Maca root is a food source indigenous to the Peruvian Andes, where it originally was found growing at altitudes of between 13,000 and 15,000 feet. It is a plant similar in physical characteristics to the turnip or the radish. The maca root has been consumed as food and as a medicinal supplement for at least 2,000 years, at first by the natives indigenous to central Peru and later among the Central American populace.
Today it is a supplement popular among herbalists and among consumers who utilize health food products. Maca powder is used in a variety of supplements, each with an assortment of benefits itemized in marketing materials. However it is, in fact, a powerful herbal supplement that has been designated as an excellent nutrient, health supplement and aphrodisiac in the Central American cultures where it has been consumed for generations.
Maca root is most often referred to as an adaptogen, a concept that goes back centuries but a term that was coined in the 1930s and given a specific definition in the 1960s. An adaptogen provides non-specific benefits to the body that help with stress, fatigue, trauma and anxiety. How maca works is still being explored, but it is generally acknowledged as a non-toxic substance that can provide multiple benefits to those who consume it.
Maca extract is used in dozens of supplements that are meant to boost energy and relieve stress. It is widely marketed as affecting the endocrine system, which in turn impact hormone levels and hormonal functions. It is believed to balance hormonal levels which can be an important contribution for women going through menopause or who fight a chronic battle wit pre-menstrual syndrome.
Many of the assumptions about the mechanics of the maca physiological impact remain speculative, but its impact is undisputed. Products now on the market cite multiple maca health benefits relating to an assortment of human organs. Regardless of the mechanics, maca root supplements have helped a lot of people who have found that the compounds contained in the root provide relief for emotional, psychological and physical frailties.