**5. Antioxidant effects of maca as a food supplement in human nutrition**

Maca is being both at the meals of the indigenous people and exported to the whole world. Consumers around the world are taking it as a food supplement for improving their sexual and sportive activities and energy. So researchers have similarly given priority to these issues. However, studies on antioxidant status of human are limited [54].

Stress and inflammation affect human health score in the worst way, and interleukin-6 as a marker of inflammation increases in serum. People consuming regular maca have a lower interleukin-6 level and higher health scores than those not consume it [1]. Although macamides content is higher in black maca, red one enhanced the health score of human suffered from chronic mountain illness [55]. It has been shown in women that postmenopausal symptoms such as anxiety, depression and sexual dysfunction are reduced without being dependent on reproductive hormones [56, 57]. Similar effects were also observed in men. When consumed 1.5 and 3 g/day of maca powder, men's sexual desire increases and anxiety and depression are inhibited and sperm production and quality are improved (**Table 6**) [58, 59]. These reproductive effects of maca appeared independently of the hormones [28, 60]. In addition to sexual activity, when athletes got 2 g /day, performance improved and running time was reduced [61]. By scavenging DPPH and peroxyl radicals, polysaccharides isolated from maca have protected human erythrocyte against hydrogen peroxide and inhibited the hemolysis [62]. Some studies suggested that maca consumption is well tolerated and has no adverse effect [55]. On the contrary, some studies have reported negative effects on blood pressure [57, 63, 64].

ecotype, cultivation region, harvest time, production process and consumption preferences. Despite the wide-consumption of maca, its antioxidant effects are still being discussed in the academic circles. So the standardization of maca plant based on antioxidants is needed to take

Antioxidants in Maca (*Lepidium meyenii*) as a Supplement in Nutrition

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part as a safe supplement in nutrition and diets.

Address all correspondence to: serolkorkmaz@yahoo.com

Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock, Istanbul, Turkey

Medicine. 2012;**193496**:1-10. DOI: 10.1155/2012/193496

Agriculture Organization (FAO); 1994. pp. 165-179

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DOI: 10.1016/j.indcrop.2013.06.021

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10.1111/and.12679

**Author details**

Serol Korkmaz

**References**


**Table 6.** Effects of maca as a food supplement in human nutrition.

## **6. Conclusion**

Phenols, glucosinolates, alkamides and polysaccharides, which are important antioxidant source of many plants, were above mentioned. Many scientific researchers are attempting to reveal the effects of these compounds on antioxidant metabolism. While some of these compounds are peculiar to maca, others are common in tuberous plants. The variety and proportion of the bioactive compounds in maca depend on lots of different factors, specially ecotype, cultivation region, harvest time, production process and consumption preferences. Despite the wide-consumption of maca, its antioxidant effects are still being discussed in the academic circles. So the standardization of maca plant based on antioxidants is needed to take part as a safe supplement in nutrition and diets.
