The maca root has an established commercial market that has been in place for centuries in the Peruvian highlands. It has only appeared on the scene in the U.S. over the past ten years or so, been labeled an “adaptogen” and become a popular contributor to sexual health and energy levels.
Maca root derivatives have been folded into powders, tablets, liquid extract, additives for tea and for smoothies, and formulated with other herbal nutrients to create an energy booster and in some formulas, a stress reliever. As the market has developed so have the size and glitter of the marketing claims, but for this particular exotic, foreign herb there is some solid information to both support claims of its value and limit the nonsense.
One of the issues that clearly has bearing on maca products is where the roots from which they are derived are grown. Maca was first discovered and put to use for nutritional and medicinal purposes by the Peruvian natives that were on the land hundreds of years before the Spanish arrived. At that time, the maca root was harvested from plants that grew in a series of valleys in the Peruvian Andes, between 13,000 and 15,000 feet above sea level.
The maca nutrition value has proven to be weaker in plants grown outside its native area. Maca grown and harvested at lower elevations in Bolivia is said not to be as effective. So the first question to ask when you are buying a maca product is about the source of the root from which it has been made.
When you are buying a maca extract, it is important to read the label carefully about the amount of maca contained in it. Usually it is a ration of 2:1 or 4:1 or some other set of figures defining its power. If it is not clear, you should probably find a product that is clearly labeled. There are maca distributors selling directly online that claim to have plantations in Peru and production facilities that they own and operate. If you are satisfied with these claims, that’s as direct a source as you are going to find.