Maca and Libido: Is It the Secret Weapon for Midlife Women?

BY STACY GAUCYS

If your libido has gone MIA during perimenopause or menopause, you're not alone—and you're definitely not broken.

Midlife hormone shifts can completely zap your sexual desire, leaving you feeling disconnected from yourself and your partner. But before you give up hope or turn to medications, there's one powerful little root that’s been creating a buzz in the wellness world for years: maca.

So… is maca just hype, or is it a natural way to reignite your spark?

Let’s take a closer look.

🌱 What Is Maca?

Maca is a root vegetable that grows high in the Andes mountains of Peru. It’s been used for centuries as a food and medicine, primarily for boosting energy, endurance, fertility, and libido.

You’ll often find it in powder or capsule form, and while it’s not a hormone itself, maca is classified as an adaptogen—meaning it helps your body adapt to stress and supports hormonal balance.

That’s especially important in midlife, when your estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone levels start shifting and symptoms like low libido, fatigue, and mood swings take over.

🔥 Can Maca Really Boost Libido?

Short answer: Yes, it can.

Scientific studies (though small) have shown promising results when it comes to maca and sexual desire—especially for women going through menopause.

Here’s what the research says:

• A 2008 double-blind, placebo-controlled study published in Menopause found that maca improved sexual desire in postmenopausal women after six weeks of use—even though their hormone levels didn’t change.

• A 2010 study in Menopause International showed that taking 3.5 grams of maca per day helped improve sexual function and mood in early postmenopausal women.

• Maca has also been shown to help with anxiety and depression, both of which are known libido-killers.

So while maca doesn’t directly increase estrogen or testosterone, it seems to support libido by reducing stress, lifting mood, and promoting overall balance.

🌸 How Maca Supports Midlife Women

Maca’s power lies in its ability to help your whole body function better. Here’s how it might be helping your libido behind the scenes:

• Reduces cortisol (your stress hormone), helping your body feel safe enough for desire to return

• Improves energy and vitality, so you don’t feel too tired or burnt out for intimacy

• Supports mood stability, which plays a huge role in sexual desire

• Balances the hypothalamus and pituitary glands, which control your hormone production

In other words, maca helps your body function the way it was meant to—before stress, toxins, and hormone disruption got in the way.

✅ How to Take It

If you want to give maca a try, here are a few tips:

• Start low and go slow: Begin with 1.5–3 grams daily (I take 1ml dropper of liquid)

• Choose gelatinized maca (not raw)—it’s pre-cooked, easier to digest, and more potent

• Take it consistently for 4–6 weeks before judging the results

• Some women do well with a 3-weeks-on, 1-week-off cycle

As always, talk to your doctor—especially if you have thyroid issues or are on hormone therapy. Maca is generally safe, but it can interact with certain medications or conditions.

💬 Final Thoughts

Maca isn’t a magic bullet—but it is a natural, well-studied option that may help restore your libido, especially when paired with the right nutrition, stress management, and hormone support strategies.... like my Stacy G Method!

If you’re struggling with low desire, don’t ignore it. Your body is speaking—and often, it’s just asking for more balance, nourishment, and care.

Maca might be one gentle step toward feeling more like you again.

Need support balancing hormones, reducing symptoms, and getting your spark back? That’s what I do. Let’s work together to make the second half of life your best, healthiest, and most vibrant. Visit my website to see my programs... I have a plan for all levels and needs! www.stacygmethod.com