19-03-2012, 14:06
Maca .....estro or prog? Hormone balancer?
December 24 2008 at 9:26 PM Abigail3 (Login Abigail3)
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I've read about maca being a hormone balancer and I have tried it in the past. Is it really a hormone balancer or is it more like a phytoestrogen?
Author Reply
Abigail3
(Login Abigail3) Re: Maca.....estro or prog? Hormone balancer? December 27 2008, 1:07 AM
Does anyone know?
Wahaika
(Login Wahaika)
SENIOR MEMBER Maca.....estro or prog? Hormone balancer? December 27 2008, 1:15 AM
Anytime you see the words "hormone balancer" watch out. In the case of maca, it raises testosterone.
Abigail3
(Login Abigail3) Re: Maca.....estro or prog? Hormone balancer? December 29 2008, 4:19 AM
Thanks Wahaika. So if we raise testosterone levels...doesn't that turn into estrogen then raise our estrogen?
dory
(Login Dory505) Re: Maca.....estro or prog? Hormone balancer? December 29 2008, 5:27 AM
bump!
is this true? Maca Raises Male Hormone? then if it does how some girls reporting boobs and butt growth from maca? i have purchased maca and decided to use it my next cycle. but...maybe not!! if it raises male hormone then that means no boobie growth
Natalie
(no login) Look what I found December 29 2008, 10:49 PM
I have been taking Maca to increase size in my booty, here's what I've found on info about hormones and Maca:
1.From a site that sells maca: http://www.natural-progesterone-estrogen...urally.htm
"When women reach menopause, there is a whole array of bothering symptoms to handle. The main cause of these symptoms like hot flashes, fatigue, loss of libido, depression and others are estrogen and testosterone deficiencies. MacaActive supplements to raise testosterone levels naturally help to increase these levels by nourishing your glands into producing more efficiently your natural hormones, which ultimately ends up in raising not only estrogen but also progesterone and testosterone levels.
"Rather than introducing hormones from outside the body, maca encourages your hormone glands to produce the needed hormones". This is what makes MacaActive so effective, according to Dr. Malaspina. "I have had perhaps 200 female patients whose perimenopausal and postmenopausal symptoms have been alleviated by taking this supplement". "
2.Another site: http://www.maca-usa.com/maca-increases-t...erone.html
"Maca is an adaptogen that stimulates the pituitary gland and the hypothalamus to make more testosterone in your own body. This ensures that you have more testosterone in the long term. This is not a substitute chemical that provides your body with unnatural testosterone and is spent after a short time. Don’t make a mistake with these testosterone increasing methods. They might seem alluring, but once they have been spent, there will be even less testosterone in your body than before."
3. This is the best I've found: http://www.healthyamericansllc.com/what_is_maca.htm
"Maca as Hormonal regulator:
Maca is unique as a HRT - alternative because instead of introducing foreign animal, plant or synthetic hormones into the body, Maca regulates the hypothalamus/pituitary axis to restore hormonal balance for both sexes in a gender- appropriate manner. Maca optimizes hormonal system function to ensure ideal levels of estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, DHEA and human growth hormone."
4.This is the craziest info I've heard about Maca (it's weird because I, it's from a site with tons of Q&A: http://www.macatalk.com/faqs/effects.html
"#5- Maca Question:
Have you heard from anyone that experienced cramps after starting the maca?
Is this normal and will it eventually taper off? I am a 55 yr. old. I love the energy, but wondered about the cramps. I'm only taking one 500 mg. capsule a day.
#5- Maca Magic Answer:
Yes that is possible. Maca stimulates graffian follicles, ovulation, and we have recently heard maca can produce cramping in some women. The case we have heard of this is in women who have had their tubes tied, or women who are taking maca the day before or during before their period. Although you are not taking high doses, you may be especially sensitive to maca. It may be best for you to cut back altogether, or only use as needed. "
adrianna
(no login) testoserone December 29 2008, 11:27 PM
Testosterone isnt entirely bad in women as long as its in its in balance. It raises sex drive and helps with moodiness and pms. too little testosterone is just as bad as too much. the key to everything is balance I think
Wahaika
(Login Wahaika)
SENIOR MEMBER Maca.....estro or prog? Hormone balancer? December 30 2008, 2:19 AM
Abigail and Dory, good points. The steroid hormone cascade chart that I like the best is here:
http://www.yourmenopausetype.com/steroid...athway.htm
It does not work with Firefox, you will need Internet Explorer for this one.
