Maca root, or “Peruvian ginseng,” has a colorful history in Latin America that spans more than 2,000 years. Maca is cultivated at high altitudes and under harsh conditions in the Peruvian Andes. Legend has it that Incan warriors ate it to increase their stamina in battle, and the region’s indigenous people have long used it as a staple food and to increase fertility.
In modern times, maca has found its way onto the supplement shelves of many health food stores as a result of aggressive marketing campaigns, but more research is necessary regarding the list of conditions that it is purported to help. Let’s break down what we know—and what we don’t.
