Maca and Medications: Interactions You Should Know

The short answer is: no clinical trials have studied the interactions between maca (Lepidium meyenii) and medications. What exists are reports of adverse events in products sold online that contained maca, often combined with other substances, and a review describing mood changes, anxiety and other psychological symptoms associated with this type of unlicensed product ¹. This does not prove that maca causes interactions, but it also does not allow us to say it is safe in every situation. If you take long-term medication — especially anticoagulants, hormone therapy or blood pressure medicines — speak to your doctor or pharmacist before you start.

This article explains what the evidence allows us to say, what is simply prudence and what remains unstudied. If you are looking for general information about the root, start with the ingredient page on maca; here the focus is on taking it alongside medicines.

Why is it so difficult to know whether maca interacts with medications?

Drug interactions are studied with clinical trials designed for that purpose, with comparable groups and objective measurements. Those trials essentially do not exist for maca. The available research focuses on other outcomes: physical performance, menopausal symptoms, sexual function or semen quality. For example, a systematic review and meta-analysis of 21 studies (16 included in the meta-analysis) assessed the effect of maca on physical performance in animals and humans, not its pharmacological safety ².

In addition, many products sold online are not licensed supplements: they are mixtures with several active ingredients. In an assessment of 203 websites and other online resources, the most common "sexual enhancement" products contained yohimbine, maca, epimedium and Ginkgo biloba; these four substances were associated with adverse events and psychological symptoms such as mood changes, anxiety and hallucinations ¹. The problem is that, in these cases, the effect cannot be attributed to a single ingredient — nor is it even known whether the dose or purity matched the label.

Maca and anticoagulants: is there reason for concern?

There are no studies showing that maca alters clotting or the effect of anticoagulants such as warfarin. There are also no studies showing the opposite. The review of online products describes adverse events associated with formulas that contained maca, but without isolating maca's contribution or indicating which drug was involved ¹.

Given this lack of data, the sensible approach is prudence: if you take an anticoagulant, do not start taking maca without first speaking to the healthcare professional who manages that therapy. They can assess your case and, if necessary, request monitoring blood tests. And if you have surgery scheduled, always mention every supplement you take — the decision to stop or not should be made by the clinical team, not on your own.

If you have surgery scheduled, the prudent practice is to inform the surgical and anaesthesia team of all the supplements you take and follow the guidance they give you — which may include stopping maca a few days beforehand. Do not decide on your own or stop your medication by yourself.

Maca and hormone therapy: what is known (and what is not)

Maca is widely used by women in perimenopause, precisely the group in which many are on hormone therapy. Here there are two facts to separate.

First, what the studies examined: a systematic review identified four randomised clinical trials that compared maca with placebo in healthy women in perimenopause, early postmenopause and late postmenopause; the trials showed favourable effects on menopausal symptom scales, but the authors classified the evidence as limited, due to the small number of trials, small sample and average methodological quality ³. This concerns symptoms, not interactions with medications.

Second, what has not been studied: there are no trials testing maca in women taking hormone replacement therapy or hormonal contraception, nor measuring whether maca alters the levels of the hormones administered. There are also no data to say whether it enhances or reduces the effect of these drugs. If you are on hormone therapy, the decision to add maca should be discussed with your doctor.

Maca and blood pressure medicines

There are no studies evaluating the combination of maca with antihypertensives. Reports of blood pressure changes with maca are scarce and do not allow a cause-and-effect relationship to be established. As it is not known whether maca has any effect on blood pressure, or in which direction, the only reasonable strategy if you take blood pressure medication is to measure your blood pressure regularly when you introduce a new supplement and inform your doctor. If you notice values outside your usual range, stop and seek guidance.

Other medicines and situations: what the evidence does not cover

For antibiotics, anti-inflammatories, thyroid medicines or antidepressants, there are simply no published data on co-administration with maca. The absence of reports is not proof of safety — it is absence of monitoring. A systematic review of "testosterone boosters" analysed 52 studies and 27 proposed substances, including maca, and concluded that most do not increase total testosterone; maca was assessed in two studies, but the abstract does not specify the result for that outcome ⁴. This is useful for dispelling the idea that maca "affects hormones" in a predictable way, but it does not answer the question of interactions.

There are also groups in which prudence is greater: pregnant women, breastfeeding women and children should not take maca without the guidance of a healthcare professional, because there are no safety data in these populations. The same applies to anyone with active hormone disease or taking immunosuppressive medication: speak to your doctor first.

If you already take maca and medication, there is no reason to panic or to stop your medication on your own initiative. Mention maca at your next appointment or ask a pharmacist for an assessment, especially if you have blood tests scheduled or surgery planned. If new symptoms appear after starting maca, stop it and seek advice — that way the professional can see whether there is a temporal relationship.

