Maca

Maca · an Andean root sold for libido, energy and hormones

SUPPLEMENTFACTSTACK.COM™
Consumer Brief · October 2026
21 October 2026 · v8

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Claim Verdict

Promising

Male Libido, Erectile Function

Research Confidence

Very Low

Male Libido

Supporting Evidence

Promising

Male Libido

Safety Risk

Real Concern

Male Libido

Product Quality

Variable

Male Libido

Bottom line: Maca may give a small lift to male sex drive, but the evidence is thin and it does not raise testosterone. Abroad, regulators found sildenafil in some maca men’s capsules.

What’s New This Month

Products listed: Ten maca products now appear in our buying table. None holds NSF/ANSI 173, NSF Sport or USP certification. ¹
FDA warning letter: FDA’s letter of 20 March 2026 says Nupack’s MACA 1000 mg was sold with erectile dysfunction and blood-pressure claims, and was adulterated. ²
FDA reports: FDA has received reports of illness in people taking maca products, including one liver-injury hospitalization; reports do not show that maca caused them. ³
Lead notices: California received 57 notices in two years alleging lead in maca-matched products; notices are allegations, not test results. ⁴
Dose: Health Canada’s licensing rules set doses of about 2-3.5 g a day and advise checking with a practitioner for longer use. The one positive trial used about 5 g a day. ⁵ ⁶

Overview

Maca is the root of Lepidium meyenii, a cabbage-family plant grown in the Peruvian Andes. People there eat it as a food.

It is sold as yellow, red or black root powder, as gelatinized powder (cooked to remove starch) and as extract, in capsules and powders.

Labels claim better sex drive, erectile function, fertility, testosterone, energy and mood, and relief of menopause symptoms. Many call it an adaptogen, a plant said to help the body handle stress.

How We Researched It

We rate each marketing claim with a modified version of GRADE, the system medical researchers use to say how sure we can be (i.e., high, moderate, low or very low), and check each trial with the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool, which asks whether a study’s design could skew its results. For maca we screened about 185 hits and used 30 evidence rows, mostly published from October 2022 through October 2026. We also checked 10 regulators and safety databases. We found no Cochrane review of maca.

Research NotesTop three benefits

Male Libido GRADE: Very Low

In an 80-man trial, about 5 g a day for 12 weeks raised sexual function scores against placebo, and testosterone did not change. An older 57-man trial found more desire at 1.5 to 3 g a day. ⁶ ²²

Bias check: It is one trial, not repeated, and its own table and text disagree on one symptom score, so we rate it at high risk of bias. Its authors list company affiliations, yet declare nothing to disclose. Older trials did not report how they randomized. ⁶

Erectile Function GRADE: Very Low

Two small trials pooled showed about a 1-point gain on an erectile function score; one showed no clear effect alone. A 2025 review of herbs for erectile dysfunction called the maca evidence insufficient. ¹⁴ ²³

Bias check: The pooled review’s own bias rating was concerning. Both arms improved in the larger trial. ¹⁴

Female Sexual Function GRADE: Very Low

In 45 women with sexual problems from antidepressants, 3 g a day for 12 weeks gave more relief than placebo, mostly in women past menopause. ²⁴

Bias check: It is one older trial, and the gain showed mainly in a subgroup. ²⁴

Benefit Evaluation

Claim	Claim Verdict	Research Confidence	Supporting Evidence	Safety Risk	Product Quality	FactStack™ Rating
Male Libido	Promising	Very Low	Promising	Real Concern	Variable	Caution
Erectile Function	Promising	Very Low	Promising	Real Concern	Variable	Caution
Female Sexual Function	TBD	Very Low	TBD	Caution	Variable	Caution
Menopause Symptoms	TBD	Very Low	TBD	Caution	Variable	Caution
Mood	TBD	Very Low	TBD	Caution	Variable	Caution
Energy	TBD	Very Low	TBD	Caution	Variable	Caution
Altitude Sickness	TBD	Very Low	TBD	Caution	Variable	Caution
Blood Pressure	TBD	Very Low	TBD	Caution	Variable	Caution
Immune Support	TBD	Very Low	TBD	Caution	Variable	Caution
Bone, Arthritis, Infection and Cancer	TBD	Very Low	TBD	Caution	Variable	Caution
Cognition and Memory	TBD	Very Low	TBD	Caution	Variable	Caution
Prostate Health	TBD	Very Low	TBD	Caution	Variable	Caution
Fertility	Doubtful	Very Low	Doubtful	Caution	Variable	Warning
Athletic Performance	Doubtful	Very Low	Doubtful	Caution	Variable	Warning

