Royal Maca® for Perimenopause

Dosing Considerations

Check for the Situation that Best Represents You

Female – Teenager to Young Adult

As soon as a female begins to menstruate, she can benefit from taking Royal Maca for relief from heavy/painful periods, supporting a regular menstrual cycle, supporting mood balance, relieving PMS symptoms, supporting fertility and healthy reproductive function, promoting post-partum mood balance, promoting healthy skin (reducing acne), boosting energy, and helping to dissolve ovarian cysts.*
Follow the directions on the bottle for petite/sensitive. Consider starting with 1/12 or 1/6 of a teaspoon. After one full menstrual cycle, you may increase your amount if you want greater symptom relief, or decrease the amount if you feel overstimulated. Stay on your adjusted dose for another full menstrual cycle, then adjust again as needed. Most women find their best dose in a few cycles and stay on that until they enter the perimenopause phase of life.
Most teenagers fall into the petite/sensitive category where they are shorter than 5'3" (regardless of weight) or weigh less than 115 pounds (regardless of height). In that case, consider SHE. our Royal Maca/Royal Camu combination product. SHE contains a small amount of Royal Maca to avoid over-stimulating the body and adds a generous amount of Royal Camu to support mood, immunity, and energy.

Female – Petite

If your height is less than 5’3” (regardless of weight) or you weigh less than 115 pounds (regardless of height), you fit into the “petite” category. This is true even if you are 5’2” and weight 200 pounds.
Menstruating: Follow the directions on the bottle for petite/sensitive (see Product Label tab). Consider starting with 1/12 or 1/6 of a teaspoon. After one full menstrual cycle, you may increase your amount if you want greater symptom relief, or decrease the amount if you feel overstimulated. Stay on your adjusted dose for another full menstrual cycle, and then adjust again as needed. Most women find their best dose in a few cycles, and stay on that until they enter the perimenopause phase of life.
Not Menstruating: Follow the directions on the bottle for petite/sensitive (see Product Label tab). Consider starting with 1/12 or 1/6 of a teaspoon daily. Evaluate symptoms after 5 days. If symptoms are 80% better, the dosage is right. If symptoms are 50% better or less, increase daily dosage by one more capsule and stay at that dose for 5 days. Evaluate symptoms again. If symptoms are now 80% better, the dosage is right. If not, keep increasing daily dosage by one capsule every 5 days until symptoms are 80% better. If symptoms worsen, you may need to reduce the dosage according to the 5-day evaluation process.
If you find that you are still overstimulated, consider SHE, our Royal Maca/Royal Camu combination product. SHE contains a small amount of Royal Maca to avoid over-stimulating the body and adds a generous amount of Royal Camu to support mood, immunity, and energy.

Female – Sensitive

If you know that you usually take less than the normal dosage of other supplements or are just sensitive in general, finding the right dose for you may be challenging because the high potency of Royal Maca may overstimulate your system. Also, if you have a hard time taking prescription drugs or even herbal supplements at the “normal” dosage, you fit the “sensitive” category.
Menstruating: Follow the directions on the bottle for petite/sensitive. Consider starting with 1/12 or 1/6 of a teaspoon. After one full menstrual cycle, you may increase your amount if you want greater symptom relief, or decrease the amount if you feel overstimulated. Stay on your adjusted dose for another full menstrual cycle, and then adjust again as needed. Most women find their best dose in a few cycles, and stay on that until they enter the perimenopause phase of life.
Not Menstruating: Follow the directions on the bottle for petite/sensitive. Consider starting with 1/12 or 1/6 of a teaspoon daily. Evaluate symptoms after 5 days. If symptoms are 80% better, the dosage is right. If symptoms are 50% better or less, increase daily dosage by one more capsule and stay at that dose for 5 days. Evaluate symptoms again. If symptoms are now 80% better, the dosage is right. If not, keep increasing daily dosage by one capsule every 5 days until symptoms are 80% better. If symptoms worsen, you may need to reduce the dosage according to the 5-day evaluation process.
If you find that you are still overstimulated, consider SHE, our Royal Maca/Royal Camu combination product. SHE contains a small amount of Royal Maca to avoid over-stimulating the body and adds a generous amount of Royal Camu to support mood, immunity, and energy.

