Does Maca Root Increase Testosterone
Introduction
Maca is a traditional food from the high Andes of Peru that has attracted growing scientific interest in recent decades. One of the questions we have heard for years is whether maca increases testosterone.
It is easy to understand why. Maca is often associated with men’s vitality, physical performance, sexual wellness, and reproductive health, while testosterone is involved in many of those same areas. Over time, that overlap has led to plenty of claims online that maca is a natural “testosterone booster.”
But does maca actually increase testosterone?
The short answer is: current human research does not show that maca reliably increases testosterone levels.
That does not mean maca has no interesting effects in men. It means the evidence suggests that any effects it may have do not appear to depend on an increase in circulating testosterone. In this article, we’ll look at what the research actually shows and separate the better-supported findings from some of the claims that have grown up around maca over the years.
If you want a broader look at the science behind maca, see our Maca Research page and our guide to How Maca Works.
A Quick Look At Testosterone
Testosterone is an androgen hormone found in both men and women, although men generally have much higher circulating levels. In men, it is produced primarily in the testes and plays a role in normal sexual development and function, muscle mass, bone health, red blood cell production, and other physiological processes.
Because testosterone affects several areas that people also associate with maca, it is tempting to assume that maca must work by increasing testosterone. So far, however, human studies have generally not supported that explanation.
Does Maca Raise Testosterone In Men?
Several human studies have directly measured testosterone after maca supplementation. The overall pattern has been fairly consistent: maca has not produced a reliable increase in serum testosterone.
A 2002 Placebo-Controlled Study
One of the most frequently cited human studies followed healthy adult men taking either maca or placebo for 12 weeks. Researchers measured serum testosterone and estradiol along with self-reported sexual desire.
Although the maca groups reported changes in sexual desire after several weeks, serum testosterone was not significantly different between the maca and placebo groups.
This is an important distinction. Whatever accounted for the reported change did not appear to be an increase in circulating testosterone.
A 2003 Study Of Reproductive Hormones
A related study looked more directly at hormone levels in healthy men taking either 1,500 mg or 3,000 mg of maca.
Researchers measured several hormones, including testosterone, luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, prolactin, and estradiol. They found that maca did not significantly change serum reproductive hormone levels during the study.
A 2015 Randomized Controlled Trial
A later double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled pilot study gave healthy men 1.75 grams of maca daily for 12 weeks.
Researchers examined both semen measurements and hormone levels. Some semen measures showed upward trends, but the measured hormone levels did not change significantly compared with placebo.
Again, the study suggests that if maca affects certain aspects of male physiology, an increase in testosterone does not necessarily have to be the mechanism.
What About Free Testosterone?
The older version of this article discussed the possibility that maca might affect free testosterone even if it did not increase total testosterone. That was an interesting theory, but newer human research does not give us a good reason to continue making that argument.
Most testosterone in the bloodstream is bound to proteins, while a smaller portion circulates as free testosterone. Because early maca studies did not show an increase in total testosterone, some people speculated that free testosterone might be the missing piece.
A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study published in 2021 measured several reproductive hormones over 16 weeks. Researchers found no significant increase in total testosterone. Free testosterone did not increase either; it actually decreased from baseline in the maca group during the study.
The authors considered the overall findings inconclusive and called for larger studies. Based on the human evidence available today, however, we would not describe maca as increasing either total or free testosterone.
Why Do Some Studies Say Maca Increases Testosterone?
There are studies in which maca has been associated with increased testosterone. The important detail is that some of the studies most often cited for this claim were conducted in animals rather than humans.
For example, a study published in Andrologia examined a hydroalcoholic maca extract in male rats. Researchers reported an increase in serum testosterone and changes involving testosterone-producing Leydig cells.
That is scientifically interesting, but it does not establish that eating maca powder or taking maca supplements increases testosterone in people.
Animal studies can help researchers explore possible mechanisms, but their results cannot automatically be transferred to humans. The preparation used also matters. A concentrated laboratory extract may be quite different from traditionally dried maca powder, gelatinized maca, or other forms people commonly use.
View the animal study on PubMed >>
Can Maca Have Effects Without Increasing Testosterone?
Possibly. This is one of the more interesting parts of the maca research.
The 2002 human study discussed above found changes in self-reported sexual desire even though testosterone did not increase. Other human research has investigated semen parameters while finding little or no corresponding change in reproductive hormones.
These studies do not prove that maca will produce a particular result for an individual person. The human research is still relatively small, and results are not completely consistent.
What they do suggest is that a reported effect from maca should not automatically be interpreted as evidence that testosterone has increased.
There may be other biological pathways involved, and the exact mechanisms behind maca remain an active area of research. For a broader discussion, see How Maca Works.
Is Maca A Testosterone Booster?
Based on the available human evidence, we do not think “testosterone booster” is an accurate way to describe maca.
If by testosterone booster we mean something demonstrated to reliably raise circulating testosterone levels in humans, maca does not currently meet that standard.
