Maca Dosage – A Complete Guide
One of the most common questions receive from our customers and readers about proper maca dosage.
There is a wide variety of information available and not all of it is accurate. That’s why we decided to write this article.
Understanding Different Types Of Maca and Dosages
So what is the correct maca dosage? Before we answer that question we first have to look at the different kinds of Maca available. Maca comes in raw powder form, gelatinized powder form, capsule form as well as in the form of an extract. The dosage levels of each of these types of Maca are different among themselves. They also differ depending on how the product has been processed and what, if anything, has been added to the end product.
7 Things To Keep In Mind About Correct Maca Dosage
Before giving our recommended guidelines for correct Maca dosage we want to share some important factors to keep in mind when you are starting or continuing with Maca.
- Maca is a food – To begin with, it’s important to understand that pure maca powder, whether gelatinized or raw is a food. It comes from a turnip like root high in the Andes mountains and has been eaten for thousands of years by people and animals indigenous to the area. It’s true that as a food Maca has some special benefits and is for that reason considered to be a “superfood.” So, when you’re designing your Maca dosage program it’s best to treat the food with awareness and respect.
- You can’t overdose, but… – In our experience it’s pretty much impossible to take too much Maca. (Since it’s a food and not a drug). That said, some people report increased heart rate and nervous energy when they take too much. That’s why you should start with a conservative amount and work your way up slowly.
- You must consider your body weight - When you’re starting with Maca, you need to consider how much you weigh as an important factor in determining your dosage. The dosage levels we recommend below are for people who weigh 160 pounds (75 KG). Bigger people can generally take more. Smaller people should start with smaller Maca dosage.
- You should also consider your overall health and age – After factoring in your weight, also reflect on your overall level of health and your age. A 30 year old athlete can start taking a higher Maca dosage than a 75 year old retiree. The younger and healthier you are the more you can start with.
- Maca affects different people differently – Even factoring in age, health and body weight, it’s important to remember that Maca has different effects on different people. No two bodies are exactly alike and since Maca is an adaptogen it will act in your body to heal what is most needed to heal. That’s why it’s important to always be aware of how you are feeling as you take herb and as you increase your Maca dosage.
- You can adjust quantities as needed – One thing that we do often here is to adjust the amount of Maca we take depending on how much extra energy we want, or how far we have come along in our health goals. Sometimes we’ll even stop taking Maca for a few days, when we feel like a break – more on that in a minute.
- Therapeutic Maca dosage is different than general health dosage – One final consideration is that recommended dosages of Maca for therapeutic purposes are generally higher than for general health. For example if you are taking Maca specifically to help with fertility, you will want to boost your intake over time until you reach the maximum levels. That said you should still start with smaller amounts.
Our Maca Dosage Guide
In this guide, we break down our minimum and maximum recommended daily dosages for different kinds of Maca. These dosage levels are based on a 40 year old with generally good health and weighing 160 lbs.
Raw Organic Maca – all colors including Red Maca, Black Maca and Cream Maca
- Daily Minimum – 4-12 grams (1-3 teaspoons) – 3-4 capsules depending on capsule size (see your label)
- Daily Maximum – 36 grams (3 tablespoons) – 6-8 capsules depending on capsule size (see your label)
Gelatinized Maca (You need less because the starch has been removed)
- Daily Minimum - 4-8 grams (1-2 teaspoons) 1-2 capsules depending on capsule size (see your label)
- Daily Maximum – 12-24 grams (1-2 tablespoons) 3-4 capsules depending on capsule size (see your label)
Some Final Thoughts on Maca Dosage
A couple of final notes on taking Maca here. First, different types of Maca and different qualities vary in strength and potency. Even different harvests can be more or less intense. Red Maca for example is in almost all cases the strongest. Keep that in mind when taking Maca and remember to always listen to your body for feedback. If you don’t notice much, take a bit more. If you notice having too much energy, take a bit less.
Finally, give your body a break from Maca from time to time. This is simply a good practice of getting into. Like other superfoods (think Spinach for example) the body enjoys a break once in a while. Although Spinach is great for you, most of us don’t eat it or want to eat it everyday. After you have taken Maca for a while, you might notice that some days you simply don’t want to have any or you want to have less. It’s fine to follow that feeling. What we generally do here is take one day off of Maca per week. Some of our other friends and customers take one week off per month. One of the advantages to to doing this is that you get that initial rush of energy when you start taking your maca again.
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Enjoy the day!
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I am a fairly healthy and active woman of 62 and finally stopped menses at 61. After taking Maca for about 2 months I had a light monthly cycle . Am I to believe that I may go back into periods .? I take either 1/2 tsp of red or Gelitinized maca 2 times a day or….. 30 drops/ 3 times a day of a left over tincture I bought a couple months back. I don’t mind if this is the case, but i was surely shocked to see it arrive after a year of its absence.!..jean
Thanks for letting us know Jean. As Maca supports hormone balance, this may be a side effect. Glad it’s not a problem. Enjoy your day!