What the label of the Hormonal Balance Gummies says

TuttiBear's Hormonal Balance Gummies include 400 mg of maca (black and yellow) per 2-gummy serving, plus shatavari extract (150 mg), dong quai extract (100 mg), saffron extract (30 mg), zinc citrate (5 mg; 50% of the reference intake), vitamin B6 (1.5 mg; 107%) and vitamin D3 (10 µg; 200%). The directions for use state to chew 2 gummies per day, preferably after a meal, without exceeding the recommended daily dose.

The label's own warnings are relevant to this article: not recommended for pregnant or breastfeeding women and, in case of illness or medication use, consult a healthcare professional before consuming. The product contains polyols and excessive consumption may have a laxative effect. Note that the 400 mg per serving is the label dose, not a dose studied in interaction trials — and doses used in studies are never instructions for use.

How to reduce risk if you decide to take maca

• Speak to the prescriber first. Take the packaging or the ingredient list to your appointment. It is the quickest way for the professional to assess the whole picture.
• Do not start everything at once. If you introduce several new supplements in the same week, you can no longer attribute any symptom to a single cause.
• Keep a record of what you take. A simple note with product, dose and time helps the doctor interpret changes.
• Watch for warning signs. Palpitations, dizziness, marked mood changes or unusual bleeding justify contacting a healthcare professional.
• Do not replace treatment. Maca is not a medicine and should not take the place of any prescribed therapy.

To understand what research has already tested in terms of effects — and with what limitations — it is worth reading our analysis of how maca works according to science and the summary of benefits and what it is for. If your question is the dose, see maca: daily dose; if it is the form, gummy or tablet; and if it is general safety, is maca bad for you?.

If your question is safety in pregnancy, see our article on maca during pregnancy; and if you want to understand when to take it to get the most out of it, read maca: when to take it.

What to do if you already take maca and medication

There is no reason to panic or to stop your medication on your own initiative. Most people tolerate maca well and there is no clear sign of serious interaction described in the available literature. The practical step is to mention maca at your next appointment or ask a pharmacist for an assessment, especially if you have blood tests scheduled or surgery planned. If new symptoms appear after starting maca, stop it and seek advice — that way the professional can see whether there is a temporal relationship.

Limitations: what remains unanswered

Practically everything needed to answer rigorously is missing: there are no interaction trials, it is not known whether dose influences risk, the effects of long-term use in people on medication are unknown, and there are no data in specific populations such as pregnant women, children or people with chronic illness. Existing reviews on maca focus on menopausal symptoms ³, semen quality ⁵ and sexual function ⁶; a review of herbal supplements for erectile dysfunction included maca among other substances ⁷. These reviews conclude that the evidence is limited or preliminary — none of them was designed to assess interactions. That is why the honest answer to "can I take maca with medications?" remains: it depends on your case, and the person who can assess it is a healthcare professional who knows your history.

Frequently asked questions

Does maca interact with the contraceptive pill?

There are no studies that have tested maca in women taking hormonal contraception, so it is not known whether there is an interaction or what its magnitude would be. As maca is used mainly for menopausal and cycle symptoms, the decision to combine it with the pill should be discussed with your doctor or pharmacist.

Can I take maca if I take anticoagulants?

There are no studies showing that maca alters clotting or the effect of anticoagulants, but there are also no studies guaranteeing the opposite. Because this is a therapy with a narrow margin, the most prudent step is to speak to the doctor who prescribes it before starting maca.

Does maca increase testosterone?

A systematic review of 52 studies on "testosterone boosters" concluded that most of the substances analysed do not increase total testosterone; maca was assessed in two studies, but the abstract does not specify the result for that outcome. This does not answer the question of interactions, but it helps frame what maca does and does not do.

How long before surgery should I stop maca?

There is no evidence-based recommendation specific to maca. The usual practice is to inform the surgical and anaesthesia team of all the supplements you take and follow the guidance they give you, which may include stopping a few days beforehand. Do not decide on your own.

Is maca safe for people taking blood pressure medication?

There are no studies on this combination. As it is not known whether maca has any effect on blood pressure, people taking antihypertensives should measure their blood pressure regularly when introducing the supplement and inform their doctor. If the values change, stop and seek guidance.

Can pregnant women and children take maca?

There are no safety data that allow maca to be recommended in pregnancy, breastfeeding or children, and the label of the Hormonal Balance Gummies itself states that it is not recommended for pregnant or breastfeeding women. In these cases, speak to a healthcare professional before considering any maca supplement.