Altitude And Macca Powder

burtlancast

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I was just reading Elaine's Hollingworth latest newsletter about macca powder:

"Our Maca is harvested in the Bombon Plateau, of Peru, more than 13,800 feet above sea level. This feature makes this Maca a source of high strength and vital power, which is transmitted to those who consume it. A study done in the 1980s showed that people from the Bombon Plateau have much less disease and live longer than people in the rest of the country. The excellent health of that population, despite the harsh climate and altitude, is attributed to Maca consumption. "

I don't know much about macca, but i suspect it's attributed health effects are actually mistaken with those of better tissue oxygenation due to altitude.
 

elka

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May 26, 2013
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I tried maca for a few months (6 caps a day, NOW brand). It gave me very red lips similarly to high doses of progesterone, but its effect quickly diminished. I think Peat said it can be irritating to sensitive intestines, but I didn't notice negative effects. I have a chronically low blood pressure, and it brought it up to normal - at the time of taking it. It also gave me a high libido.

I saw studies that both show no hormonal influence and profound hormonal influences...

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23674976
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12525260
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24931003
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23675005
 

pboy

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the way the Andeans use it is a bit different than touted in America. Ive expiriemented with maca...many forms, many types of preparations...even straight raw...lol, that's actually what is recommended by a lot of the brands on the back of package...not a smart idea. The Andeans cook it like we would carrots and usually peel them before eating...they are small, like 4 could fit on just the palm of your hand. They cook it thoroughly like you would any root veg and use it as a topping, or in baked goods, but not really straight or raw. Its from the mustard family, therefore it has goitrogens, but at the same time its high in iodine and selenium, so it kind of offsets the potential goiter effect. If eaten raw, its a gastric disaster and ineffective, hardly absorbable...no go. If geltanized, cooked, or
brewed (best) its good for about 1-2 days, a couple times a day, but then has reverse effect. LIke its really noticeable...a few years ago when I was first trying it, at first you notice this deep sense of like leg and lower back, good posture type energy, you get hornier, and voice gets noticeably deeper. After a day or two, your voice gets higher than before (like nearing estrogen pinched voice levels), and mental feel goes from energized action potential to more of a sedated kind of awake but not that fast or quick...closer to a gaba kind of state, but not as pleasant. I messed around with it time to time, but its not that worth it once your diet is mastered. And if so, only use it like or twice ever few days or you'll start getting opposite effect. It does also seem to increase respritory dilation, similar to theobromine. Its a good temporary libido boost if you so need or want it, but yea...couple times on, couple days off...or more, id say use as needed, and cook it for sure or buy pre geletanized
 

pboy

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wanted to add also, the altitude alone is probably the main benefit, maca every now and then, similar to coca leaf, can help dilate bronchioles making breathing easier and deeper...so it could help. They tend to live a more peaceful socially connected life, very in touch with all facets of life and their environmental surroundings...the soil. I think they have a lot of sex too, maca probably helps many from time to time. It also is a dense source of minerals...its actually very high in a lot of minerals, and has a positive calcium to phosphorus ratio, has zinc, selenium, even iodine. Its probably playing a part in their better health outcome and longevity, but not moreso than the other factors such as the altitude, way of life and things like that
 
OP
burtlancast

burtlancast

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Thanks for sharing your experiences with Macca.
What do you think of the powdered form ?
 

pboy

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it can work, in fact its hard if not impossible to get anything other than powder in the US, but make sure to cook it or it wont really digest and youll get some gas, probably 20 minutes or as long as youd cook rice, just to kind of break down the starch and cell walls. Theres not much difference in effect from about 2 tsp - 5tsp, anything over is just overkill and wont add any extra benefit...well that's what ive noticed. Also its semi high fiber if you go much beyond a few tsp
 

pboy

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yea that's pretty much what im saying...its a good food but not much more than that, and its way overhyped in American and other places...presumably because its hugely overpriced and no one here has any idea that it is just a pretty ordinary food, rather than a super miracle food. Its dense in nutrition, but not much more so than average greens. Its unique because of its iodine content but here we generally don't worry about that as opposed to the people living way away from the sea in the high mountains. Id honestly say milk is more promotional to sex hormones than maca, because it gives all the nutrition rather than some nutrition + some medicinal effect that doesn't last, and might not be optimum. I think cacao also dilates lungs a bit more
 

jpgio

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Maca had a potent effect in enhancing my mood and increasing my energy I loved it but it stops having a noticeable effect after a few days of continuous use for this reason I believe it should be cycled but the positive effect came back after a few days off. I noticed no side effects. It really gave me a nice overall sense of well being! Oh ya a big increase in libido too for sure. Haven’t taken it in a while because I ran out and haven’t bought anymore.
 

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