/oss/taxonomy/term/722/all en /oss/article/you-asked/does-taking-supplement-maca-root-have-any-merit <p>A good story can sell a product especially when it comes to dietary supplements. Talk about some legendary use by natives, throw in terms like increased stamina, improved mood, natural and aphrodisiac, and you are off and running to the marketplace. Maca root powder, here we come! Maca is grown mostly in Peru and its cooked root, with a composition much like wheat or rice, has a long history as a dietary staple. But it is stories about the enhanced virility of Inca warriors who supposedly downed maca root before going into battle that captured the imaginnation of supplement manufacturers.</p> Sun, 05 Jul 2015 00:20:09 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 2273 at /oss /oss/article/health-nutrition-quackery-you-asked/are-there-any-health-benefits-taking-maca-pill-form <p>Maca is a cruciferous plant, in the same family as broccoli and cabbage. However, in this case it is the root not the leaves that are eaten. The plant is an unusual one, cultivated only at high altitudes, as in the Peruvian Andes. Inca warriors supposedly ate maca root before going into battle to give them energy and stamina. There are also folkloric stories about maca enhancing sexual desire. Take an unusual plant, mix in some folklore, toss in a few weak scientific studies and you’ve got the root of a dietary supplement business.</p> Thu, 15 Nov 2012 02:55:49 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 1783 at /oss