Anyone tried Maca for Fertility?

[JustJenny]

Just doing some research on fertility herbs for myself and came across this one. Sounds like amazing stuff! Here is a link to information if anyone else is interested. Also included is a link to a old thread on Maca with great information. I think I'm going to try it. Any other experiences out there good or bad? How 'bout the taste? 

http://natural-fertility-info.com/maca

http://www.mothering.com/community/t/1086520/maca-maca-maca

[Mosaic]

I haven't tried it personally, but I know others on here have, so I'm hopeful they'll pop in soon!!

[JustJenny]

Yeah I hope someone out there has tried too :) I started researching because I didn't like the side effects of Vitex.  Maca just sounds amazing - increases fertility quickly for both men and women, balances your hormones without containing any hormones..... Increases energy and libido....and its so safe - its a root veggie!  I'm so surprised that it isn't mentioned more often.  Here is a excerpt of how it works for fertility: 

Containing 31 different minerals and 60 different phytonutrients, maca is a nourishing food for the endocrine system, aiding both the pituitary, adrenal, and thyroid glands (all involved in hormonal balance.) Maca has the ability to affect key hormones in both women and men without containing hormones itself.

Maca has been scientifically researched for the use of increasing fertility since 1961 and has been shown to contain specific compounds called glucosinolates which directly can affect fertility for both men and women. These alkaloids are responsible for maca’s ability to support hormonal balance.

Benefits of maca:

• Supports hormonal balance
• Increases energy, stamina, and mental clarity
• Supports the thyroid
• Supports normal sexual function

Adaptogenic
Maca also has adaptogenic properties which means it helps to strengthen the body so it is able to better resist disease and stress, support the adrenal glands and balances the body’s functions. In order for an herb to be considered an adaptogen it must be non-toxic or harmless to any organ of the body and must be able to be ingested for long periods of time safely. Maca is classified as an adaptogen.

Endocrine system tonic
One of maca’s main actions is to stimulate and nourish the hypothalamus which regulates the pituitary gland, acting as a tonic for the hormone system. When the pituitary gland functions optimally, the entire endocrine system becomes balanced, because the pituitary gland controls the hormone output of the other three glands.

Promotes Hormonal Balance
In women, maca works by controlling estrogen in the body. Estrogen levels that are high or low at the wrong time can keep a woman from becoming pregnant or keep her from carrying to term. Excess estrogen levels also cause progesterone levels to become too low. Taking maca may help to increase the progesterone levels which are essential to carrying a healthy pregnancy.

Estrogen in men produces erectile dysfunction or lack of libido, low sperm count, and lowered production of seminal fluid. Studies have shown that men who use maca may experience an increased libido and an increase in sperm health.

In one study with rats and maca, it was found that animals given maca powder showed multiple egg follicle maturation in females (important for ovulation) and the males had significantly higher sperm production and motility rates.

Supports normal sexual function
In a human study of 9 men who were given gelatinized maca for 4 months at 1,500 – 3,000 mg a day experienced an increase in libido, sperm count, mobillity of sperm, increased DHEA levels, decreased anxiety and stress, lowered blood pressure, balanced iron levels and an increase in adrenal 

[skeemama]

Very interesting,  I just picked up a package of it at a health food mart.  

Not really sure how I will use it yet.

Google & I have a date later!

[JustJenny]

Skeemama- Cool! Let me know what you end up doing and how you feel.  I'm ordering mine tonight in pill form since my stomach tends to get upset easily. Anyone else want to try with us??

[spiritofthings]

I was took it from time to time. AF had not returned after baby no. 3 and he was 2 years old. I didn't want to wait much longer to conceive. So I took maca pills in combination with vitex (chaste tree) pills to hopefully get AF back and to regulate the periods, which usually are pretty irregular. Amazingly after 2 months of this my periods returned and were so regular, I couldn't believe it. I was taking 800 mg of the vitex and I can't remember how much of the maca - maybe 400 mg. From memory it was the maca that went down a little easier than the vitex, but really both were okay. We conceived about 5 months later. I was taking maca on and off, as well as my husband. 

[ISISandOSIRIS]

Dh and I both took maca for quite awhile. Unfortunately, I started getting very bad breakouts from it and since I still wasn't getting pregnant. Dh took it a bit longer than I did, but sorry to say, it did not help. BUT, everyone's body chemistry is different, so you never know if it's just what your body needs.

The taste was pretty bad, especially after taking it for so long, but dh used to add it to smoothies for us and that helped a lot (especially if there was banana in the smoothie). I also made our own gel caps from the powder (which was much less expensive than buying it in capsule form) so we could just swallow it down. It'll do a number on your stomach whether it's powder or capsule, especially at first, but your body will get used to it (at least mine did). Unfortunately, I really never found that "miracle" cure to my infertility. The only thing that worked was patience (not giving up) and time.