Female – Menstruating

Follow the directions on the bottle. If you are not petite or sensitive, consider starting with 1/3 of a teaspoon. After one full menstrual cycle, you may increase your amount if you want greater symptom relief, or decrease the amount if you feel overstimulated. Stay on your adjusted dose for another full menstrual cycle, and then adjust again as needed. Most women find their best dose in a few cycles. You will stay on that amount until you enter the perimenopause phase of life.
If you are at risk for breast cancer or are extremely estrogen-dominant, consider Royal Maca Plus for Women with DIM. This product has been beneficial for many who struggle to get their dosing correct with Royal Maca powder or capsules.

Female – Starting Menopause (a.k.a. perimenopause)

Perimenopause is a period of several to many years when estrogen and progesterone levels are dropping in a woman's body creating symptoms of estrogen dominance first and then of estrogen depletion. Royal Maca offers excellent symptom relief for both Phase 1 and Phase 2 of perimenopause. In Phase 1, symptoms of estrogen-dominance may include very painful periods, flooding periods, endometriosis, breast cysts, fibroid tumors, and painful breasts. In Phase 2, symptoms of estrogen depletion may include migraines, vaginal dryness, hot flashes, brain fog, depression, urinary urgency/frequency, and heart palpitations. Consider taking 1/3 teaspoon of Royal Maca powder each morning if you are still menstruating and having hot flashes. If you have no period, you can increase that amount incrementally in small amounts, if necessary, every 5 days until symptoms are 80% better. As you transition from Phase 1 to Phase 2 of perimenopause, and develop hot flashes or other symptoms, you may need to increase your dosage. After a year of no periods, you may find that you need to increase your dosage again. The way your body feels should always be your guide. You may also consider our Royal Maca for Perimenopause, which is specifically designed for perimenopausal women and contains magnesium and zinc, providing additional support for this phase of life.

Female - In Menopause with Symptoms (hot flashes, night sweats, etc.)

Women who have had no period for 12 months (or longer) are considered "menopausal" (often called post menopausal). If you are in that category and are having symptoms (hot flashes, night sweats, etc.), consider starting with 1/2-1 teaspoon of Royal Maca powder. You can increase that amount incrementally in small amounts, if necessary, every 5 days until symptoms are 80% better. The way your body feels should always be your guide. Our product called Royal Maca for Menopause contains Royal Maca powder in capsules. The label also gives detailed dosing instructions that you can follow.

Female - In Menopause without Symptoms

Women who have had no period for 12 months (or longer) are considered "menopausal" (often called post menopausal). If you are in that category and are not having symptoms (hot flashes, night sweats, etc.), consider starting with 1/3 to 1/2 teaspoon of Royal Maca powder. You can increase that amount incrementally in small amounts, if necessary, every 5 days until symptoms are 80% better. The way your body feels should always be your guide. Our product called Royal Maca for Menopause contains Royal Maca powder in capsules. The label also gives detailed dosing instructions that you can follow. Typically, after 3 months, 6 months or even a year or longer, you may notice previous symptoms (like hot flashes) beginning to return or you may develop a side-effect like irritability or insomnia. When this happens, you need to first STOP taking Royal Maca for 2 days, and then REDUCE your daily dosage. This will avert being overstimulated by the potency of Royal Maca after your body has achieved a better hormone balance of its own.

Female - Taking HRT or other estrogenic substance

To begin the transition to Royal Maca, you must first stop taking the HRT, bio-identical hormones or other estrogenic elements cold turkey. To decrease the number and severity of hot flashes that may return and to prevent menopausal depression and assist sleep, start taking Royal Camu - one teaspoon (5 capsules), 3 times per day between meals for 4 weeks. Royal Camu at this dosage will usually reduce hot flashes by 60-70%. After 4 weeks, start taking Royal Maca according to the directions on the bottle and reduce Royal Camu to 1/2 to 1 teaspoon daily.

