that is for you) Thank you to The Maca Team (link) for basically changing my life :)" –Brie
More customer comments about taking maca for acne…
Is Maca Alone Enough To Heal Acne?
As you can see from the comments above, most of the success stories came by customers simply adding maca as part of a health promoting daily diet. That said, while maca is indeed powerful, there are other things that can complement it and support an acne free condition.
In addition to adding maca to your try these things to reduce hormonal acne:
- Eat healthy – limit dairy, sugars, alcohol, red wine and avoid foods with processed carbohydrates to lower inflammation
- Exercise – regularly moving the body by walking, running, biking or swimming can lower stress and inflammation
- Avoid chemically based cosmetics in your skin care routines
- Trying a cleansing or detoxing program
- Regular meditation, massage or other stress relief programs
Combining these with maca is likely to help clear up symptoms of acne quicker and more effectively.
How To Take Maca For Acne?
If you plan on using maca powder for acne treatment, there are four key points that will help you get the most out of it.
One: Start with smaller amounts. Maca root is a powerful functional food (superfood) that can give you more energy than you are used to. For a person weighing about 150 lbs / 68 kg, it’s typical to start with one teaspoon of maca powder per day. A teaspoon is 3 grams of powder or about 4 capsules. If you feel comfortable with that amount of maca after one week, you can increase to 1.5 teaspoons. You can continue increasing dosage all the way up to 3 teaspoons per day as long as you feel comfortable with that.
Two: consistency is key. Functional foods are not the same as medicines in that they tend to build up in the body over time. Therefore, it is vital to give the maca enough time to work. Most people will see initial results within 4-6 weeks. For some, it’s sooner and for others it’s takes a bit longer. So, make sure to take your maca every day. We typically recommend taking it in the morning.
Three: it is possible that maca can temporarily make your symptoms worse. It’s not that common, but if that happens to you, don’t panic. And don’t stop taking maca. Simply reduce the amount you are taking and stay with it. As your body comes back into hormonal balance, the symptoms will diminish.
Four: Make sure you have the right kind of high quality Peruvian grown maca product to begin with. See our discussion on that directly below…
What Is The Best Maca To Clear Acne?
We recommend our family of red maca products. We have several types. If you are new to maca we suggest first trying our standard (not premium) maca products as most people find that they taste better. If you have sensitive digestion, go for a gelatinized (pre-cooked) maca over a raw one. We also suggest that you add a bottle of our red maca extract to your order. You can take a couple droppersful of the extract in addition to the powder or capsules for faster results.
Frequently Asked Questions About Hormonal Acne
How do you know if acne is hormonal?
There are several signs that suggest that acne might be hormonal. Your acne might be hormone related if it worsens during menstruation, if you are going through puberty, if appears on the jawline, chin, lower cheeks and neck, if it doesn't respond well to typical over-the-counter treatments and if it coincides with other symptoms of hormonal imbalance such as PCOS and irregular monthly cycles.
What is hormonal acne triggered by?
Hormonal acne is triggered by variations is levels hormones, especially androgens like testosterone which can increase oily skin and lead to clogged pores. These variations can come during puberty, before menstruation, during pregnancy, during menopause and can also develop as a result of stress, a diet of high glycemic foods, a lack of sleep and genetic factors.
How do I stop hormonal acne?
The most common treatments are prescription medicines that reduce androgens, a healthy diet that limits dairy and sugar consumption, stress management through exercise and meditation. Note that topical treatments are often unsuccessful because they do not address the root cause of hormone imbalance.
How can I balance my hormones to reduce acne?
To balance your hormones there are several things you can do beyond taking prescription medicines. You can eat a diet low in glycemic foods and dairy. You can manage stress through exercise and meditation. You can ensure you get quality sleep. You can avoid exposure to plastics found in foods or cosmetics. And you can try an alternative natural solution to hormonal acne such as maca root.
Final Words on Maca Acne Treatment
Remember that using natural treatments for acne will take some time to be effective. They are, however, gentler on the body than medicine. Plus they are longer lasting. Natural remedies, such as taking maca for acne, are designed to help you heal the causes of the condition and not just cover over the symptoms. We wish you all the best in your healing journey and if there is anything we can do to help, please let us know. We are happy to support you!
Learn more about all maca benefits >
Enjoy the day!
