Ingredient: maca
Maca Root Extract in HoneyBoost: 10 mg Against What Trials Used
Maca root extract in HoneyBoost is an Andean root extract at a 10:1 ratio, printed at 10 mg per gummy, equal to 100 mg of root. A 12-week trial used 1,500 or 3,000 mg a day, which is 15 to 30 times more. That trial found better self-rated desire and no change in testosterone.
- Per gummy10 mg extract
- Ratio10:1
- Root equivalent100 mg
Written by the HoneyBoost label deskUpdated
The basics
What is maca root extract in HoneyBoost?
Maca root extract is a concentrate made from the root of Lepidium meyenii, a plant grown in the Andes. The HoneyBoost label prints it as “Maca (Lepidium meyenii) Root Extract 10:1, 10 mg”, with an equivalent of 100 mg maca root.
Maca is sold for energy, strength, fertility and sexual desire (MSK, Maca). That is how it is marketed. What studies show is narrower, and the next sections go through it.
The gummy does not hold the 100 mg of root. It holds the 10 mg of extract that was made from it. The header tile is our own honey-drop drawing, not a picture of maca.
| Name on the label | Maca (Lepidium meyenii) Root Extract 10:1 |
|---|---|
| What it is | Andean root; the label prints a 10:1 extract and a 100 mg root equivalent |
| Place on the label | 2 of 7 lines, in label order |
| Amount per 1-gummy serving | 10 mg of extract per gummy, equivalent to 100 mg maca root |
| Daily Value | Not established |
| Amount used in research | 1,500 mg or 3,000 mg a day of gelatinized maca for 12 weeks in healthy men; reviews of four small trials |
| How the label compares | The 100 mg root equivalent is 15 times below 1,500 mg and 30 times below 3,000 mg |
| Strength of evidence | Limited: a 2010 review of four small trials called the evidence limited; the 12-week trial found better self-rated desire and no change in testosterone; no trial used 10 mg of extract |
| Marketed or traditional use | Sold for energy, stamina and desire |
| Main caution | MSK notes maca may interfere with testosterone blood tests, may affect hormone-sensitive cancers, and may not be safe in pregnancy. In rats it added to losartan's blood pressure effect. |
The math
What does maca 10:1 mean on the label?
A 10:1 extract means about 10 parts of root were used to make 1 part of extract. So 10 mg of extract stands for 100 mg of root.
That 100 mg is the root the extract came from. It is not an extra amount sitting in the gummy. The gummy weighs 4.2 g, and the maca extract is about 0.2% of it.
| Step | Number | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Extract in one gummy | 10 mg | What you swallow |
| Ratio | 10:1 | 10 parts root to 1 part extract |
| Root equivalent | 100 mg | 10 mg times 10 |
| Share of the 4,200 mg gummy | about 0.2% | 10 divided by 4,200 |
| Directions on the label | Not printed | Only a serving of 1 gummy |
The same math runs for every plant line on the extract ratios page.
What studies say
Does maca help men, and is it tied to testosterone?
The evidence is limited. One 12-week trial found better self-rated sexual desire in healthy men, and it found no difference in testosterone compared with placebo.
That trial gave men aged 21 to 56 gelatinized maca at 1,500 or 3,000 mg a day. Desire scores improved from week 8. Serum testosterone and estradiol did not differ from placebo (Gonzales 2002, Maca, desire and testosterone).
A 2010 review found only four small randomized trials of maca and sexual function. Its authors called the evidence limited and said firm conclusions were not possible (Shin 2010, Maca and sexual function (review)). Memorial Sloan Kettering agrees: maca did not change testosterone or other sex hormones, and semen findings are mixed (MSK, Maca).
Self-rated desire
Higher in one trial at 1,500 and 3,000 mg a day.
Testosterone change
No difference from placebo in that trial and no change per MSK.
10 mg of extract
No trial we found used the label's amount.
Amounts
Is the maca dose in HoneyBoost close to what studies used?
No. The label's root equivalent of 100 mg is 15 times below the lower trial amount and 30 times below the higher one.
The math is 1,500 divided by 100, and 3,000 divided by 100. It is a rough guide, because a 10:1 extract and gelatinized maca powder are different forms. Still, the gap is large enough that no result from the trial can be assigned to one gummy.
The gap is arithmetic, not a verdict on maca. A studied dose shows what was tested, not what works for you. The full table sits on the label vs studies page.
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What are the maca side effects and who should ask first?
Maca can cause mild effects, and a few groups should talk to a doctor first. MSK lists altered menstrual cycles, mood changes, cramps, gastritis and insomnia as possible effects (MSK, Maca).
- Maca may interfere with testosterone blood tests. Tell your doctor before a hormone test.
- It may affect hormone-sensitive cancers, so ask first if you have one or are treated for one.
- It may not be safe in pregnancy or breastfeeding. The label also says not to use it when pregnant or lactating.
- In rats, maca added to the blood pressure effect of losartan. Whether that matters in people is not known (MSK, Maca).
Keep taking prescribed medicine, and never stop it because of a supplement. Ask a doctor or pharmacist first with blood pressure or diabetes medicine, nitrates, any erection medicine, a blood thinner or hormone treatment. Chest pain or heart attack signs: call 911 (CDC, Heart attack signs). Erection trouble deserves a doctor, because the causes are often treatable (NIDDK, Causes of ED (incl. medicines, mood)).
Bottom line
Is maca the reason to choose HoneyBoost?
It should not be. Maca is a real plant with some small-trial support, but the label holds a small fraction of what those trials used.
A fair reading: the amount is printed, which helps you compare. The gap, the limited evidence and the cautions are the other half. If desire or drive worries you, a doctor can look for causes that no root extract addresses.
Pack prices and the guarantee are on the pricing page, and the live checkout is final. Maca is one of seven lines.
FAQ
HoneyBoost questions people ask
What is maca 10:1 extract?
A 10:1 maca extract is a concentrate made from about 10 parts of root for each 1 part of extract. In HoneyBoost, 10 mg of extract is equal to 100 mg of maca root, as the label prints.
How much maca is in HoneyBoost?
Each gummy lists 10 mg of maca root extract, equal to 100 mg of maca root. A bottle of 30 gummies holds 300 mg of extract. The label prints no directions beyond a serving size of one gummy.
Does maca change testosterone levels?
Not in the trial we found. Healthy men took 1,500 or 3,000 mg of gelatinized maca for 12 weeks, and their testosterone did not differ from placebo. Memorial Sloan Kettering also reports no change in hormones.
Is maca good for male desire?
One 12-week trial found better self-rated desire at 1,500 and 3,000 mg a day. A 2010 review called the overall evidence limited. No trial we found used the 10 mg in this gummy.
Can maca affect a testosterone blood test?
It may. Memorial Sloan Kettering says maca may interfere with testosterone immunoassays. If you are tested for low testosterone, tell the clinician about every supplement you take, including this gummy.
Is maca safe in pregnancy?
It may not be. Memorial Sloan Kettering says maca may not be safe in pregnancy or breastfeeding. The HoneyBoost label also says not to take it if pregnant or lactating. It is meant for adult men.
Is the maca image a photograph?
No. Maca has no brand photo on this site. The header shows our own honey-drop tile with the letters Ma, drawn for the page. It is a label marker, not a picture of the root or the extract.
Who wrote this
Written and reviewed by
Pages built from the label, the brand panels and linked NIH, FDA, CDC, FTC and peer-reviewed sources.
Last updated . Read our editorial standards and how we check reviews. This website is the information site for a USA Authorized HoneyBoost Retailer. It is not the manufacturer or the distributor named on the label. We earn money when you buy through our order links.
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