6 Best Maca Powders To Boost Fertility & Libido [2022 Review]

With the current pandemic — even without it — you want to make sure to optimize your health. That way, you can stay mentally strong throughout these tumultuous times as well as being at the top of your game when we can finally get back out there.

Two of these health areas–that have scientifcally-backed benefits for both men and women–are sexual health and emotional wellbeing. You want to keep your spirits up, regulate your hormones and for the men out there, you want to keep… you-know-what up too.

This is where maca powder or maca root (Lepidium meyenii) powder comes into play. Maca supplements hit two birds with one stone, improving both your mood and your sex drive. It might sound too good to be true, but there is extensive research backing up maca’s claim for assisting in sexual function, heart health, and emotional health.

But what is the best maca powder to buy? Some supplements you find online can’t be trusted and others are full of filler ingredients or ingredients that aren’t backed by scientific studies. 

Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. Here is our definitive list of the best maca root powder supplements, based on extensive, scientifically-backed research. Plus, later in the article, we go over the many advantages maca root has to offer you, along with frequently asked questions about this powerful supplement.

Without further ado, let’s get into the list.

**Ladies, if looking for an article that goes into the best maca options for women exclusively, I highly recommend checking out our review on the best 4 maca powders for women, here.

For those who want a quick overview, below is our comparison table:

• The Best Overall Maca Powder: The Maca Team Red Maca (Best Maca For Women)
• The 2nd Best Maca Powder: The Maca Team Organic Premium Raw Black Maca Powder (Best Maca For Men)
• The 3rd Best Maca Powder: Organic Greens by Amy Myers MD (Best Nutritional Profile)
• The 4th Best Maca Powder: Gaia Herbs Gelatinized Peruvian Maca Powder (Easiest To Digest)
• The 5th Best Maca Powder: NOW Maca Organic Pure Powder (Best Budget Option)
• The 6th Best Maca Powder: GAT Sport Testrol Elite (Best for Athletes)

The Best Overall Maca Powder: The Maca Team Red Maca (Best Maca For Women)

For women looking to regulate their hormones, improve their mood, and increase their energy, this maca root from The Maca Team is our top choice. 

We go over this at the bottom of this post in more detail, but there is significant research showing how a certain type of Maca root called Red maca (which is what this maca powder from The Maca Team contains) can help woman:

• Regulate their hormones
• Increase energy and mental focus
• Alleviate stress and anxiety
• Improve bone density and hair growth
• Reduce acne
• Help with symptoms related to menopause

And while some Maca can have a heavy taste, this one is fairly light and quite tasty. 

My mom currently takes this (from my recommendation) and loves it. She puts it in all of her smoothies and even adds a touch to her morning coffee sometimes. It’s 100% certified Organic and is gluten-free, dairy-free, and low-GI, for the best possible digestive experience, especially considering it’s raw. 

 Additionally, all of The Maca Team’s maca powder goes through a Certificate of Analysis. In simple terms, this ensures that the maca powder they receive is of optimal safety (no pesticides or metals) and quality (fresh, nutrient-packed maca).  Another thing I love about it, is that it’s grown sustainably in the Junin province of Peru using traditional farming practices, so in addition to all the benefits, you can feel good knowing it was picked and packaged without causing harm to the environment. 

 It’s voted the “Amazon’s Choice” on Amazon with 331+ reviews and 4.5+ average rating here. ( It also has nearly a perfect rating on The Maca Team’s website with 40+ reviews) 

 I do recommend purchasing it directly from The Maca Team, as you’ll save $5-6. 

Ingredients:

• 3g Organic maca powder

Pros

• Easy to digest despite it being raw maca
• Highly rated
• Organic, pure, all-natural
• Price-friendly
• Gives you all of the benefits listed above

Cons

• N/a

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The 2nd Best Maca Powder: The Maca Team Organic Premium Raw Black Maca Powder (Best Maca For Men)

 If you’re a male looking for the top maca powder to naturally improve your sex drive and libido, as well as increase your muscle mass, your search ends here. This black maca powder from The Maca Team, without question, is the one to go with.

Black maca powder is very tough to find. However, The Maca Team has a product that provides some of the best black maca on the market.

We go over the differences between types of maca powder down below, but as a quick overview to why black maca is so important for men, here are a few researched-back benefits:

• Increases male fertility and libido
• Helps with erectile dysfunction
• Improves muscle building, stamina and endurance,
• Improves mental focus
• Decreases anxiety and stress
• Increases bone density

I’ve actually had many friends who used black Maca to help with issues they were having with ED, and found it to be a lifesaver. 

