How To Use Maca Before A Workout
For anyone looking to boost physical performance naturally, maca is an interesting choice. This simple root has long been associated with increased energy, stamina and strength. Athletes and active people use it regularly.
For people new to maca, one of the common questions we receive is: “How do I use maca before a workout?” In this article, we’ll answer that question fully.
Should I Take Maca Before Working Out?
You can absolutely take maca before a workout. At the same time, you do not need to treat it like a conventional pre-workout supplement.
For many people, taking maca about 30–60 minutes before exercise is an easy way to work it into their routine. Others take it with breakfast several hours before training. Both approaches can make sense.
What matters more than hitting an exact pre-workout window is using maca consistently and choosing an amount and form that work well for your body.
Maca is not caffeine. It is not a stimulant and does not create the rapid “kick” associated with many commercial pre-workout formulas. Instead, maca is a traditional Peruvian root food that many active people use as part of a broader routine focused on energy, stamina, nutrition and recovery.
How Long Before A Workout Should You Take Maca?
If you want to take maca specifically as part of your pre-workout routine, 30–60 minutes before exercise is a practical starting point.
There is, however, no established scientific “maca pre-workout window” showing that maca becomes more effective if you take it 30 minutes before training rather than two hours before.
Human studies looking at maca and exercise have generally involved people taking maca consistently for two weeks or longer rather than taking a single serving immediately before exercise.
For that reason, maca makes more sense as part of your regular nutrition routine than as something you take only when you are about to work out.
If taking maca before the gym helps you remember to take it every day, great. If you already take maca with breakfast and train later in the morning, there is usually no reason to take another serving just because your workout is approaching.
Simple Pre-Workout Maca Routines
For most people, using maca before exercise can be very simple.
If You Use Maca Powder
Try adding your normal serving to:
- a protein shake
- a simple smoothie
- oatmeal
- yogurt
- plant milk
- water or another drink you already use before training
One teaspoon of maca powder is approximately 3 grams.
If you are new to maca, starting around 1 teaspoon or less and seeing how your body responds is usually better than beginning with a large amount.
If You Use Maca Capsules
Capsules can be especially convenient before a workout because there is nothing to mix.
Take your normal daily serving with water or a small meal or snack. There is no need to take extra capsules simply because you are exercising that day.
If You Use Liquid Maca Extract
Liquid extract is another convenient option, especially if you train away from home.
To take it, simply hold about ¼ teaspoon under your tongue for about one minute.
As with powder and capsules, use your normal serving rather than creating a larger “pre-workout” dose.
How Much Maca Should You Take Before Working Out?
Your pre-workout maca serving does not need to be different from your normal daily serving.
Our general maca serving range is approximately 3–9 grams daily, or about 1–3 teaspoons of powder, depending on body size, experience, activity level, digestion and the particular maca product you are using.
If you are completely new to maca, there is no advantage to beginning at the top of that range.
A simple approach is to:
- Start with about 1 teaspoon of maca powder daily.
- Use it consistently for several days.
- Pay attention to energy, digestion and how you feel.
- Gradually increase the amount if you want to and it feels comfortable.
Some active adults eventually use 2–3 teaspoons per day, but more is not automatically better. The right amount is the amount you tolerate well and can use consistently.
If you prefer a larger daily amount, you can also divide it throughout the day rather than taking all of it before exercise.
Should You Take Maca With Food Before A Workout?
You can take maca with or without food, although many people find it easier on the stomach with a small meal or snack.
This can matter more before exercise. Mild digestive discomfort that barely registers while sitting at a desk can feel very different halfway through a run or workout.
If your stomach is sensitive, try:
- using a smaller serving
- taking maca with food
- choosing gelatinized maca
- keeping your pre-workout meal simple
- avoiding a large smoothie immediately before exercise
Some people also find that maca combined with fruit or fruit juice causes more bloating. If that happens to you, try maca with water, plant milk, oatmeal, yogurt or another non-fruit food instead.
The best combination is simply the one your digestion handles well.
Which Maca Is Best Before A Workout?
You can use any maca before exercise, but there are a few practical differences worth considering.
Black Maca
Black maca is the maca color we most often recommend for people focused specifically on an active lifestyle, stamina and training.
It has also been used in several recent studies involving athletes, although the research remains limited.
If exercise is your main reason for taking maca, black maca is a good place to start.
Tri-Color Maca
Tri-color maca combines yellow, red and black maca and is our usual choice for someone who wants a balanced everyday maca rather than one color for a particular goal.
It can be a good option if exercise is only one reason you are adding maca to your diet.
Gelatinized Maca
If you want maca before exercise but tend to have a sensitive stomach, gelatinized maca may be the best option.
The gelatinization process removes much of maca’s starch, making it easier for many people to digest. That can be especially useful before a workout, when feeling overly full or bloated is the last thing you want.
Raw Maca
Raw maca works well for many people with strong digestion and provides maca in a minimally processed form.
If you already use raw maca comfortably, there is no reason to switch simply because you are taking it before exercise.
Does Maca Improve Workout Performance?
Several human studies have examined maca and physical performance, with interesting but mixed results.