 

Taking Too Much Royal Maca for Your Body can be Unbalancing Your goal with Royal Maca is to find your MED – minimum effective dosage. Maca root has adaptogenic-like effects appropriate for both gender and age. As each person is physiologically different, you may need to experiment a little, taking the same dosage for 5 to 7 days before changing the amount. Because of the therapeutic potency of Royal Maca, it can be unbalancing if you take too much for your body. Over-stimulation is hormone-unbalancing. If you develop any side effects after taking Royal Maca for a few days or longer, stop taking the product for two days, and then resume at a lower dosage (see below for possible side effects). These symptoms go away quickly when you stop the product briefly and resume taking it at a lower dosage. Possible side effects of taking too much Royal Maca:

• Women may experience an increase in hot flashes or night sweats, or breast tenderness. Their menstrual period may have too much bleeding, too long a period or the cycle may shorten.
• Men may experience a decrease in libido and sexual function or desire.
• Men and women may experience fatigue, headaches, feeling jittery, anxious or not sleeping well.
• If you experience any allergic-type reaction, such as itching, swelling, redness, rash, nausea, or vomiting, stop taking Royal Maca and consider taking adequate amounts of Royal Camu for partial relief of hormone issues.

For any of the above symptoms, except for allergic-type reactions, simply stop taking Royal Maca for two days and then start again at a reduced amount.

Directions

Royal Maca is best taken in the morning with a meal, to give you an energy lift throughout the day. It can also be taken away from a meal. Follow the directions on the label (see Product Label).

 

Regularity is important when taking Royal Maca. Please see the Dosing Consideration above to find the right amount for your situation.

Contraindications

• Do not combine Royal Maca with any form of testosterone or estrogen, including HRT, phytoestrogenic herbs such as black cohosh, motherwort, red clover, etc., or with estrogen precursors such as pregnenolone or DHEA.
• Women should stop using estrogenic supplements for 4 weeks before starting use of Royal Maca.
• Usually does not combine well with ginseng and other adaptogenic botanicals.
• Do not use Maca if you are taking Tamoxifen^® for breast cancer or Lupron^® for prostate cancer.
• Consult your doctor if you are pregnant or nursing.

If you have questions about dosing, you may email the Product Educator for fastest response, or call our Product Educator voicemail line (646-290-8651) for an answer within one to seven days. Do you have a favorite recipe in which you use Royal Maca? Send it to us for a chance to win a free product!

Is there a difference between Peruvian and Chinese Maca?

Up to 80% of Maca available in the United States is now sourced in China because of the illegal export of Maca root seeds from Peru. Maca roots in China are often grown at lower elevations in unknown soil and air conditions. The only way to know the difference is to know the procurement processes of the company from which you purchase your Maca. Be assured, Royal Maca will always come from Peru.

Does the color of the Maca root skin matter?

One company continues to insist, with no independent research to back it up, that the color of Maca root matters as to how Maca root affects the hormones of men and women. Growers planted entire fields with seed from black Maca and red Maca that, when harvested, produced Maca roots of different colors. This means the colors of the skins do not reflect a genetic difference. Skin color is apparently dependent on variations in chemical composition of the soil in a particular field. No unsponsored research has ever shown that pigments have hormonal effects. Peruvians traditionally do not separate the roots by color either.

Why is sun-drying important?

Sun-drying is the traditional way to process Maca root in Peru. Phytochemicals essential for Maca’s hormone balancing power and anti-cancer properties, isothiocyanates, can only develop with sun-drying. Maca roots are left to dry in the sun for 6-8 weeks after harvest. Machine drying in a few hours has become the norm with almost all companies, resulting in a weaker Maca. Royal Maca is sun-dried.

What is gelatinization?

Gelatinization is a form of heating at high temperature under pressure for a few seconds. This process involves soaking the roots in hot water until softened and then extruding the roots under pressure at a high heat for a few seconds. Gelatinization is unfortunate name for the process because it makes people think that the Maca powder contains gelatin. There are no animal products in Royal Maca; it is a vegan product.

Why is gelatinization important?

Gelatinization does several things to dried Maca roots:

• Eliminates toxic enzymes that inhibit digestion and assimilation
• Reduces carbohydrate content by 50% producing a potent powder concentrate
• Reduces moisture content by 20%
• Preserves all of the secondary metabolites created during sun-drying that are responsible for the hormone-balancing effects of Maca root

Royal Maca is gelatinized.

What’s wrong with raw Maca?

Maca in its raw form contains a digestion-inhibiting enzyme that is toxic and can cause serious stomach and intestinal distress. Some companies that sell raw Maca are adding digestive enzymes to help customers digest the toxin. Raw Maca has been shown to be ineffective for hormone balancing. In fact, it is so weak that it is not commonly used in scientific studies. One animal study shows it causes low birth rate and growth rate in mice. Raw Maca requires large doses (1 teaspoon or more) to have any effect at all. It also is more expensive per serving for the consumer. Peruvians never eat raw Maca.