Other things I love about this maca powder (that I mentioned in our #1 option that was also from The Maca Team) is that it’s certified Organic, fair-trade, non-GMO, vegan, and raw. 

They’re uber-conscious about where their maca comes from, which makes us feel even better about them as a company.

In addition to all the previously mentioned benefits, this maca is packed with 18 essential amino acids. On top of that, it is a raw maca powder, which I highly recommend because it retains its nutrients and provides a complete enzyme profile (I go over all of this in detail at the bottom in the section “Is Gelatanized Maca Better Than Raw Maca?”)

And it’s not just me that loves this maca option. It has 60+ reviews, and a near perfect 4.9 rating. 

Ingredients

• 3g 100 percent raw premium black maca powder

Pros

• Rare black maca, which helps with male sexual health
• Trusted brand and source
• Raw maca gives you the complete nutrient blend
• Popular and well-known brand

Cons

• N/a

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The 3rd Best Maca Powder: Organic Greens by Amy Myers MD (Best Nutritional Profile)

Amy Myers MD has a knack for blending the best ingredients possible into amazing supplements that provide you with a plethora of advantages. Organic Greens is exactly that, combining maca root powder with a bunch of other organic ingredients for a full nutritional profile.

First, let’s cover what we know about the maca. Unfortunately, the supplement facts provide us no additional information on the organic maca root powder. They don’t say which color it is (red, black, or yellow). 

However, we can venture a guess that it’s probably raw maca, not gelatinized, which means you can get the full array of benefits maca has to offer. Most likely, it’s red or yellow maca, seeing as those are most common.

Now, for the other stuff.

Organic Greens includes other ingredients that are actually in the same genus family as maca, such as kale leaf powder, broccoli sprout powder, and spinach leaf powder.

This makes sense, seeing as this is jam-packed with green superfoods. All three of these can assist maca in providing your body with antioxidants and phytonutrients for improved blood flow and bodily health.

This supplement also has chlorella, spirulina, ashwagandha, and other well-known superfoods that really gets your gears going in the morning and creates a happy gut microbiome and body.

If you want something that has damn near everything, Organic Greens is your best bet.

With over 400 reviews and a near perfect rating, Organic Greens from Amy Meyers MD is a supplement you’ll love. 

Ingredients:

Pros

• Includes a multitude of ingredients
• Trusted brand
• Bolstered advantages due to other ingredients
• High-quality raw maca powder

Cons

• Unknown maca root color
• Unknown amount within the proprietary blend

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The 4th Best Maca Powder: Gaia Herbs Gelatinized Peruvian Maca Powder (Easiest To Digest)

Gaia Herbs always provides you with high-quality, all-natural supplements that give you the advantages of their products without any fluff. Their Peruvian Maca Powder is no exception.

Harvested high in the Peruvian Andes, this organic maca root is slowly sun-dried according to traditional methods, giving you the optimal amount of bioactive compounds that translate to health benefits for your body. 

Gaia Herbs market this maca with a deliberate focus on energy and focus, making their Peruvian Maca Powder the ideal source of stamina. Whether you have a lot of work to get done or are performing in an endurance event, this maca powder will give you that extra boost to kick your to-do list’s butt.

However, an unfortunate fact is that we don’t know which color of maca this product is made from, so we can assume it’s red or yellow maca, both of which have great benefits (read more in the section “What Are The Types of Maca Powder?” below) 

Lastly, this maca powder is gelatinized, making it perfect for those with sensitive digestive systems.

Ingredients:

• 3.3g Organic maca root (Lepidium meyenii)

Pros

• Provides clean energy and enhanced endurance
• Trusted brand
• Sourced from Peru and processed based on traditional methods
• Gelatinized for easy digestion

Cons

• Unknown maca root color

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The 5th Best Maca Powder: NOW Maca Organic Pure Powder (Best Budget Option)

NOW is a huge supplement conglomerate. Of course, they have maca powder. The cool thing is, it’s organic, it’s single-ingredient, and the brand has staying powder.

NOW Maca Organic Pure Powder has a simple formula: 2.7g of organic raw maca root. The powder is gelatinized, making it easier to digest. It is 100 percent certified organic, plus it’s fully vegetarian.

That’s about it. Seriously. 

NOW Maca is as straightforward as it gets. 

If you want nothing but maca, plain and simple, at a cost-friendly price, and you trust the NOW brand, then this supplement is right up your alley.

