Maca Root Benefits for Men: What Does the Science Say? (2026)

By Jordan Harvey · 15 July 2026 · Updated 15 July 2026 · 12 min read

Maca root (Lepidium meyenii) is a cruciferous vegetable grown almost exclusively above 4,000 metres in the Peruvian Andes. It has been used as a food and traditional remedy for over 2,000 years — and over the past two decades it has become one of the most-searched men's health supplements in the UK. In a 12-week double-blind RCT, 1,500–3,000mg/day of gelatinised maca was associated with significantly improved self-reported sexual desire from week 8 onwards, and the effect was independent of testosterone, oestradiol, and mood scores (Gonzales et al., Andrologia, 2002).

For UK men over 40 looking at herbal supplements for men, that "independent of testosterone" detail is what makes maca interesting. Most traditional aphrodisiac claims centre on hormonal pathways — maca appears to work through a different route from hormone-focused ingredients. This guide walks through what the clinical evidence actually shows: where it's strong, where it's weaker, what dose works, and how to choose a quality product.

What Is Maca Root and How Does It Work?

Maca is a cruciferous root vegetable in the same family as broccoli, cabbage, and mustard. It grows on the high-altitude puna of central Peru, in conditions hostile enough that few other crops survive: thin air, intense UV, freezing nights, and poor mineral soils. Local Andean populations have eaten it dried and gelatinised for centuries as both a food staple and a traditional Andean remedy.

The bioactive profile is unusual. The strongest evidence so far points to macamides and macaenes — polyunsaturated fatty acid amides found nowhere else in nature. A 2025 systematic review and meta-analysis of 21 studies concluded that macamides produce a "large effect" on physical performance markers, although the authors emphasised that most data is still from animal models and called for more human trials (Huerta Ojeda et al., Nutrients, 2025).

Beyond the macamides, maca contains glucosinolates (sulphur-containing antioxidant compounds), plant sterols like beta-sitosterol, and small amounts of alkaloids such as macaridine and lepidiline. The current working hypothesis is that maca acts on the central nervous system — particularly the endocannabinoid system — rather than on the gonadal-hormonal axis. That fits with the trial data: across multiple RCTs, sexual desire and function improve, while serum testosterone, LH, FSH, prolactin, and oestradiol stay essentially unchanged.

A 2024 review in Pharmacological Research went further and argued that maca shouldn't be treated as a single compound at all: "Not all colours have the same function and must be personalised to the intended outcome" (Beharry & Heinrich, Pharmacological Research, 2024). Yellow, black, and red maca have measurably different bioactive profiles and different research records — an important detail if you're comparing UK products on the shelf.

What Are the Science-Backed Benefits of Maca Root for Men?

1. Sexual Desire: What the Trials Show Strongest Evidence

The most frequently replicated finding concerns self-reported sexual desire. In Gonzales et al. (2002), a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial of 57 healthy men, both 1,500mg and 3,000mg/day of gelatinised maca were associated with significantly improved self-reported sexual desire from week 8 onwards, with no statistically significant difference between the two doses (Gonzales et al., Andrologia, 2002). Crucially, the desire improvement was independent of changes in testosterone, oestradiol, or mood scores.

A separate trial in men with SSRI-induced sexual dysfunction — a population that's particularly hard to help — found that in Dording et al. (2008), 3,000mg/day of maca root was associated with significantly improved sexual desire and function scores on both the ASEX and MGH-SFQ questionnaires (p<0.05) (Dording et al., CNS Neurosci Ther, 2008). SSRI-related sexual side effects affect a significant fraction of men on antidepressants, and few non-pharmaceutical options have any RCT data at all in this group.

Study Funding Transparency

Most maca trials have come from a small group of Peruvian research teams. That isn't a flaw on its own — Peru is where the plant is studied most seriously — but it means the evidence base is geographically concentrated. Funding patterns:

Most positive maca trials are academic rather than industry-funded, which adds credibility. The independently funded 2022 meta-analysis on sperm found a positive trend but high heterogeneity and a non-significant pooled effect — a fair signal that the sexual-desire trial data (Gonzales 2002, Dording 2008) is more consistent than the fertility data so far.

