Maca a goitergen?

[tashantx]

Ok, I started maca last month and this month I realized it's really helping me with my hormonal problems. I don't chart and have been busy and didn't even realize af was approaching! My period has been a breeze and what I suspect are endometriosis symptoms (painful bowels bad cramps) also hot flashes are nonexistant this month. (I also started systemic enzymes over a month ago could be helpful too) I have been researching some thyroid related stuff and found that raw maca is a goitergen! I know in many that goitergens do not cause problems but some of my older symptoms have been a little more prominent lately (heart palps,dizzy spells,crash like fatigue) I thought it might be my blood sugar....ftr I am not on any thyroid meds or even working with a dr. out of sheer frustration b/c my numbers are in normal range. I figured it couldn't hurt to try natural thyroid healing foods ie coconut oil clo etc...I've also read that peanut butter can exasperate thyriod symptoms and I'm thinking a lot of this corresponds to my ''I'm busy I'll have peanut butter crackers '' breakfasts lately. SIGH! Anyone have paps on maca or after peanut butter consumption? I'm thinking of trying the gelatinized maca due to the drying process removing the goitergenic properties....I wonder if it's the enzymes helping or the maca? Or both? Any advice? I eat a natural peanut butter and wouldn't the roasting kill any goitergens? I'm a mess lol...

[mbravebird]

Apparently most traditional societies cooked their maca in some low-heat way. You can get that kind of maca from Radiant Life catalogue. It costs a lot, but you need very little (1/6 to 1/3 tsp) and it lasts forever.

[tashantx]

yeah that's what I've read....interesting that it is marketed as ''better raw''. That is supposedly why it can cause stomach upset.

[mom61508]

I don't know much about maca wish I could help but how about cashew or macadamia nut butter instead?

Do you have links on maca being a goitergen? I'm curious.

[tashantx]

Originally Posted by mom61508

I don't know much about maca wish I could help but how about cashew or macadamia nut butter instead?

Do you have links on maca being a goitergen? I'm curious.

I cannot remember where I read it but will look. It's in the crucifer family...I highly doubt that I'm that sensitive but it kinda started a whole evaluation of things I've felt since I started taking it. I hate the idea of limiting crucifers or having to cook them first but I just wonder if it's my problem...and just for clarification I don't think p/b is goitergenic I have read though that it can exasperate thyroid symptoms. eta: I don't want to pay extra for gelatinized if I don't need to...I wonder if anyone with a know thyroid problem has had any effects from maca

[ILoveMyBabyBird]

hm, interesting, i started taking maca to help luteal phase and have noticed extreme fatigue is worsening since taking the pills, i am going to to discontinue them for the time being along with my bcomplex as those i started together and my fatigue is worsening since. I will just take my multi for now, wondering if i should continue with the sea kelp, i just started it a few days ago...

hmm wondering if we could use the powder in cooking and cook it will that take some of the goitergen properties out i wonder?

[tashantx]

maybe I've thought of trying to toast my powder lightly. I'd hate to waste it. Seems as what we take in the capsules is just maca flour. So I'm sure it would be ok in breads etc. I just think it would be harder to get hte amount we need that way. That is why I'm leaning towards gelatinized myself.

[pianojazzgirl]

Sorry this doesn't address your OP exactly, but...

Are you currently supplementing Magnesium? When I started taking a good Mag/Cal supplement my heart palps stopped completely (and they were getting pretty bad/often beforehand). Thought I'd throw that out there...

[tashantx]

I take a cal mag zinc supp ratio is 1,000 500 and 50. Maybe I need to up my amount? I'll try anything heart palps are terrifing!

[pianojazzgirl]

Originally Posted by tashantx

I take a cal mag zinc supp ratio is 1,000 500 and 50. Maybe I need to up my amount? I'll try anything heart palps are terrifing!

I take the same amounts of Mag and Cal, but split up into 3 doses a day. There are several diff types of Mag so you might need to try a few to see what works best for you.

[tashantx]

so you take triple what I'm taking? Or you take the smaller amount at three different times? I agree about brands I'm just hoping to finish what I've got. I think I get good amounts of mag through my diet too...

[pianojazzgirl]

Originally Posted by tashantx

so you take triple what I'm taking? Or you take the smaller amount at three different times? I agree about brands I'm just hoping to finish what I've got. I think I get good amounts of mag through my diet too...

I take the smaller amount at three different times. Not sure if it makes a difference, but thought it worth mentioning. Also it's good to take vit C and/or D with it to help absorption. (And of course Mag deficiency might not even be playing into your palps.... argh I hate figuring out weird health stuff!).

Good luck mama!

BTW have you had your hormones tested? What were the results? There are other things besides Maca that you could try, depending on what's going on. For ex. I've been taking Red Clover for low estrogen.

[mbravebird]

Also keep in mind that since Calcium uses up magnesium when being processed by the body, you actually need more mag than cal if you're trying to correct a deficiency. Most of us are somewhat mag-deficient. The supps give us enough to help us process the calcium in the supp, but not enough to replenish us beyond that.

I've found nettle infusion to be better at treating cal/mag related things than supplements -- for my body.

[tashantx]

no I have not had my hormones tested, I wanted to wait until I started charting so I would know where I was in my cycle and want to find a doc (endocrinologist?) that is familiar with how hormone levels change throughout the cycle. ('m not sure when this will be or if I need a referral or whatever..) For now I'm just trying to work through it myself I get so discouraged when it comes to doctors at times. And I've been readiing a bit about nettle infusions for what seems like ages here and had 1 question. Since right now I don't have the $$ to buy the bulk herbs would a ''prepared tea bag'' work? At least that way I could try it before buying a bag of nettles.

[mbravebird]

You'd have to use the whole box of teabags -- you need about a cup of the herb per quart of water for an infusion. And you'd need to let it sit overnight, covered. But yeah, you could do it that way if you just wanted to try it.

Keep in mind when assessing its effect, though, that the herbs in tea bags older and less potent than bulk herbs. And also, the most profound changes come with cumulative use, although if you drank a good amount you'd probably feel some effect the first day.

Maybe the best way to try it would be to get 2 or 3 cups of the bulk herb from a health food store?

[pianojazzgirl]

I have been making nettle infusions for a while now and I find you can get the herb for really not too much $ if you have a HFS that sells in bulk. I think it would be cheaper than using the tea bags since, like the pp said, you'd have to use pretty much the whole box at a time! If you have five or ten bucks to spare you could get a small bag full and see if it makes a difference. Also, you can make infusions with less of the herb, it's just less effective. Still, some is better than none, IMO.

Hmmm.... as I mentioned before I'd been doing the Mag/Cal, but I forgot to mention the nettles.... maybe that's what's really been helping me with my palpitations!

Also, do a little reading about Red Clover. It's a natural phytoestrogen which has been shown in many studies NOT to increase risk of breast cancer (which is the concern with supping estrogen). It has also been shown to help with hot flashes (and a ton of other things). Anyway, you might want to look into it to see if it sounds like something that could help you. I've been taking it (like I mentioned) because I have low estrogen, with wonky shorter-than-usual cycles and hair loss as my main concerns. IIRC Susun Weed's website had some good info about it.