Maca has gained a lot of attention in recent years and is becoming a more widely known. In fact you might have seen this superfood in your local coffee shop, health food store, or smoothie bar. Maca is neither a supplement or vitamin, but rather a Peruvian root vegetable that grows in the Andes mountains. It has been traditionally used in Peruvian culture for more than 2000 years and long been praised as a source of nutrition and for its role in increasing libido.
Since maca can have a positive effect on hormone balance, the reported benefits from adding it to your diet are wide ranging. But, can maca help people lose weight? In this article we’ll answer this question based on research and experience.
Although weight loss isn't the first reason most people take maca, this simple food can indeed impact the body in several ways that promote weight loss. Let's take a look at them here.
Maca is an adaptogen. This means that it directly interplays with our hormonal stress feedback systems through regulating the endocrine system. Rather than directly increasing or decreasing specific hormones, it seems to have a modulating effect to bring hormones back to balance for the individual.
One clinical study published in the International Journal of Biomedical Science looked at the impact of maca as a hormone alternative in perimenopausal women. Maca showed to not only alleviate menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats, weight gain, etc. but also balance hormones (FSH, E2, PG, and ACTH).[1] These four hormones impact metabolism and weight management, as they play a role in burning the calories we get from food into fuel and how we store excess calories.
Maca is also high in Iodine, an essential mineral needed to be consumed through our diet. Low iodine levels can cause hypothyroidism or low functioning of the thyroid, which directly impacts metabolism and weight loss (this is seen in hypothyroidism as one of the clinical signs is sudden and rapid weight gain).[2] Read more about maca and iodine.
Balanced blood sugar is key to weight loss, as an unregulated blood sugar contributes to insulin resistance. Insulin is a hormone that is naturally produced when we eat to help keep blood sugar from getting too high. It also acts as a key allowing for blood sugar to be taken into cells and used for fuel, rather than sitting in the bloodstream. When your blood sugar is unregulated and insulin is constantly needing to be made, cells can become “resistant” to the hormone and not respond by letting blood sugar into the cell as easily (this is known as insulin resistance). This constant rollercoaster of highs and lows from an unbalanced blood sugar and pumping of insulin can lead to type 2 diabetes.[3]
Maca root powder has been shown to “significantly improved lipid and glucose metabolism disorder by regulating the glycolysis/gluconeogenesis-TCA cycle and by modulating gene expression levels involved in the PPARα signaling pathway”.[4] Essentially this means that maca expresses genes and enzymes that increase glucose and fat metabolism, both of which decrease the risk of insulin resistance. This, therefore, helps balance blood sugar and potentially improve weight loss.
Inflammation is also another key player in insulin resistance, as pro-inflammatory cytokines (immune signaling molecules) are created in response to inflammation and when created in excess can induce insulin resistance.[5] One main pro-inflammatory cytokine named IL-6 or interleukin 6, was shown to be decreased significantly in a study with the group that consumed the most maca vs. the placebo. [6]
The HPA axis (hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis) is our bodies stress response system. This regulates how much stress hormones are produced in the body. These hormones can be produced due to personal things you individually perceive as stressful and things that are physically stressful to the body like inflammation and infections.
Dysregulation of the HPA axis has been implicated in the development of depression, specifically an overactivation of the HPA axis or excess stress hormone production. [7] Maca is a potent adaptogen that regulates this axis and brings balance back to it. In an animal study that looked at maca and depression, it showed that “maca extract (250 and 500 mg/kg) showed antidepressant-like effects... as well as attenuation of oxidative stress in mouse brain”. [8]
This is important to weight loss because your mood plays a big role in motivation and drive. Lethargy, fatigue, and withdrawal are all symptoms of depression. Without the mental power and energy to obtain a healthy lifestyle and lose weight, it will be incredibly harder to achieve your goals.
Sleep quality is an overlooked aspect of wellness. It becomes one of the first pillars of health that gets pushed aside for other aspects of life but should be considered as important as exercise and nutrition. This is because sleep has many benefits, including for weight loss by impacting various mechanisms in the body.
Ensuring quality sleep dampens inflammation by reducing the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines.[9] Sleep deprivation has a profound effect on inflammation as this is a period of repair and regeneration of tissue and cellular debris. Sleep also impacts blood sugar regulation, as the amount of sleep decreases, blood sugar increases, escalating the issue and the risk of diabetes.[10] Lastly, sleep impacts stress hormone production, the lack of sleep one gets can increase their production of stress hormones the next morning.[11]
Why is this important? Because inflammation, blood sugar, and stress hormones in excess, can all impede weight loss. Ensuring a healthy balance of all these can be done by getting quality sleep and consuming maca as we learned above to negate those negative effects, but also maca directly improves sleep quality.
This is because maca’s adaptogenic properties balance the endocrine system by helping it produce the different hormones in correct ratios and at a balanced rate. This helps regulate the sleep-wake cycle. Just be sure when you’re taking maca to not take it at night as it has an energizing effect for some individuals.
Maintaining weight loss includes staying in a caloric deficit, or burning more calories than you’re consuming. Choosing nutrient dense, yet low calorie foods can be an easy way for some to maintain a caloric deficit. Maca is very low-calorie food, but also low in fat (which in excess can oftentimes pack lots of calories) and very nutrient dense with: 1/2 ounce (1 tablespoons) containing:
Maca has gained lots of popularity within the fitness and bodybuilding world as it has claimed to have benefits on muscle growth, strength, and endurance. Although there are no clinical trials proving its benefit on muscle growth or strength, a small pilot study looking at maca root supplementation in athletes found that 14-day supplementation improved physical performance with a quicker cycling time than before supplementation.[12]
Having an improved endurance and physical performance can give you the tools you need to reach those workout goals. It also helps give you the motivation you need to set exercise as a priority which will help you achieve weight loss quicker.
