Maca is a root that is a member of the radish family. It is a native to the high Andes of Peru but is now exported to various parts of the world in its powder form. In the past, maca powder is something that people never heard of. But today, it has become more and more popular as a potent source of the essential nutrients that the human body needs.
Maca Root: A Superfood to Boost Energy
Coffee and other energy drinks is one of the best sellers in today’s fast-paced world. People turn to caffeine to obtain a full source of energy to get them through their busy schedules.However, there is a so-called downfall to coffee and other caffeinated drinks.
It is a fact that caffeine have a positive impact on the human body but researchers spent countless number of hours to scrutinize the negative effects of caffeine. Studies found the following downfalls of caffeine:
Caffeine crash: Caffeine immediately perks up the mood but the serotonin is drained through the hours you were consuming it, eventually making for the coffee high wear away. When this happens, you either want to grab a second or third cup of coffee or experience a “crash” mid afternoon.
Headache from dehydration: Although there is no clear evidence why dehydration causes headache but studies showed that caffeine functions as a diuretic, which means they are dehydrating.
Nausea: High levels of caffeine is also known to lead in stomach irritation, dizziness, heart palpitations, and high blood pressure, which all result in nausea in some people.
Going on, maca root has been gaining popularity in providing the boost of energy you need. So why instead of drinking coffee or caffeinated drinks, why not try maca root instead? Maca contains the essential amino acids and a vegetarian source of vitamin B-12, which are known as the energy vitamin. In addition, they have the highest level of calcium and magnesium that plays a role in remineralization.
The nutrients in maca root helps boost mental performance needed for studying, working, or getting complex tasks done.
Maca Root: A Superfood to Improve Fertility
Maca is a superfood that balances the hormones. It is an adaptogen that responds to the different body needs. For instance, if the body is producing too much of a certain hormone, maca helps decrease the production, if your body is producing that hormones too little, maca increase its production.
What is the importance of regulating hormones? Well, hormone regulation is responsible for all the physiological processes including fertility, sexual function, digestion, brain and nervous system physiology, as well as energy levels.
Maca is a food staple in Peru and is known to improve fertility and sexual function in both men and women. To support this claim, we have gathered some relevant information on the efficacy of maca root on fertility.
A study in which rats were given black maca found that sperm count was increased within one day of treatment. This supported the earlier study on Peruvian men in which maca root improved sperm production and sperm motility. The black hypocotyls in maca is said to contribute to the greater impact on male fertility.
Just like in men, maca root also show promising results in female fertility and also in aid in the relief of symptoms of PMS and menopause. A 2005 study showed that extract of yellow maca increased litter size in mice.
This was the first scientific study to confirm the influence of maca root on female fertility. Another study with rats showed that maca powder showed multiple egg follicle maturation in females, which is important for ovulation. The finding suggests that maca is best taken prior to conception.
Conclusion
Maca is an important factor in fertility and vitality but also it is beneficial in boosting the immune system, reducing fatigue and lethargy, and providing the essential nutrients such as iron and iodine.
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