Many people find success using maca for hormone balance. In this short piece, we will look more closely at the plant extract maca and its health benefits, particularly those relating to promoting healthy hormone balance.
What Is Maca?
Native to the Peruvian Andes Mountains, maca, which is scientifically referred to as Lepidium myenii, is a plant that has been used for medicinal and nutritional purposes for centuries. In recent times, harvested extracts of maca root have been cultivated into a powdery substance that can be used as a spice and as an ingredient in a variety of nutritional supplements. Many physicians and nutritionists have labeled maca as a superfood because of the many beneficial properties the product possesses.
What Are the Health Benefits of Maca?
Maca is thought to have numerous health benefits that impact various bodily systems and functions including:
Boosting Energy
Scientists representing Northumbria University, an English research institution studied the influence maca had on the energy levels of athletes competing in the physically demanding sport of cycling. The examination, which was conducted in 2009, found that cyclists who used maca extracts for a two-week duration noticed improved performances in time-trial races.
Stimulating Production Of Antioxidants
Antioxidants are powerful disease-fighting substances that counter inflammation. Chronic inflammation can result in the development of many physical injuries and ailments and, over prolonged periods, could eventually precipitate diseases such as autoimmune disorders, diabetes and certain forms of cancer. Maca is thought to promote an increased systemic production of important antioxidants.
Improving Sexual Desire, Performance and Fertility
Numerous studies conducted have shown that ingestion of small amounts of maca extracts can increase the libido and fertility capabilities of both men and women. In addition to boosting libido, maca may also help improve certain libido-related sexual performance issues.
Reducing Stress
Maca extracts are substances that are medically classified as adaptogens. These chemicals enable the body and mind to not only better react to stress but adapt to the specific environment precipitating the tense situation.
Promoting Healthy Hormone Balance
Arguably, maca’s most significant health benefit is its ability to help maintain healthy hormone balance. Hormones are produced and secreted by a variety of glands and organs. such as the thyroid, hypothalamus, adrenals and pituitary. Physician-conducted studies have concluded that a dietary intake of maca has been shown to help regulate hormonal production by these glands and protect against potential deficiencies of the chemicals they create and circulate throughout the body.
Maintaining healthy hormone levels is critical to the proper functioning of many bodily systems, as well as the prevention of numerous illnesses. Hormonal deficiencies can result in significant health risks. Among those most vulnerable to declining hormonal concentrations are women who are currently experiencing menopause or in those who have completed this life stage.
Maca For Hormone Balance During Menopause
During menopause, a woman’s body undergoes a gradual decrease in hormone production. Such an event takes place because the ovaries and other sexual and reproductive organs cease production of important hormones such as estrogen and progesterone. Eventually, a woman’s body produces little, if any of these vital substances, resulting in a number of potentially life-altering physical, emotional and sexual symptoms.
Moreover, menopause does not merely impact the reproductive tract. The hormone imbalances the condition produces can precipitate irregularities within the entire endocrine system, which could lead to hormonal anomalies originating in other hormone-producing organs and glands.
At times, menopausal or post-menopausal health manifestations become so pronounced that women must seek some form of therapy designed to stabilize these imbalances. In certain instances, such treatment protocols are administered in the form of Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT). Though HRT has produced beneficial results in some women, the procedure does come with associated health risks such as blood clots, cardiovascular problems, breathing difficulties and certain types of cancer.
With such knowledge at hand, many women choose to pursue more natural methods of treatment. Maca has shown to be effective in helping menopausal and post-menopausal women regain healthy hormonal balances because it possesses properties that enable all components of the endocrine system to produce nutrients that aid it in functioning with greater efficiency.
Where Can You Buy Maca?
Maca powder is available for purchase at many common drug store or nutritional supplement chains. The product is usually safe for most individuals to consume. However, everyone’s body chemistry is different and women using the product as a means of addressing hormonal imbalance might wish to consider consulting with a physician or nutritionist and establish a dosage that addresses the severity of the condition, as well as the woman’s nutritional needs.
Maca extract is also among the primary ingredients in a popular nutritional supplement known as Macabido. Macabido contains significant quantities of maca and numerous other naturally-occurring substances known for their health-improving capabilities, particularly in relation to maintaining healthy hormone balance. Macabido is available for men and women, tailored to the needs of both, men and women.