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Maca for Depression Treatment - Does It
Help?
Is there any scientific evidence for using maca for depression?
There is quite a bit of
interest in this vegetable crop that grows in the high altitudes of Peru. Its
popularity comes from its reported effect as a sexual enhancement herb.
Health benefits and uses of maca include: boosting libido, treating
erectile dysfunction, enhancing fertility, increasing sperm count, alleviating
menopause symptoms and increasing energy and well-being.
Experts
believe that maca might affect the monoamine oxidase, an enzyme that
breaks down neurotransmitters responsible for maintaining mood. Blocking
this enzyme increases the amount of neurotransmitter available to the nerve cells and this elevate mood and creates a sense
of well-being.
But what is the
evidence of the effective of maca for depression treatment? Read on to find out...
Maca for Treating Depression - The Scientific Evidence
Here is one
study that was carried out in post menopause women to see what this herb does:
Beneficial effects of
Lepidium meyenii (Maca) on psychological symptoms and measures of
sexual dysfunction in postmenopausal women are not related to estrogen
or androgen content. Brooks NA, Wilcox G, Walker KZ, Ashton JF, Cox MB, Stojanovska L. Menopause. 2008 Nov-Dec;15(6):1157-62.
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This study involved 14 women and was setup as a randomized
double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial (the "gold standard" for
designing research studies). The women took 3.5 grams of maca root powder daily
for 6 weeks. The results were that women reported reduced psychological symptoms such as depression and anxiety as well as increased libido.
Bottom Line
Maca seems to work to treat depression. It is worth trying at least for 6 weeks to see if it will help you out. Also, herbs such as St. John's wort and SAMe work well to treat mild depression and should be considered as well. As well, a combination product like MindSoothe
combines St. John's wort with passion flower using the Full Spectrum
Approach to ensure maximum effectiveness for elevating mood. It comes
highly recommended by those who are currently taking this.
Get
more detailed information on the Health Benefits of Maca?
See the
unbiased article Maca
to get a complete
list of all the health benefits of taking this Peruvian herb. As well,
side effects
and suggested dose to use are included.

Related Articles and Resources
MindSoothe - All Natural Remedy for Depression
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the FULL Unbiased Review on Maca
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