Which Maca Is Best For Female Fertility
Introduction
Maca root (lepidium meyenni) has a long history of being used to improve fertility. According to legends of the high Andes, fertility was in fact the primary reason that maca root was discovered in the first place. The story goes that ancient farmers noticed that their livestock were producing more and healthier offspring when they consumed maca root as part of their diet. People took note, then began eating maca themselves and experienced similar results. These results have been enduring. So much so that even today many doctors in Peru continue to suggest that their patients try maca root as a way to improve chances of conception. Beyond that, at The Maca Team we regularly receive reports of people who claim maca has helped them to have a child.
This is certainly encouraging if you’re interested in using maca root to obtain similar results. Still, you likely have questions such as: which maca is best to take for fertility?, how should it be taken?, how much should be taken for optimal results? and more.
In this article we’ll answer these questions with a particular focus on maca for female fertility.
Scientific Research on Maca and Female Fertility
Recently a couple of important studies have been published that confirm the traditional use of maca to increase female fertility
One study concludes that “Administration…. of maca to adult female mice increases the litter size. Moreover, this treatment increases the uterine weight in ovariectomized animals. Our study confirms for the first time some of the traditional uses of maca to enhance female fertility.”
Another concludes that “…maca uniquely enhances the LH serum levels of pituitary hormones in female rats during the pro-oestrus LH surge.” LH (Luteinizing hormone) levels are a key factor in female fertility.
More research is ongoing, but these two studies are indeed promising and confirming what people have experienced for hundreds of years.
Understanding the 3 Major Colors of Maca
Maca roots grow in a range of colors that are grouped into 3 major categories: black, red and yellow. They are all from the exact same species and have overall similar nutrient profiles. Traditionally people in Peru and Bolivia eat all 3 colors of maca roots mixed together, but more recently it has been discovered that the colors do have slightly different nutritional profiles.
Red maca has been shown to have the highest anti-oxidant content, to be higher in several phytonutrients and to work best for prostate health. Black maca has been seen to be particularly helpful in muscle building and also supportive in increasing sperm count and motility. Yellow maca, the most common of all the colors, is considered to be the standard maca and has been the most studied.
Based on preliminary research and our experience we typically recommend red maca products for female fertility. Black maca is our second choice and tri-color is our third. Each of these maca colors come in a variety of forms. Let’s have a look at those next.
Raw or Gelatinized Maca?
Raw maca simply means maca that has not been heated above 115 F / 46 C for any length of time during processing. This type of maca conserves vitamin C and enzymes because both of these nutrients are sensitive to higher temperatures. While raw maca is suitable for most people, 5-10% of consumers experience slight digestive discomfort when taking it. This is due to the starch content within raw maca. If you have any digestive sensitivity or a particularly difficult time digesting starches we recommend that you use gelatinized maca instead.
Gelatinzied maca is maca that has been heated in a special procedure that reduces starch content and makes maca more easily digestible. This process involves heating maca roots and putting them under pressure to “explode” most of the starch molecules in it. While the heat sensitive nutrients such as vitamin C and enzymes are destroyed in this process all of maca’s other major active nutrients are preserved. Gelatinized maca is best for you if you have a sensitive stomach.
Premium or Standard Maca?
We offer most of our maca products in a premium or standard version. Premium maca is dried in dehydrators immediately after harvest rather than being sun-dried like our standard maca. The result is a final product that contains more glucosinolate (anti-cancer nutrients) content.
For the purposes of female fertility, both are excellent. Just keep in mind that premium maca powders are more pungent and spicy in flavor and because of that are harder to take for some people.
Powder, Capsules, Chips or Extracts
In order to serve the largest number of people, we offer all of our products in these formats:
- Maca powders: these are maca roots that have been ground into a fine powder for use in smoothies, yogurts, oatmeal or other recipes.
- Maca capsules: our capsules are 100% vegan and contain only our pure maca powders. They are more expensive, but are convenient to take and do hide the taste of maca completely.
- Maca chips: the closest thing to whole maca roots available, these are simply maca roots that have been cut into small chunks. These chunks can be used in a porridge, in tea or in other recipes.
- Maca extracts: our liquid maca extracts are sweet to the taste and are very easy to take. You simply hold some of the extract under your tongue for 30 seconds to a minute. You can take extracts on their own or use an extract in addition to powders, chips or capsules.
Which Maca Is Best for Female Fertility?
The maca you choose for fertility will be based upon the factors mentioned above. Our general recommendation is for women to consistently use red maca powder or capsules of their choice for several months to increase chances of conception. For an extra boost, we’d suggest using a red maca extract at the same time. That means taking your serving of maca powder or capsules first thing in the morning and then taking 1-2 droppersful of liquid maca extract 1 or 2 more times throughout the day.
Tips For Succeeding with Maca for Fertility
Over the years, we’ve had several customers report success with using maca to boost fertility. Here are a couple of examples:
"We tried a lot of things to get pregnant before we learned about peruvian maca in a book on natural fertility. My husband and I started taking it religiously after that. I got pregnant 6 months later and I’m sure the maca helped." - Jennifer and Ray Collins, Washington
"I messaged saying I’d send and update months back and here it is! After two miscarriages and crazy hormones that would not regulate. I Re Started taking the red maca 4 capsules everyday for two months to help my body regulate. On the third month I upped my dosage to 5 capsules. That same month, I got pregnant and this time around my progesterone was the highest it’s ever been! I took 5 capsules of the Red Maca all throughout my pregnancy with permission from my OB. I had a very healthy and easy pregnancy and just had all natural delivery. I’m happy to say our rainbow/maca root baby was born September 5! I’m convinced this product played a major role and plan to continue to take it for the rest of my life!" - Kelli Adams Johnson
In order to maximize your chances of getting similar results, we recommend the following:
- Whatever you are doing take high quality maca. Make sure that the maca you get is from Peru, certified organic and as fresh as possible.
- Take the right amount of maca. Our maca serving guidelines will give you the ideal serving sizes for you and your situation.
- Stay consistent. Maca is a food and takes time to work in the system. Consistency in serving size and consistency over time is important. We recommend committing to taking maca every day for several months as a good starting point when using it for fertility.
- Make sure both partners are using maca. For men we typically recommend black maca as it has been shown to have the best effect on sperm motility and volume.
- Track your progress with a health care provider that understands natural treatments.
Final Words
We hope this article has helped you answer the question of which maca is best for female fertility as well has given you some good tips for getting started. If you have any further questions, please reach out to us. We’re always happy to help.
Enjoy the day!