This effect did not seem to be due to any estrogenic activity of maca, but rather, it appeared to be linked to the ability of maca to promote the survival of embryos. In one study, female mice that were given maca powder diluted in water produced more offspring than the mice in the control group. So, what about maca and fertility in women? Could this powerful root vegetable also help fight infertility in women? A laboratory study conducted on rats found that black maca root had a more beneficial effect on sperm count and motility than did yellow maca, and that red maca had no significant effect. However, when it comes to boosting fertility in men, not all types of maca are equally effective. The good news is that certain foods, such as maca root, may help increase sperm count naturally, and thus improve fertility in men.Ī study published in the Asian Journal of Andrology found that supplementation with maca for four months increased sperm count and improved sperm motility in healthy men.

The report also suggests that the rate of decline is not slowing. Sperm counts in men in North America, Europe and Australia have dropped by more than 50 percent in less than 40 years, according to an alarming report published in the journal Human Reproduction Update in 2017. However, it wasn't until the late 20th century that maca root started to attract widespread interest from Western scientists eager to find natural ways to successfully treat infertility in men and women. Soon after this discovery, people in the Andes region started to use maca to increase their own chances of conceiving. One of the earliest purported health benefits of maca root is its ability to boost fertility, a discovery that was made when Incan farmers noticed that their livestock produced more and healthier babies when the animals were fed maca roots. Maca, also known by its scientific name Lepidium meyenii, is a root vegetable that has been used for centuries in the Andes for its high nutritional value and purported health benefits.

History of Maca Root as a Fertility Booster Read on to learn about the effects of different types of maca on fertility in men and women. But before you start whipping up smoothies enhanced with maca powder to increase your chances of getting a child, it is important to know that there are different types of maca, each of which may affect your hormones and fertility in different ways.

One of the most widely touted health benefits of maca root powder is its ability to increase fertility.

Red maca powder benefits women