Maca

[Guest guest]

I am just wondering if anyone has any experience of maca. I tried it

yesterday lunchtime & took a piled up teaspoon & today woke up with a

headache & have felt dizzy & heady all day. I wonder if this is just a

coincidence or if this is unsuitable for us? Also last evening I was

unusually anxious/irritable & perhaps there was some connection?

Val

[Guest guest]

I've tried Maca a few times. A few alternative docs claim it is the

hero of adrenal herbs, since it modulates all glands in harmony at the

same time. I know one guy who does great with just 1/4 of one tablet

per day.

My experience...

First day, about 1/8th teaspoon powder (sensitive and gunshy). Within

a couple hours very nice antidepressant effect and boost of energy. I

was sure I had found the ultimate cure.

Second day...1/2 teaspoon. Oops. Too much. More depressed than before,

irritable, quivery voice, really tired, lousy sleep.

Third day...1/8 teaspoon. Getting more depressed. Getting the overall

feeling of adrenal glands completely pooped out, like maybe the Maca

had given them instructions they were just not capable of doing.

A second try about a month later...

Again, very small doses. This time no good effects. Just more

depressed, lethargy and yet wired at the same time, irritable,

anxious, oversensitive, uncomfortable sex drive, in psychiatric terms

perhaps what would be called a dysphoric mania.

Third try...

Same as the second, this time with tablets ranging from 1/4 to 1.

Each of these trials left me totally exhausted like I had just come

out of a war or a flu, and it took a few days to recover to my

baseline.

I guess maybe with all glandular herbs they need to be taken months

for their " supposed " balancing effects to take place. For me it was so

bad I absolutely could not tolerate getting past 3 days. It was bad.

For a healthy person Maca might be a cool supplement. In Peru it is

just a food. Whew. Darn powerful food to me.

Scientifically speaking, setting folklore aside, setting alternative

medicine claims aside, this is what clinical studies indicate...

Adrenal herbs lower cortisol, in contrast to the claims that they

balance cortisol. This includes the Ginsengs, Ashwaghanda, Rhodiola,

Holy Basil, and the others. Perhaps by lowering cortisol they give the

adrenals a rest so after a few months they can recuperate. But in the

meantime with even lower cortisol, I'm not sure that's what we want.

One clinical study showed that the combination of Siberian Ginseng and

Astragulus was able to lower excess cortisol and yet simultaneously

elevate deficient cortisol, depending on which needed to be done. How

the heck the herb combo knew the difference I have no clue. I know a

lady who takes these two herbs for her amalgam induced hypoadrenalism,

along with Isocort and she says they have worked pretty good. In this

clinical study, neither Siberian Ginseng or Astragulus by themselves

were reliable or effective. It was the combination.

My doctor prescribed me HC but he also wants me on an adrenal herb

combo pill (without Maca) to supposedly nourish the adrenals over

months to help them heal. Sounds good, in theory that is. Just started

the HC but hesitating on the herbs.

Back to Maca. My personal experience says it is too stimulating for

weak adrenals. This is in conflict to popular claims. Perhaps if

someone had the endurance to weather the storm and stick with it a few

months maybe the outcome would be different. For me, it was a hurrican

strength storm I could not survive.

>

> I am just wondering if anyone has any experience of maca. I tried

it

> yesterday lunchtime & took a piled up teaspoon & today woke up with

a

> headache & have felt dizzy & heady all day. I wonder if this is

just a

> coincidence or if this is unsuitable for us? Also last evening I

was

> unusually anxious/irritable & perhaps there was some connection?

>

> Val

>