Not All Maca Is Created Equal: A Review of Colors, Nutrition, Phytochemicals, and Clinical Uses.

James Frame, Deanna M Minich, Henry O Meissner, Kim Ross, Mona Fahoum, Wendy Warner

Journal: Nutrients 2024;16(4):

PMID: 38398854

Abstract

Maca (, ) is part of the family and grows at high altitudes in the Peruvian Andes mountain range (3500-5000 m). Historically, it has been used as a nutrient-dense food and for its medicinal properties, primarily in enhancing energy and fertility. Scientific research has validated these traditional uses and other clinical applications by elucidating maca's mechanisms of action, nutrition, and phytochemical content. However, research over the last twenty years has identified up to seventeen different colors (phenotypes) of maca. The color, hypocotyl size, growing location, cultivation, and post-harvest processing methods can have a significant effect on the nutrition content, phytochemical profile, and clinical application. Yet, research differentiating the colors of maca and clinical applications remains limited. In this review, research on the nutrition, phytochemicals, and various colors of maca, including black, red, yellow (predominant colors), purple, gray (lesser-known colors), and any combination of colors, including proprietary formulations, will be discussed based on available preclinical and clinical trials. The gaps, deficiencies, and conflicts in the studies will be detailed, along with quality, safety, and efficacy criteria, highlighting the need for future research to specify all these factors of the maca used in publications.

Address: Human Nutrition and Functional Medicine, Adjunct Faculty, University of Western States, Portland, OR 97213, USA.; Food & Spirit, LLC, Port Orchard, WA 98366, USA.; Symphony Natural Health, Inc., West Valley City, UT 84119, USA.; Symphony Natural Health Institute, West Valley City, UT 84119, USA.; Symphony Natural Health, Inc., West Valley City, UT 84119, USA.; Symphony Natural Health Institute, West Valley City, UT 84119, USA.; Kim Ross Consulting, LLC, Lakewood Ranch, FL 34211, USA.; College of Nutrition, Sonoran University of Health Sciences, Tempe, AZ 85282, USA.; Symphony Natural Health Holdings Inc., Craigmuir Chambers, Road Town, Tortola VG1110, (BVI), UK.; Natural Health International Pty Ltd., Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia.; Symphony Natural Health, Inc., West Valley City, UT 84119, USA.; Meridian Medicine, Seattle, WA 98133, USA.; Bastyr Center for Natural Health, Bastyr University, Kenmore, WA 98028, USA.; Symphony Natural Health, Inc., West Valley City, UT 84119, USA.; Wendy Warner, MD, PC, Yardley, PA 19067, USA.; National Institute of Complementary Medicine, Health Research Institute, Western Sydney University, Building J, 158-160 Hawkesbury Road, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia.; Therapeutic Research, TTD International Pty Ltd., 39 Leopard Ave., Elanora-Gold Coast, QLD 4221, Australia.

DOI: 10.3390/nu16040530

Link outs

Free resources

Full Text Sources:

MeSH Terms: Plant Extracts, Lepidium, Fertility, Nutritional Status, Peru