Red Maca
Peruvian Maca (Lepidium meyenii) has been traditionally used by indigenous Peruvians as a medicinal herb and a vital staple food component for thousands of years (Meissner, et. al. 2017). Maca is a plant with great potential as an adaptogen. (Gonzales, 2012). It is a potent adaptogen with benefits specific for sexual health and wellbeing, for women and men.
Maca has nutritive, energising and fertility-enhancing properties, it also acts on sexual dysfunctions, as well as, improving memory and learning. Clinical trials showed efficacy of maca on sexual dysfunction in men, as well as increasing sperm count and motility.
Maca occurs in different colours, namely yellow, red and black maca. The colour differences are due to varying chemical compositions of the root and this results in different biological activities. It is believed these differences in composition may be linked to specific gender and age dependent therapeutic properties.
Red, black and purple maca grow at higher and therefore harsher altitudes, which is thought to be responsible for the variation in their chemical composition. Maca grows at 4,000m above sea level – high in the Andean mountains, a habitat of intense cold, extremely intense sunlight, and strong winds. It often grows in extreme conditions where no other plants will grow. Is it any wonder then that it can give us physical strength, warm our internal environment, and help us grow when we face difficulties?
Sfera’s Red Maca is sourced from small-scale farmers in the high-altitude regions of Peru. Our maca is organically grown using traditional and sustainable farming methods, free from synthetic fertilisers, pesticides, or genetically modified organisms. The maca is hand-harvested and sun-dried to maximise the valuable nutrients and therapeutic actives. Great emphasis is placed on social responsibility, and local community initiatives gives our maca Fair Choice Certification. You can be assured that when you choose Sfera Red Maca you are choosing a high quality, ethically sourced, intuitive supplement.
References:
Dording, C. M., Fisher, L., Papakostas, G., Farabaugh, A., Sonawalla, S., Fava, M., & Mischoulon, D. (2008). A double-blind, randomized, pilot dose-finding study of maca root (L. meyenii) for the management of SSRI-induced sexual dysfunction. CNS neuroscience & therapeutics, 14(3), 182–191. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1755-5949.2008.00052.x
Gonzales G. F. (2012). Ethnobiology and Ethnopharmacology of Lepidium meyenii (Maca), a Plant from the Peruvian Highlands. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine: eCAM, 2012, 193496. https://doi.org/10.1155/2012/193496
Meissner, H. O., Mscisz, A., Baraniak, M., Piatkowska, E., Pisulewski, P., Mrozikiewicz, M., & Bobkiewicz-Kozlowska, T. (2017). Peruvian Maca (Lepidium peruvianum) - III: The Effects of Cultivation Altitude on Phytochemical and Genetic Differences in the Four Prime Maca Phenotypes. International journal of biomedical science : IJBS, 13(2), 58–73.