Maca
Maca is a plant from the Peruvian Andes whose underground part is traditionally eaten after heating or drying and milling. It is also sold as powders, capsules and tablets.
Also listed as Organic Black Maca Root Powder, Lepidium meyenii, Maca root, Peruvian Ginseng
Powder, gelatinized maca or extract?
The desire trial used gelatinized maca, whereas the postmenopausal trial used maca powder. BfR also describes preparations extracted with different solvents. A gram of one preparation should not automatically be treated as equivalent to a gram of another in these studies. 1 2 3
For comparison with research, the useful label details are the preparation and daily amount. “Maca” alone does not identify the same material used in a trial, and a study of one formulation cannot establish a benefit for every product. 3 4
Does a color identify the best maca?
Research includes different maca colors and extracts. The performance review grouped several preparations together and acknowledged that this could affect interpretation. It does not establish a winning color for human stamina or an interchangeable dose across products. 5