As you can see, estrogen is made from aromatase + testosterone. One of the reasons for using Saw Palmetto, by the way, is because it stops the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone (DHT) which I am pretty sure makes it unavailable for aromatazation to estrogen. So now that we can help keep more testosterone for aromatization to estrogen, how do we help the conversion process? The answer is to help the production of aromatase. Again, its a bit of a long chain of events, but GLA is a precursor to aromatase. This is why I recommend Borage Oil (starflower oil). EPO is only about 8% GLA but borage oil is about 23%.
So, the answer to "Do we want more testosterone?" is .......
Only if you need it. Some women night not make enough testosterone. MACA might be good for them as long as it converts. Some women have a problem converting testosterone to estrogen (PCOS), some do it too easily and become estrogen dominant. And the list goes on. Usually when women start getting acne and hairy they tend to dump BE. There is another reason to avoid too much testosterone but I don't remember it at the moment.
If you want to use MACA, just watch the effects and takeborage oil as part of the program. Perhaps also take a low dose (like 500mg per day) of saw palmetto. Remember that everyone is different and what worked for others may not work for everyone, or at least may need to be altered a bit.
Wahaika
Dani
(Login Stirl) Re: Maca.....estro or prog? Hormone balancer? December 30 2008, 3:52 AM
That's very interesting, I didn't know how that worked at all, it makes more sense now...
Devan
(no login) Re: Maca.....estro or prog? Hormone balancer? March 13 2012, 10:28 AM
I have taken maca for a month. I have PCOS, it delayed my ovulation so far by 4 days. I am not sure if I'm going to continue taking it due to cramps that started last night.
December 24 2008 at 9:26 PM Abigail3 (Login Abigail3)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I've read about maca being a hormone balancer and I have tried it in the past. Is it really a hormone balancer or is it more like a phytoestrogen?
Author Reply
Abigail3
(Login Abigail3) Re: Maca.....estro or prog? Hormone balancer? December 27 2008, 1:07 AM
Does anyone know?
Wahaika
(Login Wahaika)
SENIOR MEMBER Maca.....estro or prog? Hormone balancer? December 27 2008, 1:15 AM
Anytime you see the words "hormone balancer" watch out. In the case of maca, it raises testosterone.
Abigail3
(Login Abigail3) Re: Maca.....estro or prog? Hormone balancer? December 29 2008, 4:19 AM
Thanks Wahaika. So if we raise testosterone levels...doesn't that turn into estrogen then raise our estrogen?
dory
(Login Dory505) Re: Maca.....estro or prog? Hormone balancer? December 29 2008, 5:27 AM
bump!
is this true? Maca Raises Male Hormone? then if it does how some girls reporting boobs and butt growth from maca? i have purchased maca and decided to use it my next cycle. but...maybe not!! if it raises male hormone then that means no boobie growth
Natalie
(no login) Look what I found December 29 2008, 10:49 PM
I have been taking Maca to increase size in my booty, here's what I've found on info about hormones and Maca:
1.From a site that sells maca: http://www.natural-progesterone-estrogen...urally.htm
"When women reach menopause, there is a whole array of bothering symptoms to handle. The main cause of these symptoms like hot flashes, fatigue, loss of libido, depression and others are estrogen and testosterone deficiencies. MacaActive supplements to raise testosterone levels naturally help to increase these levels by nourishing your glands into producing more efficiently your natural hormones, which ultimately ends up in raising not only estrogen but also progesterone and testosterone levels.