2. Sperm Quality and Male Fertility Moderate Evidence

In a 4-month trial of 9 healthy adult men taking 1,500mg or 3,000mg of maca daily, researchers measured semen parameters and reported sperm concentration +35%, total sperm count +84%, and motile sperm count +109%. None of these changes correlated with shifts in FSH, LH, prolactin, oestradiol, or testosterone — pointing again to a non-hormonal mechanism (Gonzales et al., Asian J Androl, 2001). These trial doses (1,500–3,000mg) are far above Blue Power's 50mg Maca Root dose and cannot be transferred to Blue Power as a label claim.

The honest caveat: a 2022 meta-analysis pooling 5 RCTs on maca and semen quality found the overall effect on sperm concentration was not statistically significant (pooled WMD 2.22, 95% CI −2.94 to 7.37, p=0.4) with very high heterogeneity (I²=91%) (Lee et al., Front Pharmacol, 2022). The individual trials are encouraging, but the pooled signal isn't yet strong enough to call this a settled benefit. If fertility is your specific goal, maca is reasonable as part of a stack but shouldn't be the only intervention.

3. Erectile Function

Zenico et al. (2009) ran a 12-week double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in 50 men with mild ED. The 2,400mg/day maca dry-extract group improved IIEF-5 scores by +1.6 points vs +0.5 for placebo (p<0.001), with parallel improvements in general and sexual wellbeing scores (Zenico et al., Andrologia, 2009).

A larger and more recent trial reinforces the signal. Shin et al. (2023) randomised 80 men with symptoms of late-onset hypogonadism to 3,000mg/day gelatinised maca or placebo for 12 weeks. The maca group showed significant improvements in IIEF (erectile function), IPSS (lower urinary tract / prostate symptoms), and AMS (Ageing Males' Symptoms) scores, with a marked reduction in ADAM-positive rates (p<0.0001) (Shin et al., World J Men's Health, 2023).

4. Physical Energy and Exercise Performance

Stone et al. (2009) tested maca extract in 8 trained cyclists and reported a significant improvement in 40-km time-trial performance vs baseline (p=0.01) after just 14 days of supplementation (Stone et al., J Ethnopharmacol, 2009). A larger 2023 trial in 44 elite athletes used 5,000mg/day of black maca for 8 weeks and reported improved physical fitness markers, lower inflammation, and improved mitochondrial biogenesis (Holgado et al., Nutrients, 2023).

The 2025 macamide meta-analysis adds mechanistic support: across 21 studies the unique fatty-acid amides in maca were reported to have a "large effect" on physical performance markers, although most were animal trials (Huerta Ojeda et al., 2025); these are trial findings, not claims for any product. This is why maca is studied as an everyday adaptogen rather than a stimulant.

5. Mood and Wellbeing

Across multiple trials, mood improvement appears as a secondary outcome. The Shin 2023 RCT documented significant gains on the AMS questionnaire (psychological, somatic, and sexual domains). Zenico 2009 reported improved general wellbeing alongside the IIEF gains. The Dording 2008 SSRI trial — though primarily about sexual function — also tracked mood and saw no negative effects, which matters because some herbal compounds in this category can interact with serotonin systems.

Maca Forms, Colours & Quality Standardisation

Two structural choices matter when buying maca: the form (raw vs gelatinised vs concentrated extract) and the colour type (yellow vs black vs red). Both influence what you actually take, and neither is usually obvious on a UK shelf.

Gelatinised maca is raw maca that's been heat-pressure treated to remove the indigestible starch. The result is easier on the stomach, more concentrated in active compounds per gram, and what most positive RCTs have used. Raw maca is cheaper but causes bloating in roughly a third of users in early weeks, which is part of why raw-powder studies sometimes show higher dropout. Concentrated extracts standardised to macamide content can deliver the same active compounds at a lower mg dose — useful in multi-ingredient formulas where each ingredient gets a moderate share.

On colour: yellow maca is the most common type and the basis for most published clinical trials in men, including those assessing sexual desire and fertility outcomes. Black maca has the strongest data for sperm count and physical performance. Red maca has the most prostate-relevant evidence, though most of it is still preclinical. A 2024 review explicitly recommended choosing colour by intended outcome (Beharry & Heinrich, 2024). This is the kind of decision a multi-ingredient formula sidesteps by choosing the form best matched to the broader stack — a topic we cover in detail in our Maca Root Extract bioavailability and form comparison guide.

