We ́ve talked previously about Maca and its aid in acne, in this new post, we’re going to focus on its role in energy balance.
At Wholefort we care about science-based evidence, and when it comes to our products, our cereal line up ingredients have been studied for its health-promoting properties.
Maca, the Peruvian superfood, has also been linked to boosting libido and mood, however, we are going to discuss them in future posts.
Before explaining the mechanism in which Maca helps our body to feel more energetic, let’s dive first on describing what fatigue is and what is not.
Fatigue is the feeling of tiredness or lack of energy, it should not be confused with sleepiness or drowsiness.
Been sleepy is a natural feeling later at night associated with muscle relaxation and reduced environmental perception, on the other hand, been drowsy is often associated with medical conditions that lead to this state or certain medications.
One of the most common conditions that lead to drowsiness is diabetes, others may include hypothyroidism or hyponatremia. In terms of medication, even over the counter medicines like antihistamines may have these effects, the most common drug to induce drowsiness is Carbamazepine an anti-seizure drug for epilepsy treatment.
So, fatigue is a common symptom as a result of some lifestyle choices, such as lack of exercise or poor diet, being the latter the most relevant.
When it comes to diet, vitamins, minerals, and other micronutrients are very important to our metabolism, see them as oil for gear machinery, therefore eating fruits and vegetables can aid to improve fatigue, nevertheless, even some fruits and vegetables have low to mild in contents of micronutrients.
Maca is not only bringing vitamins and minerals but other unique micronutrients like alkaloids, polyphenols, macamides, and macaenes, the last ones are polyunsaturated fatty acids Macamides and macaenes are assumed to be the characteristic marker compounds of Maca as they haven’t been found in any other plants (1).
These fatty acids are unique. because of its structure and molecular weight, they can easily cross the blood-brain barrier and elicit a favorable response to brain energy using them as fuel (2).
Another possible mechanism for its energy-boosting properties could relay not only in the brain but in other tissues macamides and macaenes being polyunsaturated fatty acids work as an anti-inflammatory, aiding in better production of energy.
Remember that poor diets high in trans-fat and high refined sugars lead to inflammation, resulting in overtime in feeling fatigue.
WholeFort products promote a healthy lifestyle by nourishing your body with the best nutritional value. Our lineup of cereals guarantees better overall health when combined with exercise and a properly balanced diet.
More evidence on Maca anti-fatigue properties:
A 12-week study in 175 people found that taking 3 grams of maca daily led to significant improvements in both mood and energy levels (3).
A study also showed that maca extract helped fight fatigue during a swimming test (4).
Another study observed that concentrated maca extract relieved fatigue by decreasing several markers of muscle damage during exercise (5).
It’s best to choose superfoods like MACA for breakfast, as they’re very nutritious and filling. High-protein breakfasts may help reduce cravings and also promote weight loss.