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Ingredient guide

Maca root for women: what the trials found

Written by the Full Measure editorial team, which sells supplements. Approved for publication by the Full Measure owners. Updated .

Drafted with AI assistance from the sources listed below. How we write these

Quick answer

In women, maca has mostly been tested around and after menopause, at 2 to 3.5 g a day for 6 weeks to 4 months. Small trials reported better scores on menopause rating scales, a finding we grade early. We found no trial testing it for weight gain, breast size or body shape.1,2,3

Key facts

  • A 2011 review found four small trials in women around or after menopause, too weak for firm conclusions.1
  • Two trials in women after menopause found no change in estradiol, FSH or LH.3,4
  • Lab tests of maca found no estrogen or androgen activity.3
  • Most trials in women lasted 6 to 12 weeks.3,5

Around and after menopause

Most research on maca in women has been done in the years around and after menopause. The trials used standard rating scales that score hot flashes, night sweats, sleep, mood and sexual concerns.1,2

May ease some self-rated discomforts after menopause*1,2,3

Early evidence

A 2011 review found four small randomized trials in women around or after menopause. All reported better scores on menopause rating scales with maca, but the reviewers judged the trials too few, too small and too weak for firm conclusions. The largest trial we found, of a branded gelatinized maca at 2 g a day in 168 women, reported fewer hot flashes and night sweats. In a smaller crossover trial, 14 women taking 3.5 g of maca powder a day for 6 weeks scored lower for psychological discomfort and sexual concerns than on placebo.

Amount studied: 2 to 3.5 g a day of maca powder, for 6 weeks to 4 months

The trials disagree about hormones. Trials of one branded gelatinized maca reported higher estradiol and lower FSH, but two other trials found no change in either, and lab tests found no estrogen activity in the maca they used. Without a clear hormone effect, nobody can say how maca would ease these changes, if it does.2,3,4

Weight gain, curves and breast size

People often ask whether maca can help women gain weight, get a curvier figure or grow larger breasts. We found no trial that tested any of these. The women's trials measured rating scales and hormones, and estradiol did not change in two of the trials that measured it.1,3,4

In a trial in men over 40 that tracked body weight, weight rose slightly on maca and on placebo alike.6

Is red maca better for women?

People often ask whether red maca is better for women. The only trial that compared colors enrolled men and women together and measured mood and energy, not anything specific to women, so it cannot settle the question.7

Pregnancy, breastfeeding and hormone-sensitive conditions

There is little research on maca in pregnancy or while breastfeeding, and a 2011 review noted that its safety had not been proven. Ask your doctor before using it while pregnant, trying to conceive or breastfeeding.1

If you have a hormone-sensitive condition such as breast cancer, endometriosis or uterine fibroids, talk to your doctor first. Most trials found no hormone effect, but the trials of one branded maca reported a rise in estradiol.2,3

If you take an antidepressant, hormonal birth control or another prescription medicine, ask your pharmacist. The MedlinePlus pages for common antidepressants and birth control pills do not mention maca, but that is a gap in the evidence, not proof that the combination is harmless.8,9

Side effects reported with maca are uncommon and usually mild, mostly stomach upset and headache.10

Questions people ask

Does maca increase estrogen?

Not in most trials. Two trials in women after menopause found no change in estradiol, and lab tests found no estrogen activity in maca. Only trials of one branded gelatinized maca reported a rise.2,3,4

Will maca help me gain weight or curves?

There is no evidence that it will. We found no trial that tested maca for weight gain, body shape or breast size in women.

Can I take maca while trying to get pregnant?

Ask your doctor first. Maca's safety has not been proven, and there is little research on its use around pregnancy.1

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Sources

  1. Lee MS, et al. Maca (Lepidium meyenii) for treatment of menopausal symptoms: A systematic review. Maturitas. 2011;70(3):227-33. Opened 2026-10-07.
  2. Meissner HO, et al. Hormone-Balancing Effect of Pre-Gelatinized Organic Maca (Lepidium peruvianum Chacon): (II) Physiological and Symptomatic Responses of Early-Postmenopausal Women to Standardized doses of Maca in Double Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Multi-Centre Clinical Study. Int J Biomed Sci. 2006;2(4):360-74. Opened 2026-10-07.
  3. Brooks NA, et al. Beneficial effects of Lepidium meyenii (Maca) on psychological symptoms and measures of sexual dysfunction in postmenopausal women are not related to estrogen or androgen content. Menopause. 2008;15(6):1157-62. Opened 2026-10-07.
  4. Stojanovska L, et al. Maca reduces blood pressure and depression, in a pilot study in postmenopausal women. Climacteric. 2015;18(1):69-78. Opened 2026-10-07.
  5. Dording CM, et al. A double-blind placebo-controlled trial of maca root as treatment for antidepressant-induced sexual dysfunction in women. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2015;2015:949036. Opened 2026-10-07.
  6. Shin D, et al. Efficacy and Safety of Maca (Lepidium meyenii) in Patients with Symptoms of Late-Onset Hypogonadism: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial. World J Mens Health. 2023;41(3):692-700. Opened 2026-10-07.
  7. Gonzales-Arimborgo C, et al. Acceptability, Safety, and Efficacy of Oral Administration of Extracts of Black or Red Maca (Lepidium meyenii) in Adult Human Subjects: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study. Pharmaceuticals (Basel). 2016;9(3):49. Opened 2026-10-07.
  8. MedlinePlus. Sertraline. Bethesda (MD): National Library of Medicine. Last revised October 15, 2025. Opened 2026-10-07.
  9. MedlinePlus. Ethinyl Estradiol and Norethindrone (Oral Contraceptives). Bethesda (MD): National Library of Medicine. Last revised May 15, 2025. Opened 2026-10-07.
  10. LiverTox: Clinical and Research Information on Drug-Induced Liver Injury. Maca. Bethesda (MD): National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases; 2012 onward. Last updated April 10, 2019. Opened 2026-10-07.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

This page is information, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about your own situation.