How Much Maca Should Men Take? Clinical Dosage Guide

Across the published trials in men, the dosing pattern is fairly consistent. 1,500–3,000mg/day of gelatinised root powder, taken with food, for at least 8 weeks. Higher doses (up to 5,000mg) have been used in athletic studies without adverse events but produced little additional benefit over 1,500–3,000mg for the outcomes measured. Below 1,500mg, the self-reported desire effect tends to fall short of significance.

For men taking maca as part of a multi-ingredient formula, Blue Power contains a 50mg concentrated extract alongside other ingredients including Oat extract (Avena sativa), Korean Ginseng, zinc, and L-arginine. The single-ingredient approach (3,000mg of straight powder daily) suits men using maca on its own; a concentrated extract in a multi-ingredient tablet suits men who prefer one tablet over several.

Is Maca Root Safe? Side Effects & UK Regulatory Status

The safety profile is one of maca's strongest features. The US National Library of Medicine's LiverTox database rates maca's likelihood of causing liver injury as "E" (unlikely) — the lowest-risk category (NCBI LiverTox NBK548552). Across published RCTs, no serious adverse events have been reported at doses up to 5,000mg/day for periods of weeks to months.

The most common minor side effect is mild gastrointestinal discomfort — bloating, gas, occasional loose stools. In one study this was reported in roughly a third of participants on raw maca, and dropped sharply when participants switched to gelatinised maca. A handful of users report mild jitteriness or sleep disturbance if maca is taken late in the day, consistent with its mild adaptogenic stimulation.

UK regulatory status: Maca is legal to buy and sell in the UK as a food supplement and is widely stocked. However, EFSA has not authorised any specific health claims for maca under EU Regulation 432/2012. Health claims relating to vitality, fertility, and hormonal function were submitted but placed "on hold" as part of the EU botanical review process. The practical effect: UK retailers cannot legally make specific benefit claims on the product label, which is why you'll see careful wording like "traditionally used" rather than direct effect claims.

How to Choose Quality Maca Root in the UK

The UK shelf is full of maca products with very different actual potencies. The differences that matter:

• Form — gelatinised over raw: Look for "gelatinised" or "pre-cooked" maca. This isn't gelatin (it's vegan); it just refers to a heat-pressure process that removes starch. Gelatinised maca was used in the best-evidenced published RCTs in men, including Gonzales 2002 and Shin 2023.
• Colour transparency: Quality producers state whether the maca is yellow, black, red, or a tri-colour blend. "Maca extract" with no colour information often means whatever the supplier had.
• Origin — Peru, above 4,000m: Authentic maca grows above 4,000 metres in the Andes. Some products use lowland-grown maca cultivated outside Peru — the bioactive profile is reliably weaker.
• Third-party testing: Heavy metals (lead, cadmium, arsenic) and microbial limits. Cruciferous root crops accumulate soil metals readily, so a Certificate of Analysis matters more for maca than for many supplements.
• Dose transparency: Avoid proprietary blends. You should know exactly how many milligrams of maca you're getting per serving and whether it's powder or extract equivalent.

Why Does Blue Power Include 50mg Maca Root Extract in Its Formula?

For men who prefer one tablet over several, a complete formula removes the friction of buying, dosing, and timing multiple supplements. Blue Power's approach is transparent, multi-ingredient dosing rather than a maximum dose of any single compound.

Frequently Asked Questions About Maca Root for Men

The Bottom Line: Is Maca Root Worth It for Men Over 40?

The most distinctive aspect of the maca evidence base is the sexual-desire finding: in Gonzales et al. (2002), replicated in a different population by Dording et al. (2008) and with broader symptom measures by Shin et al. (2023), the effect was consistently independent of testosterone. That CNS-mediated, hormone-neutral mechanism sets maca apart from most other ingredients in the men's health category.

The fertility evidence is more mixed. Individual trials look encouraging, but the pooled meta-analysis on sperm concentration didn't reach significance with high heterogeneity. If fertility is your primary goal, maca is reasonable in a stack but isn't yet a stand-alone fix. The energy and erectile-function evidence sits in between — smaller trials, consistent direction, but more replication needed.

Quality matters. Gelatinised powder or standardised extract from authentic high-altitude Peruvian root, third-party tested, with transparent colour and dose information. For men who prefer a single transparent multi-ingredient tablet over assembling several separate products, a complete formula is the more efficient route than building a six-bottle stack.