The better-supported conclusion is simple:
Human studies have generally found that maca does not significantly increase serum testosterone.
That answer may not be as exciting as some of the claims found online, but it is what the evidence currently supports.
Then Why Is Maca So Often Associated With Men’s Vitality?
Part of the confusion probably comes from treating several different things as if they were interchangeable.
Testosterone, sexual desire, physical energy, athletic performance, semen measurements, mood, and general vitality are not the same outcome. A person can experience a change in one of these areas without experiencing a measurable increase in testosterone.
This is one reason we prefer to look at maca research outcome by outcome rather than assuming that every reported effect comes from “balancing hormones” or increasing testosterone.
For a broader overview of how men use maca and the different types available, see our Best Maca For Men guide.
Does The Color Of Maca Make A Difference For Testosterone?
Maca naturally occurs in several colors, including yellow, red, and black. Researchers have investigated differences among maca phenotypes, and black maca in particular has often been associated with research involving men.
However, there is currently not enough good human evidence to say that black maca — or any particular maca color — reliably increases testosterone.
Some color-specific research has produced interesting findings in animals, but that is different from demonstrating an increase in testosterone in people.
For that reason, we would not choose a maca color specifically on the expectation that it will raise testosterone.
To learn more about the differences among colors, see Black vs. Red vs. Yellow Maca.
Should You Take Maca Specifically To Increase Testosterone?
If your only goal is to raise a laboratory testosterone measurement, current research does not give us a good basis for recommending maca for that purpose.
That is different from saying there is no reason for men to use maca. Maca is a traditional Andean food with a long history of use, and researchers continue to study it in a variety of areas. It is simply more accurate to evaluate those areas individually rather than labeling maca a testosterone booster.
If you are interested in trying maca for general use, our How To Start With Maca guide explains forms, serving sizes, and practical ways to begin.
If you are concerned about your testosterone level or have symptoms that you think may be hormone-related, testing and discussion with a qualified healthcare professional is more useful than trying to determine hormone status based on how a supplement makes you feel.
What We Changed Our Minds About
Over the years, there has been a lot of speculation about maca and testosterone — including the idea that maca might increase free testosterone even when total testosterone remained unchanged.
As more human research has become available, that explanation has become harder to support.
We think it is better to say so plainly.
Research evolves, and our understanding should evolve with it. At this point, the evidence suggests that maca should not be thought of primarily as a testosterone booster.
That does not make the research on maca less interesting. In some ways it makes it more interesting, because researchers are still trying to understand why some findings appear to occur without significant changes in testosterone.
Further Questions
Does maca contain testosterone?
No. Maca is a plant food and does not supply testosterone as a hormone replacement.
Does maca increase total testosterone?
Human studies to date have generally not shown a significant increase in total serum testosterone after maca supplementation.
Does maca increase free testosterone?
There is currently no good evidence that it does. A 2021 randomized study did not find an increase in free testosterone.
Why do some websites say maca boosts testosterone?
Some claims appear to come from animal studies, personal experiences, or from assuming that changes in areas associated with male vitality must result from increased testosterone. At least one animal study did report increased testosterone after a concentrated maca extract, but that does not establish the same effect in humans.
Can maca have an effect even if testosterone does not increase?
Research suggests that is possible. Some human studies have reported changes in certain measured or self-reported outcomes without corresponding increases in testosterone. Exactly how maca may produce these effects is not yet fully understood.
The Bottom Line: Does Maca Increase Testosterone?
Based on the human research available today, maca probably does not increase testosterone.
Several human studies have measured testosterone directly, and the overall pattern has been consistent: maca has not produced a reliable increase in circulating testosterone.
Animal research has produced some different findings, which may help explain why the subject continues to be debated. But animal findings do not override the human evidence.
Maca may still be of interest to men for reasons separate from testosterone. The important point is not to confuse those areas with a proven testosterone-raising effect.
As additional research is published, we’ll continue to follow it and update this article when warranted.
For more information, visit our Maca Research library, read our Maca Benefits overview, or explore the complete Maca Guide.
Research Referenced
- Gonzales GF et al. Effect of Lepidium meyenii (Maca) on sexual desire and its absent relationship with serum testosterone levels in adult healthy men. Andrologia. 2002.
- Gonzales GF et al. Effect of Lepidium meyenii (Maca) on serum reproductive hormone levels in adult healthy men. Journal of Endocrinology. 2003.
- Melnikovova I et al. Effect of Lepidium meyenii on semen parameters and serum hormone levels in healthy adult men. 2015.
- Ohta Y et al. Research on hydroalcoholic maca extract and testosterone-related measurements in male rats. Andrologia. 2016.
- Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled human study published in 2021 examining maca and reproductive measurements.
Research & Medical Disclaimer
This article is provided for general educational purposes and discusses published research. It is not medical advice and should not be used to diagnose or manage a medical condition. If you have questions about testosterone levels, medications, or dietary supplements, consult a qualified healthcare professional.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Enjoy the day!