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Is Maca Actually the Sexual Wonder Supplement It’s Rumored to Be?

The ancient Andean root is said to boost boners and supercharge the production of sexual fluids. But are the claims legit?

Maca is an ugly little root vegetable that’s been grown in the dirt of the Andes for centuries. It’s said to have a nutty, butterscotch flavor, lending an earthy bite to traditional Peruvian dishes. It’s also said to make you horny as fuck.

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Across genders, maca is touted by some as a miracle supplement for harder erections, enhanced libido and taking one’s sexual fluid production from a gentle creek to a flooded gorge. Just take a look at the hashtag #macaroot on TikTok. There, hundreds of men and women (including doctors!) sing the praises of maca, saying it’s made them constantly wet, helped them produce bigger loads and even contributed to them getting pregnant. It’s also mentioned as one of the ejaculate-boosting supplements colloquially known as “glizzy pills,” and was famously featured on Arrested Development when Oscar Bluth took too much of it and went on an insane horny bender on the U.S.-Mexico border.

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In one TikTok by Dr. Kerry-Anne Perkins, an OB-GYN in New Jersey, five “possible benefits” of maca powder are listed. Among them are “rev up your sex drive, enhance athletic performance, enhance energy and mood, balance your hormones” and that it’s just a plain, old “superfood.”

Of course, the emphasis of this TikTok and others is possible benefits. There are, however, several items of research that have found these claims to potentially be true. For example, a study from 2002 found that men who took between 1.5 to 3 grams of maca powder per day reported an increased libido compared to those who were given a placebo, and a 2009 study of men with mild erectile dysfunction reported an enhanced sense of sexual well-being after 12 weeks of consuming 2.4 grams of maca per day. In both cases, more comprehensive research is needed, but the results are semi-promising.

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Beyond actual scientific research, though, tons of guys online have reported success with the supplement. Most commonly, they claim it’s made them way hornier and increased their semen production. In a thread on r/Nootropics, one dude wrote that maca “increased my semen volume, thickness and increased [my] libido. Made me feel like my semen is backing up and needed to be let out a lot.”

Again, there’s not much evidence to back up the semen claims, but the research does suggest it could improve libido.

Like most supplements, maca isn’t FDA-approved, but it’s readily available online and in health-foods stores in powder and pill form, ranging from $10 to $35 and up. But is there any danger to giving it a whirl for yourself?

RxList labels maca root as “likely safe” when consumed in foods, and “possibly safe” when taken in large quantities as a supplement, up to 3 grams. As with studies on its efficacy, there are also few studies on its side effects. In animals, maca has been shown to impact hormone production. While this hasn’t been proven in humans, it’s possible maca could worsen hormonal conditions like endometriosis and uterine fibroids in those who already experience them.

The long and short of it: There’s no proof that maca will indeed enhance your dick game, but there’s also no real proof that you’ll hurt yourself in trying. Still, it’s always worth consulting your doctor before you try these things out for yourself, especially if you’re taking any medications or have any other health conditions. If you’re actually dealing with erectile dysfunction or low libido, it’s best to work these things out with a medical professional, anyway. But with their approval, there’s not much to lose from trying maca except your money.

Plus, even if all it does is make you think you’re hornier, it’s probably done its job.