Ingredients:

• 2.7g Organic raw maca root

Pros

• Nothing but maca 
• Trusted brand
• Budget friendly

Cons

• Unknown maca root color

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The 6th Best Maca Powder: GAT Sport Testrol Elite (Best for Athletes)

Testrol Elite already sounds like a sports-related supplement. Add in the fact that it’s made by GAT Sport, and voila, you’ve got yourself an athletic performance supplement that also has maca to improve your bedroom performance.

Sadly, this product doesn’t specify that their maca is organic, what color it is, and whether it’s raw or not. Considering it’s combined with other ingredients, we speculate that it’s raw, but that’s the extent of what we know. They give you 500mg per serving, which isn’t a big amount but could still help in some ways.

Testrol Elite also has fenugreek seed powder, ginkgo leaf powder, and Tribulus fruit extract, three ingredients that have been shown by research to assist in male sexual function, just like maca. It also has ashwagandha, epimedium stem, and saw palmetto fruit extract, rounding out a nutritional profile ideal for any athlete. 

With added sugars and some ingredients that aren’t fully studied, this is a riskier supplement. Still, if you don’t mind the sugar and additional ingredients, Testrol Elite makes a lot of sense for any athlete who wants to improve their performance.

Ingredients:

Pros

• Additional ingredients that provide benefits for athletes
• Trusted brand name
• Price-friendly

Cons

• Unknown maca root color
• Not organic
• Additional sugars and fillers
• Some ingredients not backed by extensive research

What Are the Benefits of Maca Root Powder?

So what does maca powder do anyway? Well, the answer is quite a lot, actually:

Benefit #1: Boosts Libido

• Maca’s biggest claim to fame is its potent ability to ramp up sex drive in both men and women. This root has been found time and time again to reverse the adverse effects of sexual dysfunction, no matter the gender. You want your sex life to be healthy and consistent; maca root powder can give you a tremendous boost in that department.

Benefit #2: Eradicates ED

• To continue the sexual health portion of this benefit list, maca has shown to help those with erectile dysfunction get and maintain erections. Due to its extensive micronutrient profile, maca root improves blood flow to the extremities, including male genitalia. It’s nature’s Viagra, plain and simple.

Benefit #3: Enhances Energy and Endurance

Want that extra edge in your sports performance? Take maca powder. The enhanced blood flow that helps men with ED can help in the athletic arena as well. Researchers found that maca can increase endurance capacity and anti-fatigue properties, as well as sports performance in general, especially timed athletic events.

Benefit #4: Super Nutritious

Maca is a superfood for a reason. A single ounce of maca root powder has 2g of fiber, 133 percent of your vitamin C RDI, 85 percent of your copper RDI, 23 percent of your iron RDI, 16 percent of your potassium RDI, and 15 percent of your vitamin B6 RDI. Plus, it has glucosinolates and polyphenols, which have antibiotic and digestive effects on your body respectively.

Benefit #5: Might Increase Fertility in Men:

Not only does your sexual function improve, gentlemen, but maca root also helps enhance your fertility. And there is increasing evidence that female fertility can also be improved. If you’re looking to get pregnant, maca is a terrific thing to supplement.

Benefit #6: Improves Mood

While maca can help women with hormone imbalances during menopause, it can help anyone with depressive mood swings. A study regarding menopause found that it can help balance out the chemicals in your brain, leading to healthier, more productive emotions.

Benefit #7: Might Relieve Menopause Symptoms in Women

For the ladies, gelatinized maca has been found to alter hormone levels, resulting in a reduction of menopausal discomfort. The study was conducted on women who were in the early stages of menopause, so if you’re dealing with something similar, maca root powder might be your new best friend.

Benefit #8: Reduces Blood Pressure

Seeing as maca’s been found to improve blood flow, it only makes sense that the powder can lower blood pressure for a time. However, there is inconsistent research regarding this benefit; using high amounts of maca root might increase blood pressure. This might be a matter of maca powder amount, so don’t use too much.

Benefit #9: It’s Natural Sunscreen

A fun advantage of maca root powder is that it can be used as a type of sunscreen that protects you from UVA, UVB, and UVC rays, even better than any commercial sunscreens. It also ameliorates — makes better — UVC-mediated damage. So it can act as a salve for those who use welding torches or mercury lamps.

Benefit #10: Fights Free Radicals

The maca plant actually belongs to the same genus family that has broccoli, cabbage, and radish. What do these also have in common? They’re chock-full of antioxidants, which help fight free radicals in your body. This leads to a reduction in chronic inflammation, a lower chance of some cancers, and slower aging.

