weight gain from maca

[lanettasmouse]

anybody have this happen to them. i have gained about 6 pounds since adding maca to my smoothies over the past 2 months and have been eliminating certain things one by one to see if that was it to no avail and i think it is the maca. i have been pretty much 100% for the past few months (very minor slips and always went right back to raw) and do green smoothies daily with 1 pound of greens (varied daily). i doubt highly that its weight my body needs, i'm only 5'2" and am currently 123-125lbs. so i could stand to lose, especially when i used to be around 100lbs a few years ago (prior to raw). i am hypothyroid, but am taking thyroid medicine and gradually, slowly lowering my amount. i also don't think itw weight my body needs cause i know i haven't been raw long enough to lose my false body. sorry so long, and i guess my whole reason for posting is the question if anyone else has expereinced weight gain with maca? oh and i already do plan on cutting it out and experimenting for a while to see. thanks.

[NoniPixie]

hmmm. i've never heard of weight gain on it. i've taken it on and off... never long enough to determine weight gain or loss from it. all i know is it's supposed to be good for building muscle if you're working out, and that it's also supposed to regulate your hormones.

sooo, that's all i got on it. i'd really like to know if anyone else does know anything on this as well.

[lanettasmouse]

maybe i'm just weird:eek: . but i keep a food journal daily nad have eliminated all other supplements and and dehydrated foods and what not and still to no avail. i was 116 right before i added the maca and now have gone up, so i'm just trying to put two and two together and this is what i have come up with. i am f=going to eliminate it for a few weeks and see if anything happens. so i will keep posted. but yes if anyone else has any similar experience please let me know.

[SmilingRawDancer]

I'm in the same position weight-wise as you, I was around 100-105 comfortably pre-raw, and now I'm 120-125, and it's too much for my frame (or clothes!)
I DO want to get back to that weight, but right now I'm having some troubles with overeating and eating for the wrong reasons (although when I "count" the calories I'm eating daily, it doesn't appear to be enough to cause this weight gain compared to the exercise I've been doing. So my metabolism is different, or my body needs this right now.)

[Raene]

Wow, that's exciting for me...*heads off to store to get some*

[lanettasmouse]

yea i don't get it either. i don't understand, cause i don't overeat, i don't eat past 7pm (often, and if i do its very light like fruit) and my calorie intake is around 1000-1400 (depends on the day), which isn't high and shouldn't be causing weigh gain. i guess i'll just wait and see what happens now that i've stopped using the maca.

[carrieann]

I've had a similar experience from having adrenal problems. As my acupuncturist puts it, my body was overworked and 'holding onto' whatever it could because it felt it was in starvation and low energy crisis mode, so I had some quick weight gain that I still haven't managed to get off.

Endocrine issues---SO much fun. Let us know if it is the maca--I used to take it in Vega shakes. It would be interesting to see if discontinuing it changes things up...

Good luck
Carrie

[northernstars]

as that is how I managed to gain tons of weight while eating about 1800 calories each day! I wasn't raw at the time and it was before my stroke, but I was sure frustrated that I could not lose weight even with exercise and 1800 calories! Our adrenals are very powerful and will hold onto weight and make their own if necessary!

Now, I have managed to finally lose a little weight (35 pounds total), but have slowed and not lost any more weight for several weeks again! I am taking some pills that are for strengthening the adrenal and hopefully in combination with eating raw I will keep losing weight.

It is so frustrating to be doing everything right and still not lose weight!

[lanettasmouse]

does anyone know what foods would be good for the adreanls then, or what supplement would help. i was taking a supplement a few months ago called adrenal essence, (i forget who makes it) but i finished it a while ago and the weight has only come up more recent. but who's to say that it isn't my adrenals, i mean i did have adreanl fatigue a while ago. i can't get tests done cause of money and the doctor that i was going to is in florida and i am now in tennessee, and well lets just say that they don't really believe in wholistic medicine and the health care system just plain sucks here.

[northernstars]

Future Formulations through a web search. Maybe that is something you might want to try.

