Bloated and tired... Maca to blame?

[Mindi]

I started taking Maca a few weeks ago to help balance my hormones and alliviate PMS symtoms. Not too mention it's a highly touted superfood so I thought I'd give it a try. I have been taking a teaspoon full (as label indicates = 5 grams) mixed in with my usual breakfast green smoothie.

And now I've noticed that I've been severely bloated lately, much worse than when it's PMS time, and it's NOT even that time of the month!

Also I have Hashimoto's thyroiditis (hypo) and have noticed a big drop of thyroid hormones (tired, no appetite, swollen thyroid feeling in the neck). I have not changed my thyroid med dosage.

Could it be the Maca? I dont know what else it could be, I haven't changed my diet nor added/deleted any other supplements. Anybody else use Maca that is hypothyroid, or experience unusual bloating?

[Aleesha Sattva]

Here's a link which talks about Maca. It says there are no side-effects.

Are there any side effects or interactions? In toxicity studies conducted in the U.S., maca showed absolutely no toxicity and no adverse pharmacological effects. In animal studies, the more maca animals consume, the stronger and more sexually active they become.

maca info

[Mindi]

i don't think it's giving me a toxic side effect, just an unpleasant one. maybe it is causing my estrogen levels to increase? I know when estrogen is high, thyroid levels are low.

I'll stop taking it for a few weeks and see what happens. I was just wondering if anybody else had experienced something similiar.

[lanettasmouse]

i just started a thread a few days ago about maca causing weight gain. i am hypothyroid as well and have eliminated everything else (supplement wise) and this was the only thing left, so yesterday was my first day without adding it to my smoothies. i'm going to give it some time and just wait and see. but over the past month and a half that i WAS using it i gained like 6-7 pounds. and well lets just say on my 5'2" frame that just plain sucks!

[lanettasmouse]

oh and i'll keep you posted if i learn anything from my experiment. but i'm glad i'm not the only one feeling some adverse reactions from maca, eventhough mine is weight, but it could be bloat weight. i did feel bloated for a while when i first started using it, but it went away after a few days to a week.

[Aleesha Sattva]

i don't think it's giving me a toxic side effect, just an unpleasant one. maybe it is causing my estrogen levels to increase? I know when estrogen is high, thyroid levels are low.

I'll stop taking it for a few weeks and see what happens. I was just wondering if anybody else had experienced something similiar.

well it is supposed to raise hormone levels - so perhaps it is.

i use maca but not daily.

[Mindi]

i just started a thread a few days ago about maca causing weight gain. i am hypothyroid as well and have eliminated everything else (supplement wise) and this was the only thing left, so yesterday was my first day without adding it to my smoothies. i'm going to give it some time and just wait and see. but over the past month and a half that i WAS using it i gained like 6-7 pounds. and well lets just say on my 5'2" frame that just plain sucks!

I'm glad I'm not the only one too! Let's keep each other posted on our results.

[lanettasmouse]

will do mindi. yea i'm glad that someone else is experiencing (not that i'm glad you're not feeling well) but it is comforting to know that i'm not the only one. maybe it has something to do with the fact that we both are hypothyroid?

[Authenticme]

I noted that Maca caused facial hair to increase. I have issues with hormonal balance. I stopped using Maca and the facial hair issue subsided.

[Mindi]

will do mindi. yea i'm glad that someone else is experiencing (not that i'm glad you're not feeling well) but it is comforting to know that i'm not the only one. maybe it has something to do with the fact that we both are hypothyroid?

Maybe. From what I have researched so far, those that have low thyroid levels are more prone to have high estrogen levels. (and if maca is supposed to increase hormone levels, well, that's just a double whammy for us.)

I am also suuuuper sensitive to anything that disrupts my hormones. I went on the pill for about 7 days and OMG! that stuff is horrible!! Bloated to the max! There are some things that my body just can't tolerate, dont know if it's because I'm hypo or not.

[ulimana]

we've collected a few articles and studies on maca as well (research link below)

i would bet it is not the maca that is disrupting your thyroid, though you could be especially sensitive.

[Mindi]

It is the maca!! I stopped using it and all my symptoms went away.

Dang, I just bought a big bag of it too. I don't know what to do with it now, I'd hate to just throw it away. anyone interested in it? All I ask is you cover shipping costs. If interested, contact me at my website (listed below)

It is the Navitas Naturals Organic Raw Maca Powder, 16-Ounce Bag, from Amazon.

[packardlady]

It is more likely to be the source of the maca you bought. Probably not pure, and not standardized. Maca does not increase estrogen, but normalizes it,as well as other hormones. Go to a healthfood store and get maca from a reputable company and give it another try.