Benefit #11: Increases Memory and Learning

Maca’s been shown to treat memory impairment in mice, making it something of a low-key nootropic.

Potential Maca Root Side Effects

While maca has all of those amazing benefits, taking too much or being in a difficult situation could switch this supplement from being a cure-all into a curse-all. 

First off, consuming fresh maca root without boiling it is dangerous. You want to make sure you get yours in powder form, which has been boiled and ground down.

Next, those with thyroid problems should probably avoid maca root. It has goitrogens, which can interfere with normal thyroid gland function. If you have an impaired thyroid, it’s best to steer clear.

Lastly, women who are already pregnant or breastfeeding should talk with their healthcare professional about the risks and rewards of taking maca root powder.

Everyone is in their own unique situation, so make absolutely sure that maca powder is right for you.

Should You Take Maca Root Every Day?

In low amounts, maca is considered generally safe. You can take your maca powder supplement daily for up to four months before cycling off for a few weeks. This is so that your body doesn’t get dependent on it, much like cycling off caffeine every once in a while.

How Much Maca Should You Take Daily?

The overall consensus is a single teaspoon or 3.1 grams. This daily recommended amount gives you all of the benefits listed above while keeping you safe from any adverse effects from higher doses.

You might not see benefits right away. Sometimes it takes weeks or months before you realize any of the advantages. 

What Are the Types of Maca Powder?

There are numerous types of maca powder, including how it’s processed. Below, you’ll find the five most common forms of maca root powder, both the color and the consistency.

Yellow vs. Red vs. Black Maca Powder

There are three kinds of maca powder: black, yellow, and red. 

Black maca is the rarest type and it improves memory, sperm count, energy, emotional behavior, and overall bone health.

Red maca is the second most common kind of maca. It tastes sweet and it assists with overall sexual function.

Yellow maca is the most common, which is what you’ll see in most supplement products. It’s super affordable due to its abundance and helps with sexual function as well.

These three maca roots provide very similar benefits. Here is a quick and simple list of the root colors and their effects:

• Black maca root powder: Male fertility and libido, erectile dysfunction, muscle building, stamina and endurance, mental focus, anxiety, stress, bone density
• Red maca root powder: Female fertility and libido, menopause symptoms, osteoporosis symptoms, men’s prostate health, energy, mental focus, depression, chronic fatigue, anxiety, stress, circulation, bone density, hair growth, acne
• Yellow maca root powder: All of the things that red maca does, just not as potent

In a nutshell, red maca is best for overall improvement and women’s health, yellow maca gives the most overall benefits, and black maca powder is for men’s sexual health and athletic performance.

Is Gelatinized Maca Better Than Raw Maca?

The gelatinized vs. raw maca powder debate poses pros and cons from both sides. However, the main takeaway is that one is heated more than the other, which plays around with the enzyme profile and how the powder digests in your body.

Raw maca is boiled at a lower temperature, keeping the nutrients within the root at optimal levels. That way, when it enters your digestive system, you can use those enzymes for maximum effect.

Gelatinized maca is boiled at a higher temperature to remove the starch content from the root. That way, even though it removes the enzymes and vitamin C found in the root, it’s easily digestible for those with more sensitive stomachs. The gelatinized maca powder is heavily concentrated due to lack of starch, but otherwise, the main ingredients and advantages remain intact.

Essentially, unless you have a sensitive digestive system, go with raw maca root powder for full benefits. If you want a supplement that’s easier on the stomach, go with gelatinized maca root powder.

Conclusion

You’re now an expert on maca root powder, and you should have an idea of which powder on our list of the best supplements is your favorite. Give maca powder a try — six weeks or longer — and notice if you see any differences.

Taking maca root is all about sexual health and emotional stability, two things we need now more than ever. For a sturdier, calmer, spicier life, maca root powder might just be your new best friend.

Still Unsure Which Option Is Best For You? Here’s The Recap, Based On Our Testing & Research

• The Maca Team Red Maca: This is the best option for women. It uses red maca, which has shown to improve female libido and fertility. It is easy to digest, organic, pure, and all-natural. It provides all of the benefits of maca root and is price-friendly.
• The Maca Team Organic Premium Raw Black Maca Powder: This is the best maca powder for men. It contains black maca, which is an adaptogen known to improve male libido. This is the maca I personally take and I find that it causes my sex drive to increase and my lifts in the gym get way better.
• Organic Greens by Amy Myers MD: This is the best option for someone wanting a more wide range nutritional profile. It contains nutrient-rich ingredients, not just maca.