Like other adaptogens, maca is considered to raise overall vitality and well-being. It follows naturally, and without much effort, that when we feel good we are more active, eat only what we need and have a brighter outlook on life. All of these support achieving a healthy body weight.
So, although weight loss is not the top reason someone would take maca, we’ve found that it is a common result of someone who chooses to add it to their diet. To maximize the benefits of maca for losing weight, you may also like to incorporate other foods in your diet that can support weight loss. Tumeric, chili powder or whole chili, coconut oil and chia seeds are some of our favorites.
We’ve received quite a few letters from customers who have had that experience. You can see some of those here.
Learn more ways include maca in your diet by visiting our maca recipes page.
Back to all Maca Faqs.
Find Out Which Maca Is Best For You.
Enjoy the day!
I shop around a lot for my supplements and health foods, and I have to say you guys at The Maca Team are light years ahead of anyone else selling maca out in the marketplace. Thanks for all you do!
By Jim Price, The Green Marketing Guru
Loving the red maca from themacateam. I can tell the difference from my usual store-bought brands. It really tastes so fresh and sweet compared to others. I really love this product. Thanks for sourcing it for us to enjoy
By Michelle Gebbia
I LOVE Maca Team Maca...this was my first purchase with the Maca Team and I have no need to try any other Maca-producer. The Maca tastes fresh and flavorful, the Kilo bag is a great price, and I feel so much more at ease (Maca is such powerful medicine :) )
By Lizzie Thompson
I take 24 products from five to six times a week to increase my well-being and sensual and sexual delights. ;D The Maca Team’s organic maca is one of them—nine grams in my smoothie, Monday to Saturday. The Maca Team is a small business run by a family who cares about its customers, its Peruvian maca growers, and the environment. It's vital to know the source of everything we put in our mouths. Physical and mental health are precious treasures. :D
By Jerry Montero
By Milt Thompson
This product is amazing! I have used other cheaper brands of white maca with fairly good results, but after trying the Maca Team maca, I noticed within two weeks all of my menopausal symptoms had completely vanished. Others described a bad taste and smell, but I have tried the black and the red and find them both to be mild tasting. I use a tablespoon in my daily smoothly
By Joy
Maca first came to us by our vitamin supplier. Then we ordered from the Maca Team. Comparison? Think fire-fly, then think mid-day sun. At 76 and 73 years respectively, that is a big deal; and at comparable cost too. We never have we had such speedy delivery and the packaging is the strongest, most protective we've seen, ever, at all ... anywhere. Further, the Mrs. no longer takes hormone supplements. And Mr. scans the morning want ads for steady P/T work.
By George & Sherri
I had been using another brand of maca powder and decided to try The Maca Team's. The difference in freshness is night and day, and better tasting . I'm 6 foot 250 lbs. and take 4 teaspoons every day w/ my protein shake. Great energy boost and just feel great all day. I can tell a difference when I do not take it. best price that I have found {36oz}. I will be buying more as needed.
By J.D.
I've tried various maca brands over the last 20 years and The Maca Team brand is very special. There is definitely a difference when it comes to the quality and colors of the maca. This red maca does seem to nourish certain parts of my body while the black maca nourishes something else. I know I've been missing the nutrition these maca provide. I'm 75 years old and bodies wear out, but I'm finding I'm regaining a functioning body. How wonderful is this?!?!!!
By Janis Ihrig
I just wanted to thank you for your excellently constructed website. I am a physician and I recently started learning about Maca. I get a very good sense of it, and I expect I will try it out myself and possibly be recommending it to patients in the future. If so, your website will be the first place to send people. Thanks again.
By Adam Holt
Love the Maca team, In an earlier comment I said I was on the fence about where to buy Maca .Not anymore .You shouldn’t be either. The team has answered any questions I’ve had promptly. I feel like I’m dealing with friends, not some company far away out for my money only. The Maca is fresh, prices are good, the people are nice. If you’re on the fence, don’t be, you won’t be sorry.
By Bob
My Maca came in today and it has all the information on it! I must say this is the best tasting Maca I have tried!! Thank you again for a great product!! I will only order from you in future as well!
By Stormi Evans
First I would like to say I love this product. I was very skeptical about a natural product with so many benefits but this stuff really works. Second, I love this company. From the web site to the way they run their company this a top-notch team. I will be ordering from The Maca Team from now on. Great job guys keep doing what you are doing.
By Darren Rivers Sr.
We love this product. I own a store and work with clients holistically. We have recommended maca for years however, this is the highest quality product we have ever carried. I am proud to offer it in my store.
By Mellissa Gage, Infinity and Beyond
I am really happy that I chose the Maca Team, today you can find many distributors selling Maca powder, however quality of the powder is impossible to compare. Moreover, the results after 2 weeks I could feel. Before I was taking maca powder and I did not feel any changes. But since I started taking Maca from Maca Team the changes are incredible. So, I did a test.:) I gave the powder to my partner ... and after 2 weeks he was impressed and told me that he has more energy, feeling happy... Thank you The Maca Team!!!!
By Olga
I do want to say that I have done quite a bit of research on different companies that offer Maca and The Maca Team definitely is the most reputable. Thank you again for your kindness and professionalism :)
By T.C.
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