People take maca by mouth for "tired blood" (anemia), improv- ing fertility, sexual dysfunction, and other conditions, but there is

no good scientific evidence to support these uses. Early research shows that taking a specific maca product daily for 12 weeks can increase sexual desire in healthy men. It suggests that taking maca twice daily for 12 weeks slightly improves sexual dysfunction in women taking antidepressants. Maca (Lepidium meyenii or Peruvian ginseng) is a plant that grows in central Peru in the high plateaus of the Andes Mountains. Maca root contains many chemicals, including fatty acids and amino acids. If it is dried, it may be further processed into a flour for baking or as a dietary supplement. It also has uses in traditional medicine.