A small 2009 randomized crossover study followed eight trained male cyclists who used maca extract for 14 days. Their 40-kilometer cycling time improved compared with their own baseline, although the improvement was not statistically significant compared with placebo. The researchers considered the results promising but called for larger studies.
A 2023 study followed 44 male elite athletes taking black maca for eight weeks. Researchers reported changes in some measures of physical fitness and inflammatory markers, with particularly interesting results among fin swimmers.
Another small study involving elite female handball athletes reported improvements in several measures of muscular function and endurance after four weeks of black maca supplementation.
Not every study has found a benefit. A 2025 randomized, placebo-controlled crossover study in ten trained male basketball players found no significant improvement in jumping, repeated sprint performance, shooting accuracy, fatigue or blood lactate clearance after two weeks of maca supplementation.
A recent systematic review and meta-analysis also found potentially positive effects of maca on several measures related to physical performance. However, the overall evidence includes animal research, different maca preparations and doses, and relatively small human studies.
The conclusion for now is straightforward:
Research on maca and physical performance is promising enough to be interesting, but not strong enough to call maca a proven workout-performance enhancer.
Consistency Matters More Than Pre-Workout Timing
This may be the most useful takeaway.
Human exercise studies have generally used maca repeatedly over time rather than testing whether a single serving immediately before exercise produces an acute performance boost.
That fits with what we have seen in more than 20 years of working with maca.
Most people who enjoy maca make it part of their normal routine. They take it with breakfast, put it in a morning shake, take capsules before heading to the gym, or add it to a protein shake.
The exact clock time matters less than finding a routine you can maintain.
Can You Take Maca With Coffee Or A Regular Pre-Workout?
Yes. Maca can be added to coffee, and some people use it alongside other workout supplements.
If your pre-workout contains caffeine or other stimulants, remember that the stimulant effect is coming from those ingredients, not from maca.
If you are new to maca, it can also be useful to introduce it on its own before combining it with several other new supplements. That makes it easier to understand how your body responds.
Maca Before Or After A Workout?
Either is fine.
Some people prefer maca before training because it fits naturally into their routine. Others add it to a protein shake or meal afterward. You can also simply take maca at breakfast regardless of when you exercise.
There is currently no good evidence showing that maca must be taken before or after exercise to work.
And if recovery is your focus, remember that maca does not replace the basics. Protein, carbohydrates, hydration, adequate calories, sleep, rest and sensible training matter much more.
Maca can be one part of that larger routine.
FAQ: Using Maca Before A Workout
Does maca give you instant energy?
No. Maca is not a stimulant and should not be expected to produce the immediate effect associated with caffeine or stimulant-based pre-workout formulas.
Is black maca good before a workout?
Yes. Black maca is the color we most often recommend for active lifestyles and training-focused routines, and several recent athletic studies have specifically investigated black maca.
Can I put maca in my protein shake?
Absolutely. A protein shake is one of the easiest ways to use maca either before or after exercise.
Can I take maca and creatine together?
They can both fit into the same nutrition routine, but they are very different. Creatine has a much larger body of research supporting specific athletic-performance effects, and maca should not be considered a replacement for creatine.
Should I take maca on rest days?
If maca is part of your daily routine, yes. Consistent use is closer to the way maca has been studied than workout-day-only use.
Key Takeaways
If you want to use maca before a workout, keep it simple.
Take your normal serving about 30–60 minutes before exercise if that timing works well for you, but do not get too focused on the clock. Maca is not a conventional pre-workout stimulant, and there is currently no evidence that one exact timing window produces a special effect.
The more sensible approach is to use maca consistently, choose a form that agrees with your digestion, and make it part of a larger routine that includes good nutrition, hydration, training, sleep and recovery.
For people specifically focused on training and active lifestyles, black maca is often our first recommendation. Tri-color maca is a good balanced everyday option, while gelatinized maca may be preferable if digestion is a concern.
As always with maca, start modestly, stay consistent and pay attention to how your own body responds.
References
- Stone M, Ibarra A, Roller M, Zangara A, Stevenson E. A pilot investigation into the effect of maca supplementation on physical activity and sexual desire in sportsmen. Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 2009;126(3):574-576. PMID: 19781622. View study.
- Lee E, Park M, Kim B, Kang S. Effect of Black Maca Supplementation on Inflammatory Markers and Physical Fitness in Male Elite Athletes. Nutrients. 2023;15(7):1618. PMID: 37049458. View study.
- Kang S, et al. Effects of Black Maca supplement on isokinetics muscular performance of elite women's handball players: placebo-controlled, crossover study. 2023. PMID: 38187794. View study.
- Huerta Ojeda Á, Rodríguez Rojas J, Cancino-López J, et al. Effects of Maca (Lepidium meyenii Walp.) on Physical Performance in Animals and Humans: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Nutrients. 2025;17(1):107. View study.
- Wu PS, Wu SH, Jiang RS, Chen CH, Chen BW, Chiu CH. The Impact of Lepidium meyenii (MACA) Supplementation on Basketball-related Performance and Antifatigue Ability: A Double-blind Crossover Study. Journal of Physiological Investigation. 2025;68(5):297-304. PMID: 40960048. View study.