Peruvian MACA

A Natural HRT and Nature's 'VIAGRA' ™?

For some time now, I have been planning an article about what Sherrill Sellman calls 'Hormone Heresy'. I still had some work to do on it when I came across an article in Nature & Health, followed up by a write-up in the 'Townsend Letter for Doctors & Patients', about Maca, a Peruvian root vegetable.

At the same time, good old TIME Magazine comes out with an article, 'Pros and Cons' on hormone therapy. Too many co-incidences?

"Once in a long while, an herb, that has been used by natives for thousands of years comes to our attention and it seems so important to our health that we wonder how we ever got along without it.", says Dr Viana Muller one of the people responsible for bringing this root to our attention. Maca seems to be one of the oldest, as it was around pre-Inca days. In fact, it seems that the Incas found Maca so potent that they restricted it's use for the Royal court. The fact that it only seems to grow in the Peruvian Andes also helped to keep it a secret.

Then, a book, 'The Lost Crops of the Andes', published I think in the 80's, introduced Maca to the world, although, a scientific dissertation in the early 60's by Dr Gloria Chacon de Popovici, a Peruvian biologist and her follow up groundbreaking work is probably responsible for our current scientific knowledge.

Dr Chacon also published a book in 1997, describing the root's nourishing micronutrients, it's chemical actives and hormonal effects. I am not going to give you the title of the book, as it is in Spanish and about six lines long. It is however, a definitive study on Maca, going back an amazing 8000 years!

Over the years, many doctors and practitioners in the USA, Canada and South America have used and - can one say prescribed, in relation to a natural food? - prescribed Maca for their patients with some amazing results.

These doctors, including Dr Chacon and Dr Hugo Malaspina, a respected cardiologist in Lima; Dr Aguila Calderon, a former Chief of the Department of Biological Sciences and Dean of the Faculty of Human Medicine at the National University; Dr Gabriel Cousens, practicing internal medicine in Arizona; Dr Henry Campanile, specialist in internal and family medicine in Florida; Dr Harold Clark of New York; Dr Garry F Gordon, former President of the American College for Advancement in Medicine, now Founder and President of the International College of Advanced Longevity Medicine in Chicago, are some that were mentioned in the 'Townsend Letter'.

WHAT ARE THEY CLAIMING?

Firstly, for WOMEN:

Alternative Hormone Replacement: "Maca works in an entirely different and more satisfactory way for most women than phytoestrogen herbs like black cobosh and liquorice root." says Dr Muller. She continues: "The pituitary-stimulating effects of Maca are enormous. What it means is that hormone replacement therapy - even the natural varieties - will no longer be the gold standard for optimising health from a holistic point of view".

Ovarian Function: "Maca does not cause the ovaries in women to atrophy, as conventional HRT does. This means that Maca can be discontinued at any time without danger. Different medicinal plants work on the ovaries by stimulating them. With Maca, we should say that it 'regulates' the ovarian function" Says Dr Malaspina. He also reiterates what Dr Chacon says about the way Maca regulates the organs of internal secretion, such as the pituitary, the adrenal glands and the pancreas. He also found Maca to be effective on women who had undergone complete hysterectomies. "Maca enables the adrenals to make sufficient hormones to avoid symptoms" he says. "I have had perhaps 200 female patients whose peri-menopausal and pastmenopausal symptoms are alleviated."

Bone Density: Dr Calderon prescribes Maca for a wide variety of conditions, including osteoporosis and the healing of bone fractures in the very elderly. "Maca has a lot of easily absorbable rajrinm in it, plus magnesium and a fair amount of silica which we are finding very useful in treating the decalcification of bones in children and adults." In fact, about 10% of the root is calcium.

Hot Flashes and Depression: Dr Cousens says, "I prefer to use Maca therapy rather than hormone replacement therapy because HRT actually ages the body hy diminishing the hormone producing capability of the glands. Maca has proven to be very effective with mtenopausal patients in eliminating hot flashes and depression and in increasing energy levels."

• Energy Booster: As it balances the endocrine system - thyroid, pituitary and adrenal glands, the energy boost follows.
• Period Problems: Pain, PMS, flooding and/or scant flow.
• Chronic Fatigue Syndrome - for both women and men
• Anti-Aging and,
• Promotes Sexual Vitality

For MEN:

Erectile Tissue Response: Dr Gordon's firsthand report: "We all hear rumours about various products like Maca. But using this Peruvian root myself, I personally experienced a significant improvement in erectile tissue response. I call it 'nature's answer to Viagra'™."

"What I see in Maca is a means of normalising our steroid hormones like testosterone, progesterone and estrogen. Therefore it has the facility to forestall the hormonal changes of aging." Further, "Maca furnishes a non-toxic solution with no downside effects."

Burton Goldberg, President of Future Medicine Publishing in Tiburton, California is another Maca enthusiast: "I am a 72 year old man and this Maca has taken 25 years off my aging sex life. That's pretty important to me! "

• Chronic Fatigue Syndrome,
• Energy Booster,
• Anti-Aging,
• Bone Density Builder
• Promotes Sexual Vitality - just as it does for women and,
• Builds Muscle Mass.

WHAT IT IS:

Maca is a dehydrated, cruciferous root vegetable. It is a benign, medicinal food which has been in use for over 8000 years and has had ample time to be judged effective. It is easily affordable at costs starting around $ 14.00 per month.

WHAT IS IN IT:

Proteins, as polypeptides make up 11% of the dry Maca root: calcium makes up 10% and magnesium and potassium are present in significant amounts. Other minerals include iron, silica and traces of iodine, manganese, zinc, copper and sodium. Vitamins in Maca are thiamine, riboflavin and ascorbic acid. The amino acid proteins in Maca include aspartic acid, serine, histidine, glycine, threolline, cystine, alanine, arginine, tyrosine, valine, methionine, isoleucine, lysine, proline, hoproline and sarcosine.

How to take Maca:

The best advice so far, using Maca in the powder form, is to start by taking Vz level teaspoon twice daily until 'well-being returns, then reduce to T/4 teaspoon twice daily as a maintenance amount.

Chronic fatigue sufferers report that it is best to take 1 level teaspoon twice daily, from the 3rd week, for two weeks, before returning to the maintenance dose.

Most people report marked improvement within 4 days, although to correct most of the conditions mentioned, Maca should be taken for at least 4 months.

Australian Testimonials:

David Enfield, one of the first Australians to try writes, "....how Maca helped me to overcome Ross River Fever and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome diagnosed over five years ago. I took a level teaspoon two times a day for two weeks, then reduced the dose to one half a teaspoon twice daily .... The symptoms of mental and physical fatigue, loss of libido, body aches and pains and depression seem to have left me permanently. This has not happened in the last nine years... I am 54 year old and now my youth has returned.."

Linda Whale says: "After years of enduring periods heavy enough to cause anaemia I am now, three months after commencing Maca, experiencing normal menstruation.

Eli sen Jones: "After three months on one-quarter teaspoon of Maca, two times per day, My fingernails have grown long and very hard." You may not think this is much to brag about until you read what she says next: "In all my 81 years, I have never been able to grow my nails! I have also experienced a lot of increased energy and my mouth ulcers have healed."

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