I haven’t had a period for over a year, can maca bring back my period?
After I am finish my detox I am planning on bying maca to conceive…
Please respond.
I understand that maca root can help alleviate menstrual pain. I’m just not sure how to take maca root for that particular problem. If i take maca everyday will my pains my lessened? Or is it the sort of thing that you have to take when you actually feel the pain? Thank you
That’s a good question. As you probably know, Maca works to balance hormones. Often times a lack of period is a reflection of hormones that are not balanced. We have had frequent feedback that Maca helps to regulate cycles and also to support fertility. We would recommend Red Maca for female fertility.
Hope that helps.
That’s true. To answer your question, you absolutely need to take a proper dosage of Maca regularly to get the benefits. That’s because Maca works to balance hormones and takes time to do so. Hope that helps. By the way Red Maca is your best bet for this.
In response to Jean, who is 62 years old and resumed some bleeding a year after her menses stopped, I would suggest a check up to rule out other possibilities. It is most likely a benign side effect of taking maca but to confirm, it would be recommended to have an evaluation by a gynecologist.
should my husband take it too or is it just for women?
Thanks for the question.
Yes, absolutely men should take Maca as well as women. Here are the major benefits for men.
http://www.raworganicmaca.info/maca-for-men/
Any further questions let us know. Happy to help.
I haven’t seen this mentioned so I’ll ask–can maco be given to an older dog? I’ve just placed an order for myself and was wondering if our aging family dog could benefit from a little sprinkled on his food, too. Thanks.
Yes absolutely you can give Maca to your pets. In fact, Maca is traditionally given to livestock in Peru to boost vitality and fertility. Just make sure to start with a small dosage – for a dog around 50 lbs, 1/2 teaspoon should be fine. Less for smaller dogs and a bit more for bigger ones. Hope that helps!
Hi there. I just ordered your gelatinized maca powder after reading Brendan Brazier’s book, “Thrive,” which suggests this type of maca as a daily supplement. I am 22 years old, am pretty active, and eat a vegan diet. I am currently dealing with amenorrhea, as I have not had a period in over a year. My question is– will gelatinzed maca help me to get my period, or should I have purchased the raw Red maca powder??
Thanks for the question. Because Maca works to balance hormones, it is common for younger women in your situation to resume their periods after using Maca regularly for several months. Keep in mind that it may indeed take that long and stay consistent in your use. Gelatinized Maca will work to balance hormones too, though our experience is that Red Maca is a bit more powerful. The only time we truly recommend Gelatinized is for people who have sensitive digestive systems. That said, we get great reviews on it, so if your has already shipped, I’d suggest that you go ahead and use it and then next order, grab some Red Maca to try. Hope that helps. If you have any further questions please let us know.
I had never heard of maca until last night when I was desperately searching the web for perimenopause help…overwhelming fatigue, fuzzy headedness, lack of concentration, absolutely no sex drive, joint pain, and heavy periods. I have had all of these symptoms here and there, on and off for several years but the last few months all of them have descended upon me like a pack of wolves on a bunny. I am 46 (and use to be highly athletic when I had energy) and I recently went back to college taking full load. Which maca should I take? The black maca is of interest for the memory help it lends that the others do not…I read that on the web. Thank you, Robin
Thanks for the question.
Based upon what you share here, we’d actually recommend a combination of Maca. Red Maca for balance hormones and overall vitality and Black Maca for memory, endurance and uplifting the mood. It is completely fine to mix the two together and take them together. Many of our more athletic customers prefer taking their Maca that way. Hope that helps. If you have more questions please do let us know. Enjoy your day!
Hi I just purchased the premium maca will it have the same benefits?? Also can I put it in hot water and milk to drink ??
We love our premium maca – it does contain a range of your Maca colors including white maca. It will work better than most other Macas for most purposes as it’s higher in the vital hormone balancing nutrients called glucosinolates. Yest you can put it in warm (not hot) beverages.
I just ordered some gelatanized after researching extensively on the internet. I have heard that one should not consume raw maca as it should always be cooked. I would like to try the red maca, but see it is raw only. What are your thoughts on this?
Thanks for the question.
At the moment we don’t carry Red Gelatinized Maca – we intend to after this year’s Maca harvest (June/July). We are all big believers in Raw Maca getting the best results since the glucosinolates are sensitive to heat. Glucosinolates are the nutrients most responsible for hormone balancing. That said, some people find Raw Maca powders to upset their stomach – this is due to the starch content. If you have a sensitive stomach then you should really get Gelatinized only. If not, why not try a smaller bag of our Raw Red Maca to compare. I suspect you’d really like it.
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