[JustJenny]

Isis- Congratulations on your impending birth! How wonderful for you both     I'm so happy you were able to conceive. 3 years is a very long time!  

We've been trying for 16 months and had one chemical pregnancy in July. I'm hoping Maca will help with the hormonal situation.  I should get my shipment tues or wed. Wish me luck :)

[anyalily]

DH and I are starting to mix it into smoothies. I like the taste and smell. Sort of nutty. I am using high potency maca powder from essential living foods. The serving size is 1-2 tsp and I will just take 1 tsp this cycle to see if I react to it, then maybe increase next cycle if we don't conceive.

[JustJenny]

Just got my Maca today and took my first pill. I thought it smelled good too Anyalily! I was surprised since everyone said it tastes so bad. If I don't have any problems with it I will definitely get the loose stuff to put in my green smoothies next time. Like you, I'm starting out slowly and will up my dose as I adjust to the affects. So far I have great energy today and no other unpleasant side effects.....

Sprinkling Baby dust to all :)

[JustJenny]

Found another old thread on Maca. This one has great information on how much to take. There are also a few stories of how some people got pregnant using Maca.  

http://www.mothering.com/community/t/1187953/ttc-with-maca

[hippiemombian]

I was watching videos about raw diets and stuff and I came across this video. If you listen to the sales guy he explains how to take maca for optimum benifits, which I didn't know so I thought it was pretty cool. The video itself doesnt have anything to do with fertility, but I liked the explaination of maca.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0daJkgcbuGs&feature=related

[ISISandOSIRIS]

Originally Posted by JustJenny 

Isis- Congratulations on your impending birth! How wonderful for you both      I'm so happy you were able to conceive. 3 years is a very long time!  

We've been trying for 16 months and had one chemical pregnancy in July. I'm hoping Maca will help with the hormonal situation.  I should get my shipment tues or wed. Wish me luck

TY Jenny! :

[JustJenny]

Hippiemombian- great video, thank you! Seems like a cool channel too.  Definitely some great Maca info in there.  I liked the maca ice cream recipe if you enjoy the taste :)

So far I've been feeling pretty balanced on the Maca. I upped my dose yesterday so I'm taking 1,050 mg of the gelatinized form. I have had some stomach burning but Ginger and Aloe juice have knocked it out.  I think this is as high as I'm going to go since I've read the Maca does have a cumulative affect on the body.  AF finally came for me a couple days ago after a long annovulatory cycle.  I feel like the Maca has helped to balance out the remaining hormones from my miscarriage in July. I've had good energy and just a healthier sense of well being.   So far so good....

[skeemama]

Thanks for the link!

[Sharlla]

i was taking it for energy actually.  then my cycle was weird, i got a positive  PG test 17 days after my missed period last oct  i ended up having spotting off and on.  my due date came and went, no baby.  either i had a chemical pg or a false positive.  all the while i never knew that i wasnt pg.  i did end up getting pg somewhere during that time though. i think im either due this month or early oct.  it's been a very very weird year. im glad though because i will have a baby that i really wanted anyway (dh was done)  so it worked out

Edited by Sharlla - 9/23/12 at 7:42am

[JustJenny]

Congrats Sharlla! I wish you an amazing unhindered birth     I love the energy that Maca imparts. Its not jittery you just feel good.

Skeemama - Have you tried it yet? How much and how are you taking it?

AFM- I'm still loving it. I feel so much more balanced hormonally. As a bonus - TMI alert- my CM this month was the best I've EVER had. Usually I only have one day of eggwhite cm. Sometimes nothing. This cycle I had 4 days of Eggwhite CM!!!!  Its enough to keep me taking it even if we don't conceive this cycle.  I just o'd today so we'll see.....So far I'm impressed! I think its something that I will continue to take long term even if it doesn't result in a pregnancy.

[Jennifer K]

I'm new here and the maca research on, this is how found this site. I'm going to go buy some tonight and being taking it tomorrow morning. Hope this hope for those are taking it now. 

[JustJenny]

Hey Jennifer K-     glad you've found your way to mothering.com.  Its a great site full of lots of information and other friendly mama's. Hope your stay in the TTC category is short and the Maca is a wonderful help to you!  Let us know how it goes....

[Chrissy23]

Im new to this site and looking for help. I was told by my friend about Maca. Is it better to take the pill or powder? Where is the best place to pick some up? a health food store or a vitamin store?