What Sellers Say vs. What Studies Show

“Boosts testosterone.”	Three trials found no change in testosterone. A review of 52 studies lists maca among boosters that fail to raise it. ⁶ ⁷
“Clinically proven.”	One recent trial supports male libido. Its authors list company affiliations, yet declare nothing to disclose. ⁶
“Improves fertility and sperm.”	A review of 5 trials found no clear change in sperm count. In a 50-man trial, sperm concentration rose 40% on maca and 76% on placebo. ⁸ ⁹
“Boosts energy and athletic performance.”	A trial of 10 basketball players found no change in jumping, fatigue or recovery. A 20-man trial changed only one immune marker. ¹⁰ ¹¹
“It’s a food, so it’s safe.”	The root powder has a long food history. Health Canada does not accept maca root extract in supplemented foods. ¹²
“Pure and third-party tested.”	NSF lists no maca product. California received 57 notices in two years alleging lead in maca-matched products; notices are allegations, not test results. ¹ ⁴

Trial ParametersIf you try it

Who	Healthy adults who accept a small, unproven benefit. Avoid in pregnancy or breastfeeding. Ask first with bipolar disorder.
Dose	Health Canada licenses 3 to 3.5 g a day of dried root for sexual health, and 2 to 3.5 g for menopause mood. ⁵
Ceiling	3.5 g a day of dried root, the top of Health Canada’s licensed range. The one positive trial used about 5 g. ⁵ ⁶
Duration	Judge it at 12 weeks and stop if nothing changed. Ask a practitioner before more than 6 weeks above 3 g a day. ⁵
Form	Ask the seller for a batch lead test. Skip men’s sexual-enhancement capsules with fast-acting claims; some abroad held sildenafil. ¹³
Ask First	Blood-pressure conditions, blood thinners, antidepressants, anxiety or depression, thyroid disease or a low-iodine diet. Ask a practitioner or pharmacist.

Source: ⁵ and studies cited.

How to Take It

Pick a plan	Trials used about 1.2 to 5 g a day for 6 to 16 weeks. Health Canada licenses about 2 to 3.5 g a day. ⁶ ¹⁴ ⁵
Time of day	Not reported.
With food	Not reported. The one trial that worked gave doses before meals. ⁶
What to expect	In one 80-man trial, sexual function scores rose by 12 weeks, and testosterone did not change. Two of 41 men on maca had mild stomach upset. ⁶
How to take	Pick capsules or powder that name the color type (yellow, red or black). No trial compares color types, or raw with gelatinized maca.

Works With / Don’t Mix With

✓ Works with

Not reported. We found no supplement shown to add to maca’s effect.

⚠ Ask first / don’t mix

Blood thinners and blood-pressure drugs. Health Canada asks anyone with a blood-pressure condition, or on blood thinners, to check with a practitioner first. ⁵

SSRI antidepressants. USP says maca may interact with them. ¹⁵

Thyroid disease or a low-iodine diet. Maca compounds could, with too little iodine, enlarge the thyroid. This is theory only; no human thyroid data exist. ¹⁵ ¹⁶

Men with fertility problems. In a 50-man trial, free testosterone fell on maca. ⁹

Anxiety, depression or bipolar disorder. Health Canada asks people with psychological disorders to check first. A review reports one case of mania. ⁵ ¹⁷

Men’s sexual-enhancement capsules. Regulators abroad have found sildenafil in some “maca” men’s capsules. ¹³

Pregnant or breastfeeding? Avoid it: Health Canada and USP carry a warning statement, and safety data are missing. ⁵ ¹⁵ Not reported: tested supplement combinations.

