[Lotus]

Hi Sunny68,

Related with that question about people saying that MACA increases testosterone...

I've been reaserching and i've read that MACA increases DHEA and cortisol, and DHEA increases testosterone. And DHEA may cause decreased breast size in women. That's why some women take herbs to promote aromatase, to help the conversion of testosterone into estrogen (estrone and estradiol). Estrone seems to be the predominant estrogen in postmenopausal women and to be a carcinogen... Estradiol is important for normal breast development. Cortisol seems to have a opposite interation with progesterone, so with stress you will produce cortisol and in order to produce cortisol the body will use progesterone and this will increase the estrogen dominance of a woman. But i've read here in the forum that cortisol supresses estrogen...
i'm so confuse!! ://


Well if MACA is an adaptogen should it increase DHEA?

This diagram explains it a littitle easier, DHEA benefits men more than women, (still, its risky even for men) the pathway ends up at DHT, supplemention with DHEA could result in deeper voice, acne, increased facial hair for women, balding in men.

Although it's not all bad news, DHEA does have health benefits, you just have to be ultra conservative, like 25 to 50 mg. at a time for a few times per month, of course everybody's different, so YMMV.

DHEA
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/drugi...l/331.html

[Sunny68]

Hi Odile!

Any mentioning of Maca possibly increasing DHEA/cortisol production that I had read referred to situations when this was desirable due to peoples's low levels.

Studies have come to the conclusion that Maca probably does not increase Testosterone levels in men and that its libido-raising action happens via a different pathway than by way of increasing T.

Maca is known for acting as an adaptogene, balancing hormones by way of acting on the glands (hypothalamus, pituitary, adrenals, pineal, thyroid...).

With the high amount of Maca I am taking and my disposition for a rather high level of androgenes, I think I would have noticed further imbalance. The only thing I noticed though was a very positive change in my hip and bust measurements... Plus, a real craving for my Maca every day. But this of course is how my body reacts and doesn't mean that others would experience the same on my regimen.

Big boobie vibes to you!

[Odile]

Hi Sunny and Lotus,

Again about MACA increasing testosterone...

I've saw this quote on a Lotus post in other thread:

"Quote: According to Dr. William Wong, (a PhD and natuaropath) you have to ingest 2-3 tablespoons of maca daily to have a physiological effect. Maca contains plant sterols that are precursors to testosterone and progesterone and also has DIM, which blocks and metabolizes estrogen. Dr. Wong also states that maca does not slow thyroid function as the cabbage-based DIM does."

What exactly does this mean?

And DIM helps to convert 16-hydroxy into 2-hydroxy?

"Supplementing our diets with DIM can shift the production of estrogen metabolites away from dangerous 16-hydroxy in favor of beneficial 2-hydroxy metabolites."