You’ve probably seen the dusty bags of beige powder sitting on the shelf at Whole Foods or popping up in your Instagram feed tucked into a "fertility smoothie." People swear by it. They call it "Nature's Viagra" or a "hormone balancer." But once that pregnancy test shows a faint double line, the conversation changes. Suddenly, the same superfood that helped you get pregnant becomes a source of anxiety. Is maca root and pregnancy a safe combination, or are you accidentally messing with your hormones when they need to be left alone?
Honestly, the internet is a mess on this topic.
On one side, you have traditional Andean practitioners who have used maca for centuries as a staple food. On the other, you have cautious Western MDs who see "herbal supplement" and immediately hit the red alert button. There isn't a lot of middle ground. Most of the "expert" blogs you read are just repeating the same three sentences because, frankly, we lack the kind of massive, double-blind human clinical trials that the FDA loves.
Let's get into the weeds of what we actually know.
The Hormonal Tug-of-War
Maca (Lepidium meyenii) is a cruciferous vegetable. It’s a cousin to broccoli and kale, but it grows in the brutal conditions of the high Andes. Because it’s an adaptogen, it’s supposed to help your body manage stress. That sounds great in theory. Pregnancy is basically one long stress test for your biology.
But here is the kicker.
Maca doesn’t actually contain hormones. It’s not like taking estrogen or progesterone. Instead, it contains alkaloids and glucosinolates that are thought to act on the hypothalamus-pituitary axis. This is the "control center" for your entire endocrine system. During the first trimester, your body is performing a delicate dance. Progesterone levels need to skyrocket to maintain the uterine lining. If you introduce something that "balances" or alters that feedback loop, you’re playing with a very complex thermostat.
Dr. Jorge Chacon, a researcher who has spent years studying the plant in Peru, often points out that native populations eat maca as a food source—boiled or roasted—rather than as a raw, concentrated supplement. There is a massive difference between eating a cooked root and swallowing 5,000mg of raw extract.
Most Western doctors advise against maca root and pregnancy simply because we don't have a "safety ceiling." We don't know the exact dose where it might interfere with the placenta or fetal development. It’s the "better safe than sorry" approach.
Why People Think It’s a Miracle for Fertility
Most people start looking into maca long before they’re actually pregnant. It has a massive reputation for boosting libido and improving sperm quality. In fact, a 2002 study published in Andrologia found that men who took maca for 12 weeks experienced a significant increase in sexual desire compared to the placebo group.
For women, it’s often used to regulate cycles.
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If you have PCOS or irregular periods, maca might help by stabilizing the communication between your brain and your ovaries. This is why it’s so common in the "TTC" (Trying to Conceive) community. You get used to it. It becomes part of your morning routine. Then, the "BFP" (Big Fat Positive) happens, and you’re left wondering if you should finish the bag.
The Raw vs. Gelatinized Debate
If you’re going to look at maca at all, you have to understand the processing. Raw maca is hard on the gut. It contains high levels of starch that can cause bloating and gas, which—let's be real—is the last thing you want when you’re already dealing with morning sickness.
Gelatinized maca isn't "gelatin" like Jell-O. It’s a process where the root is heated under pressure to break down the starch and kill off bacteria. This makes the nutrients more bioavailable. In Peru, they almost never eat it raw. If you've been taking it and you're worried, check your label. Gelatinized is generally considered the "safer" traditional prep, though "safe" is still a relative term in the eyes of the medical community.
Risks That No One Mentions
We need to talk about the thyroid.
Maca contains goitrogens. These are substances that can interfere with how your thyroid gland uses iodine. During pregnancy, your thyroid has to work overtime—it increases production by about 50% to support the baby's brain development. If you have an undiagnosed thyroid issue, or if your iodine levels are borderline, a heavy maca habit could theoretically complicate things.
Then there’s the lead issue.
Because maca is a root vegetable grown in soil that can sometimes be contaminated with heavy metals, supplement quality varies wildly. A 2018 report by ConsumerLab found that some maca supplements contained detectable levels of lead. While these levels might be "acceptable" for a non-pregnant adult, there is no "safe" level of lead exposure for a developing fetus.
What the Midwives Say
In many holistic circles, midwives might be more lenient than OB-GYNs. Some argue that because it's a nutrient-dense food—rich in iron, potassium, and calcium—it serves as a natural prenatal. They point to the women in the Junín region of Peru who consume it throughout their lives, including during gestation.
However, those women are adapted to it. Their microbiomes are used to it.
If you’ve never touched the stuff and decide to start taking it in your second trimester because you’re tired, you’re introducing a potent bio-active substance to a system that is already under high pressure. That’s a risky move. Most practitioners will tell you to stop taking it the moment you get a positive test, simply to remove one more variable from the equation.
Practical Steps for the Concerned Mom-to-Be
So, what do you actually do?
If you were taking maca root and pregnancy caught you by surprise, don't panic. You haven't ruined anything. Most women who use it for fertility stop as soon as they find out they're pregnant. The "half-life" of the active compounds isn't incredibly long.
Here is a sensible way to handle it:
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- Check your blood work. If you've been taking maca, ask your doctor to check your thyroid levels (TSH, T3, and T4) and your progesterone. This gives you a baseline of how your body is actually functioning.
- Phase it out. If you're nervous about a "hormone crash" from stopping cold turkey, talk to an herbalist or a functional med doctor about a three-day taper. Most people are fine to just stop.
- Switch to "True" Foods. If you were using maca for energy, look at your iron and B12 levels. Pregnancy fatigue is often just anemia in disguise. Replacing a supplement with a steak or a massive pile of spinach is always the safer bet.
- Vetting the Brand. If you and your healthcare provider decide the benefits outweigh the risks (which is rare, but happens), you must use a brand that provides third-party testing for heavy metals. Brands like Gaia Herbs or Mountain Rose Herbs are generally more transparent than a random bottle from a discount bin.
The reality is that maca root and pregnancy is a gray area because there’s no money in proving it’s safe. Pharmaceutical companies aren't going to fund a multi-million dollar study on a root that grows in the mountains. We are left with traditional wisdom and modern caution.
Listen to your body. If you feel "off" or "wired" after taking it, your nervous system is telling you something. Pregnancy is a time for stabilization, not optimization. You aren't trying to "biohack" your way through a 40-week gestation; you're trying to grow a human. Sometimes, the best thing you can do for your hormones is to get out of their way and let the placenta take the wheel.
Stick to the basics. Focus on high-quality proteins, healthy fats, and the prenatal vitamins your doctor actually recommended. The maca bag can wait in the back of the pantry until your postpartum recovery, where its potential to help with energy and mood might actually be more useful anyway.
Next Steps for Safety:
- Audit your supplement stack. Look for "Proprietary Blends" on your protein powders or "Greens" drinks. Maca is often hidden in these.
- Discuss with your OB. Bring the actual bottle to your next appointment. Don't just say "I take maca." Show them the dosage.
- Monitor your heart rate. Some women find maca increases their resting heart rate. Since your heart is already pumping 40-50% more blood, you don't need the extra stimulation.
- Prioritize sleep over stimulants. If the maca was for energy, try to identify if you're actually just sleep-deprived or if your blood sugar is spiking and crashing.
The goal is a healthy baby and a healthy you. When in doubt, leave it out.