Manufacturer Recalls & WarningsLast 36 months, newest first

Date	Maker / Brand	Product	Action	Src
Sep 2026	Several makers (see notices)	Maca powders and maca-containing products	California received 57 notices in two years alleging lead in maca-matched products; notices are allegations, not test results.	⁴
Jul 2026	Your Essential Supplements Inc. (Philippines)	TURBO Maca and Clavo Huasca capsules for men, lot 24TRB1102	Philippines FDA advisory 2026-0735: sildenafil found in these capsules. Sale in the US is not established.	¹³
Apr 2026	Jamieson Laboratories	Jamieson maca capsules, lots 68776, 69462, 70151	Health Canada Type III recall (RA-81822): tamper-evident seals may be defective; not a contamination finding.	¹⁸
Mar 2026	Nupack Inc.	MACA 1000 mg	FDA warning letter 722113: erectile dysfunction and blood-pressure claims; also adulterated (manufacturing failures).	²

FDA’s recall database lists no maca recall from October 2024 to October 2026. ¹⁹ FDA lists some imported maca products for detention at the border because of drug claims; this is not a recall. ²⁰ FDA has received reports of illness in people taking maca products, including one liver-injury hospitalization; reports do not show that maca caused them. ³ Health Canada does not accept maca root extract in supplemented foods. ¹² The EU Novel Food Catalogue lists maca as “Not novel in food”. ²¹

Where to Buy

We compare products side-by-side not just on price, but on whether NSF lists the product as NSF/ANSI 173 Contents Certified (an independent lab confirms the label matches the contents), whether it is NSF Certified for Sport, whether USP lists it as USP Verified, and whether the seller says it is manufactured in the USA. We leave out a brand’s products for this supplement when, in the last 36 months, the FDA took action against that brand over this supplement (a Class I or II recall, a warning letter, an import alert or an advisory letter). We also leave out any brand with an FDA Class II recall or warning letter on any product. We also leave out any product named in a California Prop 65 notice or a non-US recall, along with that brand’s products of the same ingredient and form. Brands with other actions stay listed and are marked in the Recall Screen column. Our goal remains to provide you, the Consumer, with the information and data necessary to make an informed purchasing decision. Prices reflected below are static and subject to change.

Ratings above describe the ingredient’s research, not any product listed below.

#	Retailer	Product	Price	Mfg. in USA (per seller)	Recall Screen	Affiliate link
1	iHerb	EVLution Nutrition, Black Maca Root, 60 Veggie Capsules	$9.33	✓	✓	View on iHerb ↗
2	iHerb	Force Factor, Fundamentals, Black Maca, 60 Capsules	$12.79	✓	✓*	View on iHerb ↗
3	iHerb	Bio Nutrition, Gelatinized Black Maca, 60 Vegetarian Capsules (500 mg per Capsule)	$13.97	✓	✓	View on iHerb ↗
4	iHerb	NOW Foods, Raw Maca, 750 mg, 90 Veg Capsules	$14.49	✓	✓*	View on iHerb ↗
5	iHerb	Bio Nutrition, Gelatinized Red Maca For Women, 60 Vegetarian Capsules (500 mg per Capsule)	$14.71	✓	✓	View on iHerb ↗
6	HerbsPro	Now Foods, Maca, 500 mg, 250 Caps	$16.74	✓	✓*	View on HerbsPro ↗
7	HerbsPro	Nature's Life, Maca Root, 100 Caps	$17.39	✓	✓	View on HerbsPro ↗
8	Green's Nutrition	Nutricost Maca Root Capsules 180 Count	$19.95	✓	✓*	View on Green's Nutrition ↗
9	Green's Nutrition	Solaray Maca 100 Caps	$25.89	✓	✓*	View on Green's Nutrition ↗
10	Green's Nutrition	Pure Encapsulations Maca-3 60 Caps	$48.50	✓	✓*	View on Green's Nutrition ↗

Per NSF and USP public listings, as of our 15 October 2026 product review; blank = not found.

Every retailer in this table is an affiliate partner, and we earn a commission on every product listed. Our affiliate partners across the site are Amazon, Botanic Choice, Everlywell, Green’s Nutrition, HerbsPro and iHerb. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Our evidence ratings are set before any products are added. No brand or retailer pays to be rated or reviews our content before it is published. Always confirm certifications on the provider’s website before you buy.

Recall Screen: ✓* means the brand’s only actions in the last 36 months are a California Prop 65 notice, a non-US recall or sales action, an FDA Class III supplement recall, or a food recall, each on a different product from the one listed. Prop 65 notices are allegations by private enforcers, not findings. A blank means the brand had another FDA action in that period, such as an import alert or a recall of a different product, or a minor (Class III) recall of this product.

