Maca has been used as a traditional medicine for strength and performance in the Andean region for over 2,000 years.
There are many elements in Maca that help boosting the physical performance. Iodine, magnesium and iron are the most common elements that improve our strength and endurance.
Iodine
Thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3) require iodine as a building block to be fully effective. Two hormones affect the growth, energy metabolism, the development of the brain and a healthy bone structure. Athletes perform at high intensity for long periods of time have significantly increased risk of iodine deficient.
Magnesium
Findings from animal studies suggested Mg supplementation may improve the efficiency of energy metabolism, while human studies indicated Mg supplementation may improve performance parameters in both aerobic and anaerobic exercises.
Iron
Iron has several roles in the body including the transport and delivery of oxygen, and energy production at the level of the mitochondria. Symptoms indicative of an iron deficiency include tiredness, a lack of energy, shortness of breath, poor recovery and a reduction in performance
In order to study the effect of maca on sport fatigue, some scientist selected 40 male mice, and divided into 4 groups. 3 were fed with different concentrations of maca. After two weeks of feeding, the physiological index, blood glucose, urea nitrogen and creatinine were measured. Experimental results show that maca can improve the ability of anti-fatigue mice. The higher and more concentrated it is, the better the resistance to fatigue.
Black Maca---link
Red Maca---link
Source:
The Research on the Impact of Maca Polypeptide on Sport Fatigue
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Preservation of Cognitive Function by Lepidium meyenii (Maca) Is Associated with Improvement of Mitochondrial Activity and Upregulation of Autophagy-Related Proteins in Middle-Aged Mouse Cortex
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13 Iodine Benefits You didn’t Know
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Can Magnesium Enhance Exercise Performance?
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