TABLE 1.

Sexual health clinical effects studied for Lepidium meyenii.

Male sexual health
Objetive	Study short description	Results	Ref.
Evaluate the effect on seminal parameters in male infertility	Pilot clinical trial, randomized, double-blind, controlled, parallel, with 65 males aged 20 to 40 with mild asthenozoospermia and/or oligozoospermia who received 1,000 mg enteric-coated capsules of powdered maca orally for 12 weeks	Increase in sperm concentration. No differences were observed in seminal volume, sperm motility, and morphology	Alcalde and Rabasa (2020)
Assessing the effect on late-onset hypogonadism	Randomized, double-blind, controlled, multicenter clinical trial involving 80 eugonadal males over 40 years with symptoms of late-onset hypogonadism who received 833 mg gelatinized maca capsules orally for 12 weeks	Reduction in symptoms of androgen deficiency, erectile dysfunction, and lower urinary tract symptoms	Shin et al. (2023)
Determine the effect on semen analysis	Unspecified clinical trial involving nine healthy adult males aged 24 to 44, who received 500 mg gelatinized maca tablets orally for 4 months	Increase in seminal volume, count of mobile spermatozoa, and motility (grade a+b). No difference in hormonal levels (FSH, LH, PRL, T, E2)	Gonzales et al. (2001)
Determine the effect on sexual desire associated with mood or serum testosterone levels	Randomized, double-blind, controlled, parallel clinical trial involving 57 healthy males aged 21 to 56, who received 500 mg gelatinized maca tablets orally for 12 weeks	Increase in sexual desire, independent of changes in mood, and serum testosterone and E2 levels	Gonzales et al. (2002)
Assess the effect on serum levels of reproductive hormones in males	Randomized, double-blind, controlled, parallel clinical trial with 56 healthy males aged 21 to 56, who received 500 mg gelatinized maca tablets orally for 12 weeks	There were no significant differences in levels of LH, FSH, and PRL between groups. Additionally, there were no significant differences in levels of 17-OHP, T, and E2 between groups	Gonzales et al. (2003)
Assess the impact on seminal parameters and hormonal levels	Pilot clinical trial, randomized, double-blind, controlled, with 13 healthy males aged 20 to 40, who received 350 mg capsules of gelatinized yellow maca orally for 12 weeks	Non-significant improvement in seminal quality parameters observed. No differences were noted in evaluated hormonal levels: LH, FSH, E2, T, fT4, TSH	Melnikovova et al. (2015)
Assess the effect on subjective wellbeing, both sexual and non-sexual	Randomized, double-blind clinical trial involving 50 young adults with mild erectile dysfunction who received 1,200 mg tablets of powdered dehydrated maca orally for 12 weeks	Significant improvement in erectile function. Enhancement observed in psychological, physical, and social performance	Zenico et al. (2009)
Assess the effects on male infertility	Randomized, double-blind, controlled clinical trial, ITT analysis, involving 50 infertile males aged 28 to 52, who received 400 mg capsules of gelatinized yellow maca orally for 16 weeks	No significant differences were observed in seminal parameters and hormonal levels (LH, FSH, PRL, E2, T, fT)	Melnikovova et al. (2021)
Women’s sexual health
Assess the impact on menopausal symptoms and hormonal profile	Pilot clinical trial, randomized, double-blind, controlled, crossover study involving 13 (Trial I) and eight (Trial II) postmenopausal women aged 45 to 62, who received 500 mg gelatinized maca capsules orally for up to 9 months	Increase in LH, E2, and PG levels, and a decrease in FSH levels. Reduction in the severity of menopausal symptoms	Meissner et al., 2005
Assess the effect on menopausal symptoms	Pilot clinical trial, randomized, double-blind, controlled, crossover study involving 18 perimenopausal women aged 41 to 50, who received 500 mg pre-gelatinized maca capsules orally for 4 months	Increase in FSH and E2 levels. Reduction in the severity of menopausal symptoms	Meissner et al. (2006c)
Assess the effect on levels of sex hormones and menopausal symptoms	Randomized, double-blind, controlled, multicenter clinical trial involving 88 (Trial I) and 66 (Trial II) postmenopausal women aged 45 to 58, who received 500 mg pre-gelatinized maca capsules orally for up to 4 months	Decrease in FSH levels and increase in E2. Reduction in the severity of menopausal symptoms	Meissner et al. (2006d)
Assess the effect on hormonal parameters and menopausal symptoms	Randomized, double-blind, controlled, crossover clinical trial involving 34 postmenopausal women aged 45 to 58, who received 500 mg pre-gelatinized maca capsules orally for 4 months	Increase in E2 and decrease in FSH, LH, T3, cortisol, and ACTH. Progressive reduction in the frequency and severity of menopausal symptoms	Meissner et al. (2006e)
Assess the effect on hormonal profile and menopausal symptoms	Randomized, double-blind, controlled, crossover clinical trial involving 14 symptomatic postmenopausal women aged 50 to 60, who received powdered maca orally for 12 weeks	There were no significant differences in levels of E2, FSH, LH, and sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG). Reduction in menopausal symptoms in psychological, anxiety, depression, and sexual dysfunction dimensions	Brooks et al. (2008)
Assess the effect on menopausal symptoms	Pilot randomized, double-blind, controlled, single-center, crossover clinical trial involving 29 symptomatic postmenopausal women aged 46 to 59, who received powdered maca orally for 12 weeks	Reduction in menopausal symptoms in the psychological, anxiety, and depression dimensions	Stojanovska et al. (2015)