What does Maca Root do??!

What does Maca Root do??

Any one taken it before?? Does it make you feel better?? Any bad experiences??

The list of ailments for which traditional herbalists recommend maca is extensive--from lubricating stiff arthritic joints to easing respiratory illnesses. Yet the actual evidence that it works for most uses is rather sparse. The herb seems most allied with the famed energizer and stress-adaptor, Siberian ginseng. However, maca simply has not undergone the rigorous testing that Siberian ginseng has.

Specifically, maca may help to:
Counter fatigue and energize the body. Spanish chroniclers describe Inca warriors consuming boiled maca root before battle as well as using it to bolster their reserves for endurance sports activities. Today, many sources tout maca as a fatigue-fighter and general tonic to counter lethargy, memory loss, and other ills that can result from depleted energy stores. Recent analyses indicate that the root is rich in calcium, Protein, iron, phosphorus, fiber, and Mineral salts--all nutrients that may have been in short supply in diets of another era.

Treat impotence and boost sex drive. Much has been written about the purported frigidity-countering and aphrodisiac qualities of the maca plant for men and women alike, but only recently has the plant been studied in any systematic way for these uses. It remains unclear exactly how the plant works to affect sex drive; some sources say it relates to the plant's sterols, which can act to normalize steroid hormones like testosterone, progesterone, and estrogen.

Cautions - Although maca has long been consumed as a food (boiled and eaten much like a sweet potato), little is known about the potential adverse effects of taking it in a concentrated pill form or at much higher dosages than customarily recommended for traditional use.