[lanettasmouse]

thanks i'll check them out

[Dahlimama]

Hi, I'm new here and to raw foods, but I started using maca about 3 weeks ago and I have gained about 5lbs. I don't overeat and I eat very clean even limiting fats. It really looks like hormones to me as most of it is in my hips and thighs. Just curious if getting off of it has made any diffference for you? Apart from the weight gain I love the way I feel. I seem to have an overall sense of well being aside from the way I look in my jeans : (. Maybe we're just using too much ?

Dahlimama

[PERRAW]

I'd also like to know how that turned out and how much maca everyone was using each day when they gained weight.

[Marlene]

Hey All,

Any words on flax seed oil intake? I've been adding them to my shakes as specified on the bottle (1 to 2 tablespoons a day) but would like to know if I added it to each shake throughout the day (maybe 4 tablespoons) would be unhealthy or prompt more weight gain--Lord knows I don't need anymore.:o

[Livingsunfoods]

I go on and off with using maca but currently I'm putting 1 Tbl. in my morning smoothies. No weight gain but I'm also highly active. I've read that since it's such a nutrient dense superfood that you should not consume too much of it especially if not very active.

[lanettasmouse]

yes i have started to lose the weight that i gained on it now that i've been off of it a few weeks. its going real slow, but it is coming off and even my measurements have gone back down. i originally started out with 1 teaspoon daily in my smoothie and then went up to 2 teaspoons about a week later. but i think for me it is just something my body isn't ready for. maybe in the future though.

[MissBrooks]

I use ground up flax seeds rather than the oil-- many experts say that beneficial ingredients like lignans and omega 3s are more bioavailable from the actual seed, which makes sense I guess as it is more of a whole food-- plus I like the nutty taste of the seeds much better than the oil-- and they kind of thicken up my green smoothie a bit as well!

[karend118]

I've added Maca to my morning smoothies almost everyday for about two weeks. I started with 1/2 a teaspoon and quickly raised it to a full teaspoon. I was hoping to get rid of some peri-menopausal symptoms. Mainly, being clammy and hot all night. etc. The PM symptoms went away immediately and I felt great, But.................I tried to put on my
jeans yesterday, any of them....and I am FAT!!! I usually stay pretty thin because I eat right and exercise, etc. I swear I've have not consumed more calories than usual. Actually I think I've been eating less, but plenty. Also, I have not ever been able to take birth control pills, or even very low hormone replacement. Both had exactly the same weight gain effect. I'm sure I will get back to normal quickly. No more MACA for me. Any suggestions out there for the clammy nights.

[Ucat]

Also, I have not ever been able to take birth control pills, or even very low hormone replacement. Both had exactly the same weight gain effect. [...] Any suggestions out there for the clammy nights.

Have you tried Wild Yam Cream? 'At Last Naturals' one is a good one. It was the only thing apart from strong pain killers that worked for my painful periods. People swear by it for menopause. It works by bringing plant-based progesterone into your body (to balance out estrogen dominance). Also, quit caffeine if you're drinking it! Very bad for menopause/ all kinds of female hormone-related issues. Definitely makes my period pain worse.

Personally, I'm waiting to see if my 21-day juice fast has improved my period pains. I haven't used pain killers for many years now, only wild yam cream.

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[Ucat]

Just to report, the juice fast had a massive influence on my period pains - improved it lots in only 3 weeks. Maybe staying on a proper raw diet for two months would have completely eliminated it - with no caffeine. I will try this. Soon!

[Raisingplenty]

I have also gained weight on Maca and haven't been able to lose it again. I will say however that it was good weight. I felt stronger and more confident in my femininity. When I stopped taking it I lost that strong, feminine feeling and have actually considered taking it again because of that.

[Raisingplenty]

Adrien, what do you mean when you say that it's worked for you?

[garden granny]

You said you are lowering your thyroid medication, when I did that I put on some weight.

[Bihaku]

Weight gain from maca has never happened to me, but then again, I've only used one small package of it for a week and didn't buy anymore, I never felt like maca gave me more energy at all. I felt like buying maca was a waste of my money. Just didn't work for me.