"Rather than introducing hormones from outside the body, maca encourages your hormone glands to produce the needed hormones". This is what makes MacaActive so effective, according to Dr. Malaspina. "I have had perhaps 200 female patients whose perimenopausal and postmenopausal symptoms have been alleviated by taking this supplement". "
2.Another site: http://www.maca-usa.com/maca-increases-t...erone.html
"Maca is an adaptogen that stimulates the pituitary gland and the hypothalamus to make more testosterone in your own body. This ensures that you have more testosterone in the long term. This is not a substitute chemical that provides your body with unnatural testosterone and is spent after a short time. Don’t make a mistake with these testosterone increasing methods. They might seem alluring, but once they have been spent, there will be even less testosterone in your body than before."
3. This is the best I've found: http://www.healthyamericansllc.com/what_is_maca.htm
"Maca as Hormonal regulator:
Maca is unique as a HRT - alternative because instead of introducing foreign animal, plant or synthetic hormones into the body, Maca regulates the hypothalamus/pituitary axis to restore hormonal balance for both sexes in a gender- appropriate manner. Maca optimizes hormonal system function to ensure ideal levels of estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, DHEA and human growth hormone."
4.This is the craziest info I've heard about Maca (it's weird because I, it's from a site with tons of Q&A: http://www.macatalk.com/faqs/effects.html
"#5- Maca Question:
Have you heard from anyone that experienced cramps after starting the maca?
Is this normal and will it eventually taper off? I am a 55 yr. old. I love the energy, but wondered about the cramps. I'm only taking one 500 mg. capsule a day.
#5- Maca Magic Answer:
Yes that is possible. Maca stimulates graffian follicles, ovulation, and we have recently heard maca can produce cramping in some women. The case we have heard of this is in women who have had their tubes tied, or women who are taking maca the day before or during before their period. Although you are not taking high doses, you may be especially sensitive to maca. It may be best for you to cut back altogether, or only use as needed. "
adrianna
(no login) testoserone December 29 2008, 11:27 PM
Testosterone isnt entirely bad in women as long as its in its in balance. It raises sex drive and helps with moodiness and pms. too little testosterone is just as bad as too much. the key to everything is balance I think
Wahaika
(Login Wahaika)
SENIOR MEMBER Maca.....estro or prog? Hormone balancer? December 30 2008, 2:19 AM
Abigail and Dory, good points. The steroid hormone cascade chart that I like the best is here:
http://www.yourmenopausetype.com/steroid...athway.htm
It does not work with Firefox, you will need Internet Explorer for this one.
As you can see, estrogen is made from aromatase + testosterone. One of the reasons for using Saw Palmetto, by the way, is because it stops the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone (DHT) which I am pretty sure makes it unavailable for aromatazation to estrogen. So now that we can help keep more testosterone for aromatization to estrogen, how do we help the conversion process? The answer is to help the production of aromatase. Again, its a bit of a long chain of events, but GLA is a precursor to aromatase. This is why I recommend Borage Oil (starflower oil). EPO is only about 8% GLA but borage oil is about 23%.
So, the answer to "Do we want more testosterone?" is .......
Only if you need it. Some women night not make enough testosterone. MACA might be good for them as long as it converts. Some women have a problem converting testosterone to estrogen (PCOS), some do it too easily and become estrogen dominant. And the list goes on. Usually when women start getting acne and hairy they tend to dump BE. There is another reason to avoid too much testosterone but I don't remember it at the moment.
If you want to use MACA, just watch the effects and takeborage oil as part of the program. Perhaps also take a low dose (like 500mg per day) of saw palmetto. Remember that everyone is different and what worked for others may not work for everyone, or at least may need to be altered a bit.
Wahaika
Dani
(Login Stirl) Re: Maca.....estro or prog? Hormone balancer? December 30 2008, 3:52 AM
That's very interesting, I didn't know how that worked at all, it makes more sense now...
Devan
(no login) Re: Maca.....estro or prog? Hormone balancer? March 13 2012, 10:28 AM
I have taken maca for a month. I have PCOS, it delayed my ovulation so far by 4 days. I am not sure if I'm going to continue taking it due to cramps that started last night.