Are there any contraindications when taking Royal Maca?

• Do not combine Royal Maca with any form of testosterone or estrogen, including HRT, phytoestrogenic herbs such as black cohosh, motherwort, red clover, etc., or with estrogen precursors such as pregnenolone, DHEA, or Vitex.
• Women should stop using estrogenic supplements for 4 weeks before starting use of Royal Maca and may use generous amounts of Royal Camu to alleviate symptoms during the 4-week transition period.
• Usually does not combine well with ginseng and other adaptogenic botanicals
• Do not use Maca if you are taking Tamoxifen^® for breast cancer or Lupron^® for prostate cancer
• Consult your doctor if you are pregnant or nursing

Is it necessary for me to take breaks after taking Royal Maca for an extended period of time?

Misinformation exists on the Internet about the need to take periodic, long breaks from taking therapeutic Maca root. However, for women who need a consistent daily dose, taking a break may be beneficial if the product becomes less effective over time or side-effects develop (such as hot flashes), take a two-day break and then reduce your daily dosage. Men can take Royal Maca to promote healthy sexual function on an “as needed” basis. If desired, a man may take Royal Maca every other day, twice weekly, once a week, etc. If a man likes, the dose may be based on amount needed to produce same-day effect. Other men will prefer consistent effects of a smaller dose with every day usage to support energy, mood, sleep, etc., in addition to sexual energy and function. If a man sees a decrease in the desired effects, he is likely taking too much Royal Maca. He could take a break for a couple of days and then take the product again at a lower dosage.

What time of the month should a woman with regular menstrual periods start taking Royal Maca?

The best time to start is right after her period begins or within the first week of the period. However, if she starts mid-cycle, the other benefits of taking Royal Maca such as a boost to energy, collagen structure support (hair, skin, nails), will begin to take effect as she begins taking the best dose for her. It is after taking Royal Maca for a full cycle that a woman can best determine how it is affecting her hormone balance.

Will Royal Maca be effective to prevent hot flashes in women who have had a hysterectomy?

Yes, Royal Maca can be very beneficial in that situation. The adrenal glands are a back-up system for the ovaries and produce small amounts of estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone throughout a woman’s lifetime. Royal Maca supports adrenal glands to make more sex hormones. It helps the body make more estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone, and their receptors.

How do I transition from taking HRT, bio-identical hormones, or other estrogenic elements to Royal Maca?

To begin the transition to Royal Maca, you must first stop taking the HRT, bio-identical hormones or other estrogenic elements cold turkey. Start taking Royal Camu - one teaspoon (5 capsules), 3 times per day between meals for 4 weeks. Royal Maca at this dosage will usually reduce hot flashes by 60-70%. After 4 weeks, start taking Royal Maca according to the directions on the bottle and reduce Royal Camu to 1/2-1 teaspoon daily. If you have questions or concerns about this, you may email the Product Educator for fastest response, or call our Product Educator voicemail line (646-290-8651) for an answer within one to seven days.

What can happen if I take too much Royal Maca?

Because of the therapeutic potency of Royal Maca, it can be unbalancing if you take too much for your body. Over-stimulation is hormone-unbalancing. Reducing the amount of Royal Maca to the dose needed by your unique body is the solution if you are taking too much. Possible symptoms of taking too much Royal Maca

• • Men may experience a decrease in libido and sexual function or desire.
  • Men and women may experience fatigue, headaches, feeling jittery, anxious or not sleeping well.
  • If you experience any allergic-type reaction, such as itching, swelling, redness, rash, nausea, or vomiting, stop taking Royal Maca and consider taking adequate amounts of Royal Maca for partial relief of hormone issues

. For any of the above symptoms, except for allergic-type reactions, simply stop taking Royal Maca for two days and then start again at a reduced amount.

Is the selenium added to Royal Maca?

No. The selenium listed on the label is naturally occurring in Maca root. For both men and women, selenium is an antioxidant, helps boost immunity, improves blood flow and regulates thyroid function. The safe upper limit for selenium intake is 400mg per day. One serving of Royal Maca for Perimenopause contains 1.99mcg of selenium.*

What are the capsules made of?

Our vegetarian capsules are made of plant cellulose and purified water. They are vegan.