Sources

1. NSF/ANSI 173 certified dietary supplement listings, search for maca. NSF, 3 Oct 2026. info.nsf.org/Certified/Dietary/

2. Warning letter to Nupack Inc., MARCS-CMS 722113. US Food and Drug Administration, 20 Mar 2026. www.fda.gov/inspections-compliance-enforcement-and-criminal-investigations/warning-letters/nupack-inc-722113-03202026

3. CAERS adverse-event reports naming maca products (openFDA food event records, e.g. 2025-CFS-001334). US Food and Drug Administration (openFDA), Checked 5 Oct 2026. api.fda.gov/food/event.json

4. California Proposition 65 60-day notices naming maca products. California Office of the Attorney General, 28 Sep 2026. oag.ca.gov/prop65/60-day-notice-list

5. Natural Health Products Ingredients Database: Maca - Lepidium meyenii monograph. Health Canada, 27 Sep 2024. webprod.hc-sc.gc.ca/nhpid-bdipsn/atReq.do?atid=mono_maca--lepidium-meyenii&lang=eng

6. Shin DH et al. Efficacy and safety of maca in patients with symptoms of late-onset hypogonadism: randomized trial. World Journal of Men’s Health, 2023. doi.org/10.5534/wjmh.220112

7. Morgado et al. Testosterone boosters: systematic review of 52 studies. International Journal of Impotence Research, 2023. doi.org/10.1038/s41443-023-00763-9

8. Lee HW et al. Maca and semen quality: systematic review and meta-analysis. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 2022. doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2022.934740

9. Melnikovova I et al. Maca and semen quality in infertile men: randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Phytotherapy Research, 2021. doi.org/10.1002/ptr.7287

10. Wu et al. Maca and performance in elite basketball players: crossover randomized trial. Journal of Physiological Investigation, 2025. doi.org/10.4103/ejpi.ejpi-d-25-00037

11. Weng et al. Maca extract and exercise recovery in healthy men: placebo-controlled trial. International Journal of Medical Sciences, 2025. doi.org/10.7150/ijms.104812

12. Decision on maca root extract as a supplemental ingredient in foods. Health Canada, 15 Aug 2024. www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/food-nutrition/supplemented-foods/list-permitted-food-ingredients/information-ingredients-foods/decision-maca-root-extract.html

13. FDA Advisory No. 2026-0735: sildenafil in TURBO Maca and Clavo Huasca capsules. Philippines Food and Drug Administration, 7 Jul 2026. www.fda.gov.ph/

14. Lee HW et al. Maca and erectile function: systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Men’s Health, 2023. doi.org/10.22514/jomh.2023.003

15. USP Safety Review of Maca (Dietary Supplement Compendium sample). United States Pharmacopeia, 2009. www.usp.org/sites/default/files/usp/document/products-services/dsc-sample-safety-review-2012.pdf

16. Maca: professional monograph. Drugs.com, 20 Nov 2025. www.drugs.com/npp/maca.html

17. Ulloa del Carpio N et al. Chemical and pharmacological variability of Lepidium meyenii: review of the effects of maca. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 2024. doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2024.1360422

18. Jamieson Laboratories products recall; tamper-evident seals defective (RA-81822, Type III). Health Canada, 1 Apr 2026. recalls-rappels.canada.ca/en/alert-recall/jamieson-laboratories-products-recall-tamper-evident-seals-defective

19. openFDA food enforcement (recall) records, search for maca. US Food and Drug Administration (openFDA), Data to 23 Sep 2026. api.fda.gov/food/enforcement.json

20. Import Alert 66-41 (importalert_190). US Food and Drug Administration, Page published 1 Oct 2026. www.accessdata.fda.gov/cms_ia/importalert_190.html

21. Novel Food Catalogue: Lepidium meyenii Walp.. European Commission, 16 Jan 2026. food.ec.europa.eu/food-safety/novel-food_en

22. Shin BC et al. Maca for improving sexual function: systematic review. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2010. doi.org/10.1186/1472-6882-10-44

23. Ho CY et al. Herbal dietary supplements for erectile dysfunction: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials. Journal of Traditional and Complementary Medicine, 2025. doi.org/10.1016/j.jtcme.2025.11.001

24. Dording CM et al. Maca root for antidepressant-induced sexual dysfunction in women: randomized trial. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2015. doi.org/10.1155/2015/949036

Disclaimer. This brief is for general education only and is not medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Talk with your doctor or pharmacist before starting any supplement, especially if you take medication, have a health condition, or are planning surgery. 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. Research summaries reflect sources available on the date shown and may change. FactStack™ Research, LLC does not make, sell or warrant any product named here and is not responsible for how any product is made, sold or used.

Maca · SupplementFactStack.com™ Consumer Brief · October 2026