Maca (Expanded Varieties) for Energy And Fatigue

Research suggests that maca has fairly consistent support across preclinical and review literature for anti-fatigue and energy-related effects, with a 2024 meta-analysis reporting large effect sizes for physical performance outcomes and multiple animal studies demonstrating that maca compounds — including macamides and polysaccharides — can extend endurance, reduce lactic acid accumulation, and improve markers of energy metabolism such as ATPase activity and glycogen levels. Reviews spanning 2009 to 2024 note that these findings align with maca's long traditional use for stamina and energy, and that black maca in particular appears most consistently linked to fatigue-related outcomes in comparative variety research. However, the evidence base has meaningful limitations: the majority of positive findings come from rodent models rather than human trials, and a 2025 randomized crossover trial found that two weeks of maca supplementation did not reduce fatigue or improve performance in basketball players, introducing an important note of caution. Studies indicate that while the preclinical evidence is promising and mechanistically plausible, rigorous human clinical trials are limited in number and mixed in outcome, meaning firm conclusions about maca's energy and fatigue benefits in people remain premature.