If you've heard maca mentioned for energy, mood, or libido and wondered whether there's anything to it, you're not alone — it's one of the most-asked-about ingredients we hear from women 40+. Meet Maca+, our answer to a question that comes up a lot: is there a maca supplement that's actually transparent about what's in it, instead of a vague "proprietary blend"?
What is maca, and why three colors?
Maca is a root vegetable grown high in the Peruvian Andes, used there for centuries as both a food and a traditional tonic. It grows in several natural colors, and Andean tradition assigns each color a slightly different role: black maca for energy and stamina, red maca for hormonal and reproductive support, yellow maca for everyday balance.* Rather than picking one, Maca+ includes all three — 1,000 mg of black maca root, 250 mg of red maca root, and 250 mg of yellow maca root per two-capsule serving — plus 5 mg of black pepper fruit, included specifically to support nutrient absorption.*
What does the research say?
Maca has been studied specifically in women, which matters — a lot of supplement research skews toward male subjects or athletic performance, so maca's female-focused research base is worth calling out. A systematic review of maca and sexual function found supportive evidence across the trials it examined, though the review authors also noted that more rigorous, larger trials would strengthen the evidence base further (PubMed). A separate placebo-controlled study looked specifically at postmenopausal women and found that maca's effects on psychological symptoms and measures of sexual function did not appear to be related to estrogen or androgen content — meaning maca doesn't appear to work by acting like a hormone in the body, which is an important distinction for anyone cautious about hormone-like supplements (PubMed).
To be clear about what this means: Maca+ is a dietary supplement, not a hormone replacement therapy and not a treatment for any diagnosed condition, including menopause itself. The research points to supportive, structure-and-function-level effects — not a cure, and not a substitute for medical care.*
What Maca+ actually supports
Four things, each backed by what's on the label rather than vague marketing language:
- Energy and endurance — supports energy and endurance naturally, without caffeine.*
- Hormonal balance — helps maintain hormonal balance.*
- Libido and reproductive health — may support libido and reproductive health.*
- Mood — promotes a healthy mood and emotional well-being.*
Because Maca+ is completely caffeine-free, the energy support it offers works differently than a stimulant — there's no jitteriness, no afternoon crash, and no concern about stacking it with coffee or other caffeinated supplements.
Why black pepper fruit is in the formula
The 5 mg of black pepper fruit in Maca+ isn't there by accident. Black pepper contains piperine, a compound studied for its ability to enhance the absorption of various nutrients and plant compounds by supporting how the digestive system processes them. Including a small, labeled amount of black pepper fruit alongside the three maca colors is a common formulation choice meant to help the body make better use of what it's taking in — rather than simply adding more maca and hoping more gets absorbed.
How and when to take it
The suggested use is two capsules once a day, ideally taken 20-30 minutes before a meal, or as directed by your healthcare professional. At 60 capsules per bottle, that's a 30-day supply at the labeled serving. Because maca is a food-based supplement rather than a fast-acting stimulant, most people find that giving it several weeks of consistent use — rather than judging it after a day or two — is the more realistic way to notice any effect.
What's actually in the bottle
Per two-capsule serving: organic black maca root (Lepidium meyenii) 1,000 mg, organic red maca root 250 mg, organic yellow maca root 250 mg, and black pepper (Piper nigrum) fruit 5 mg. Other ingredients are limited to what the capsule needs: a hypromellose vegetable capsule and vegetable stearate. That's the complete list — every amount printed on the label, nothing hidden behind a blend.
Maca+ is gluten-free, non-GMO, vegan, vegetarian, sugar-free, and made in the USA.
Third-party tested, every batch
Every batch of Maca+ is tested by an independent lab for purity and potency before it's approved for sale, and production happens in an NSF-certified, GMP-certified, FDA-registered U.S. facility. That's a standard we hold across every CuraMyHealth product — see our standards page for the full picture of how we test.
Who should be cautious with maca
Maca is generally well tolerated, but a few groups should be more careful. Because maca may have mild effects related to hormonal balance, anyone with a hormone-sensitive condition should talk with their doctor before starting it. Maca can occasionally cause mild digestive upset in sensitive individuals, especially when starting at a higher dose than the body is used to. Maca is also a cruciferous vegetable, part of the same broader plant family as broccoli and cabbage — a family sometimes flagged for anyone managing a thyroid condition, so if that applies to you, it's worth mentioning to your doctor before adding maca to your routine. As always: pregnant or nursing women, anyone under 18, and anyone with a known medical condition should consult a physician before using this or any dietary supplement.
A root with centuries of traditional use
Long before maca showed up in wellness aisles outside Peru, it was a staple crop in the high-altitude regions of the Andes, where few other food plants can grow. Andean communities have cultivated and used maca for generations, both as a nutrient-dense food and as part of traditional wellness practices — long enough that the different colored varieties developed their own distinct reputations within that tradition. Modern research is still catching up to centuries of use, which is part of why maca's evidence base, while genuinely encouraging, is still described by researchers as needing larger and more rigorous trials.
Frequently asked questions
Is maca the same as an adaptogen?
Maca is sometimes grouped with adaptogens in casual conversation because of its traditional use for energy and stress resilience, though it's botanically distinct from herbs like ashwagandha or rhodiola. Its research base and traditional use are specific to maca itself.
Will Maca+ help with menopause symptoms specifically?
Maca+ is not marketed or intended as a menopause treatment, and it isn't a substitute for any care your doctor recommends for menopausal symptoms. Some research has looked at maca in postmenopausal women broadly, but Maca+ is formulated as a general wellness supplement, not a targeted menopause product.*
Does Maca+ contain any hormones?
No — Maca+ contains maca root powder and black pepper fruit, nothing else. Research suggests maca's effects don't appear to work through direct hormone content, though as with any supplement affecting hormonal balance, it's worth a conversation with your doctor if you have a hormone-sensitive condition.
Can I take Maca+ with my other CuraMyHealth supplements?
Maca+ is caffeine-free, which generally makes it easy to combine with a broader routine. If you're taking prescription medication, particularly anything hormone-related, check with your doctor or pharmacist before adding any new supplement.
How long before I'd notice anything?
Individual results vary. Because maca works gradually as a food-based supplement rather than an immediate stimulant, most people give it several weeks of consistent daily use before evaluating whether it's making a difference.
Why use three colors instead of just one?
Each color of maca carries a slightly different traditional use, and combining black, red, and yellow is meant to offer a broader base of support rather than narrowing in on just one area. It's also simply how maca root naturally grows — the different colors are all the same species, just distinct cultivated varieties.
Where Maca+ fits in a daily routine
If you want a maca supplement with every ingredient and amount printed plainly on the label — no proprietary blend, no guessing — Maca+ is built to be exactly that: three named maca colors, a transparent dose, and third-party testing on every batch. For a related look at hormonal wellness for women 40+, see our guide to Menopause+. If energy and focus are your main priority, our B-12 Complex+ guide covers a caffeine-free alternative approach.
Sources
- Maca (L. meyenii) for improving sexual function: a systematic review — PubMed
- 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 — PubMed
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, NIH
Individual results vary.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
