Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the W.T. Rawleigh. Assumptions made within the article are not reflective of the position of W.T. Rawleigh. Maca Root, a native plant to Peru, was traditionally used for enhancing fertility and sexual desire. This cruciferous vegetable looks similar to radishes and is usually available in powder form. It is considered an adaptogen, which means that it naturally helps the body to adapt to stress. Research on Maca Root suggests that it has many potential benefits, ranging from enhancing mood to helping balance estrogen levels. Below are 3 well researched benefits of Maca Root. Fight Free Radical Damage A study conducted in 2014, showed that the polysaccharides extracted from Maca Root had high antioxidant activity and were shown to be effective in fighting free radical damage. The study suggested the antioxidant properties may prove to be beneficial for preventing heart and diabetic conditions as well. May Increase Fertility Reduced sexual desire and vitality is commonly experienced by adults. A study involving nine men over the course of four month oral treatment showed Maca Root increased seminal volume and sperm count. Because this study was limited to small group of males, another recent study summarized Maca Root was shown to increase male fertility, in both infertile and fertile men. Additional studies evaluated the effects of Maca Root on semen and hormone levels and the results revealed that Maca Root possessed fertility enhancing properties. May Improve Memory There have been studies that strongly suggest a correlation between dietary intake of certain vegetables and overall improvement in cognitive function, especially in elderly adults. Animal studies have shown that Maca Root may improve learning and memory in rodents that have been induced with mechanisms that impair normal cognitive abilities. Another study suggests Maca Root may decrease mitochondrial function and decline in autophagy signalling, both known to hinder the process of age -related cognitive decline. Sources: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25037390 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11753476/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26421049/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27648102 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27621241 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3096456/ Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the W.T. Rawleigh. Assumptions made within the article are not reflective of the position of W.T. Rawleigh.