Maca - from a commercial website

Treasure from the Andes Maca, (Lepidium Peruvianum Chacon) is a root vegetable, or tuber from a mat-like perennial that grows in the harshest, most difficult farmlands in the world. Native Peruvians have used Maca as a food and as a medicine since before the Incas. This sturdy relative of the potato and Mexican yam is cultivated high in the mountains of Peru in an environment of amazingly intense sunlight and fierce winds. It grows at elevations higher than any other crop in the world and it manages this existence in regions that are little more than barren rock with sub-freezing temperatures each night.

Perhaps the challenging native environment where it is grown gives Maca its strength. Maca has been an important crop to the Andean Indians. Today, in spite of the labor intensive methods used to grow it, Maca is still a valuable commodity. The tenacity of this incredible plant makes agriculture possible in a region that otherwise would be relegated to grazing sheep and llamas

Enhances Fertility - One of the chief attributes of Maca, according to the Peruvian Indians who grow it, is its reported ability to enhance fertility. When the Spanish conquistadors first began to raise sheep in the higher regions the sheep were reproducing poorly. The Indians suggested Maca. The results were so amazing that the Spaniards noted them in colonial records. The records show that the Spanish began to demand Maca as payment from the colonies.

The reputed fertility enhancement of Maca may be due to its high content of iodine and zinc, amino acids and vitamin C. Although the fertility enhancement of Maca has not been substantiated scientifically it seems a reasonable choice for those wishing to conceive.

Superfood of the Incas - In the difficult regions where it is cultivated, Maca has the highest nutritional values of any food crop grown there. Ironically, nourishing Maca today is often traded for less nutritious foods like rice, noodles, and sugar. Maca is a delicacy, with a sweet and spicy flavor and a butterscotch-like aroma. Its potato like tubers can be dried and stored for years with no appreciable loss of nutritional value. The roots are usually yellow or purple, or yellow with purple bands and resemble its relative the radish. The fresh roots are baked or roasted in ashes. The dried roots are usually boiled in milk or water to create a savory porridge. Maca boiled in water tastes sweeter than cocoa.

Maca is a nutritional powerhouse especially rich in iodine. It is a reliable protein source containing significant amounts of amino acids. The protein and calories in Maca are stable even after years of storage. It is also rich in complex carbohydrates and essential minerals such as calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, and iron. It contains vitamins B-1, B-2, B12, C and E and is a source of glycoside steroids. Weight lifters and body builders are turning to Maca as a natural and safe alternative to anabolic steroids. The rich and diverse nutrient content of Maca explains its many traditional uses and why it is sought after today.

Balance and Energy - Maca is an "adaptogen" meaning it helps to restore balance or homeostasis to the body. Rather than addressing a specific symptom, adaptogens are used to improve the overall adaptability of the whole system. Other adaptogen herbs are ginseng and astragalus. Maca has been used traditionally to increase energy and to promote improvement in both stamina and endurance in athletes. Unlike caffeine, Maca is a healthy choice for increasing energy because it is not a stimulant. The steady enhancement of both physical and mental energy makes Maca an ideal supplement for students, professionals, writers, athletes and anyone who needs a lift. The fact that Maca contains no stimulants but obtains its benefit from vitamins and minerals makes it especially beneficial for individuals who suffer from chronic fatigue syndrome. Many people who use Maca also report increased mental clarity.

The Indians who first used Maca believed it to be a significant fertility aid for both animals and humans. This explains why Maca is often described as an aphrodisiac. Aphrodisiac or not, it may be used to address hormonal imbalances in women. Maca offers a natural solution to symptoms of both PMS and menopause. Calcium and magnesium are well known for their beneficial efforts on the female endocrine system. Maca is a good source of both of these important minerals and is a very rich source of iodine which is also important for the endocrine system primarily due to its effect on the thyroid. Further reports indicate that Maca may improve male impotence.

Maca is naturally a great source of iodine - One thing that is noteworthy is its rich iodine content. This suggests that Maca would be a good herbal therapy for those who have thyroid insufficiency. It has been suggested that some that suffer from symptoms such as dry skin, deep fatigue, insomnia, memory loss, or depression are actually suffering form hypothyroidism and that they improve when given either thyroid hormone alone, or a program that combines thyroid hormone with nutritional support. Along with selenium, magnesium, tyrosine, herbs like Maca that are rich in iodine are sometimes able to restore normal thyroid function. The connection of thyroid insufficiencies to female reproductive issues can not be overlooked. Early medical textbooks and journal articles mention the effectiveness in thyroid supplementation in relieving gynecological disturbances. Normal thyroid function promotes conception, corrects disorders of menstrual flow and assists the body in producing better levels of follicle stimulating hormone. The thyroid supporting capacity of Maca probably explains its ability to enhance fertility and bring relief to women who suffer with symptoms of menopause.

Maca has no harmful stimulant activity such as that from caffeine or ephedra. Ideal for marathoners, martial arts enthusiasts, weary travelers, and those who maintain intense work schedules.

TRH (Thyroid Releasing Hormone) Test for Secondary Hypothyroidism

A TRH test may be indicated if secondary hypothyroidism is suspected. Some patients may have low levels of circulating thyroid hormones and secondary hypothyroidism as a result of damage to the hypothalamic or pituitary control mechanisms that regulate thyroid function. The hypothalamus makes a small hormone called TRH that directs the synthesis and secretion of TSH from the pituitary gland. If these normal regulatory mechanisms are interrupted, the pituitary may not be able to produce appropriate levels of TSH and levels of thyroid hormones may decline, although the TSH remains appropriately normal.

The TRH test involves administration of a small amount of TRH intravenously, following which levels of TSH will be measured at several subsequent time points using samples of blood taken from a peripheral vein. Patients with normal function of the hypothalamic-pituitary axis (HPA) respond by increasing the levels of TSH following TRH injection. Patients with compromised HPA function may exhibit a delayed, blunted, or absent response to TRH administration.

TRH may cause nausea, vomiting and some patients experience an urge to urinate. Rarely, TRH may cause blood vessel constriction leading to hemorrhage in patients with pre-existing pituitary tumors. Accordingly, patients should be advised about the risks, albeit rare, of TRH testing.

Preparation for a New Doctor / Endocronologist Visit
Symptoms of thyroid disease are subtle (particularly when looked at individually instead of as a group). To make things worse, modern culture has taught us to view many of these symptoms as "unimportant" and, worse, psychosomatic. Because of this, it is easiest to receive good medical treatment by preparing for that doctor's visit.
Before your doctor's appointment, compile as much information as you can. At a minimum, this should include:

1) A list of your symptoms and how they've changed over time

2) The medications and any supplements or herbs you are taking (and when you started taking them)

3) How your body reacts to various medicines, supplements, foods, etc.

4) Copies of any blood or other tests you have had completed

You may want to compile this information in a notebook and keep it current for future visits. It will give you something to refer to -- if you have a recurrence of symptoms, you will be able to look back to what your blood levels were at the time, or even read notes to yourself about how you resolved the problem the last time it occurred.


Write out a list of questions for your doctor. At a minimum, ask the following:

1) The proposed approach to treating you

2) What you should expect

3) When you should see some results

4) What course of treatment may be suggested if the initial efforts don't work (combining T4 and T3 meds, switching you to a different type of medicine such as Armour or Naturethroid, etc.).

5) Supplements you should consider taking (Vitamin B-complex, Selenium, Calcium/Magnesium/Vitamin D, Antioxidants such as Vitamins C and E, etc.)

Stay persistent. Ask for copies of all test results to keep in your notebook. You will get better by becoming your own advocate.