DISCLAIMER: Whole World Botanicals does not recommend self-treatment with any of our products. Our products are not sold to prevent, diagnose, treat or cure any illness. They are sold to support the organs and systems of the body. If you are suffering from a serious illness or a potentially serious illness, it is very important that you seek the help of a licensed, expert health practitioner.

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Hot flashes reduced
“I had 25-30 hot flashes a day, resulting in very little sleep and complete exhaustion. On the Royal Maca for Perimenopause, they are greatly--GREATLY—reduced, a few a day, maybe. Life saver!” ~ Wendy E., State College, PA

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Help for hot flashes and night sweats
“I am 32 years old and was beginning to have severe hot flashes at night, plus night sweats. A friend of mine recommended Royal Maca. I took one Royal Maca capsule a day for 3 months. This mostly resolved all night sweats, although I would still get flushed at times. I have since switched to Royal Maca for Perimenopause. Symptoms have nearly entirely vanished, except very rarely one night during my monthly cycle.” ~Rachel H., submitted via email

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Vaginal dryness pain and discomfort relieved
“This product has been a real lifesaver!!!! I experienced agonizing vaginal dryness for well over a year. Sex was completely out of the question. Much to my (and my husband’s) dismay, nothing seemed to work. Estrogen cream and/or hormone replacement was not an option for me (too many risks/potential side effects). After tweaking the Royal Maca dosages a few times, I FINALLY experienced relief and have not had pain or intense discomfort for years – not one bit of discomfort. Not only has my quality of life resumed, but my menstrual cycle has been regular for the first time in my life! Royal Maca has done wonders!” ~Dorothy H.

To see the full studies, do a search on www.pubmed.gov.

How Maca Affects Estrodial Levels

“Effects of Maca on the Level of Estrogen & FSH in Peri-Menopausal Women” by L. Aragon, T. Ramirez, A. Pino
Results: Organic Pre-Cooked Maca Root Supplement Raises Estradiol Levels in Peri-menopausal Women

How Maca Affects the Reproductive System

In 1960, Gloria Chacon did her Master’s thesis on the effects of Maca Root on the reproductive system of rats. She studied Biological Sciences in the Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, receiving her degree in 1962, with the theme: photochemical study of Maca. Rats were fed large quantity of cooked Maca root powder for 72 hours and then sacrificed for study. Female rats showed multiple mature egg follicles. Male rats showed a significant increase in sperm count and sperm motility.
Conclusion #1: Chemical actives in Maca root were working on the reproductive systems of both male and female rats through the hypothalamus and pituitary glands (precursor hormones)
Conclusion #2: Maca root had therapeutic effects appropriate to the sex of the animal

Maca Root Improves Adrenal Function

Lepidium peruvianum Chacon restores homeostasis impaired by restraint stress. Phytother Res. 2004 Jun;18(6):471-4. López-Fando A, Gómez-Serranillos MP, Iglesias I, Lock O, Upamayta UP, Carretero ME.
Results: Rats treated with Maca before undergoing the stress test showed very little variation or no variation in their pre-stress test blood tests. Maca reduced stress-induced ulcers, elevated cortisol levels, and hypoglycemia.

Raw Maca versus Cooked Maca

Nutritional evaluation of the effects of Maca in albino mice and their offspring. Archivos Latinoamericanos de Nutricion. Vol. 50, No. 2, 2000. Marco Canales, Jose Aguilar, Ana Prada, Adolfo Marcelo, Cecilia Huaman, Luz Carvajal.
Results: Mice fed raw maca had the lowest average birth weight and the slowest average growth rate in their offspring. Mice fed cooked maca had a higher average birth weight and a faster average growth rate in their offspring than both the placebo group and the raw maca mice group. In the second generation of mice, these differences in birth rates and growth rates between the groups were even greater.

Measuring the Effect of Maca on Rats Bred to Have Genetically Higher Blood Sugar

The influence of maca (Lepidium meyenii) on antioxidant status, lipid and glucose metabolism in rats. Phytomedicine, 2007 Aug: 14 (7-8) 460-4. Epub 2007 Feb 7. Vecera R, Orolin J, Skottova N, Kazdova L, Olivarnik O, Ulrichova J, Simanek V. Results: Maca significantly decreased the levels of VLDL (very low density lipoproteins), LDL (low density lipoproteins), and total cholesterol, as well as glucose levels in the blood.