10-03-2012, 07:29 PM
I am still puzzled by the apparent contribution of maca in re-starting my growth. I am continuing the experiment of the last two weeks with a high maca dose, to check if it really does contribute to growth.
Initially, I started maca to deal with the negative effects of hops on libido, and especially on mood. The chemicals responsible for the positive effects of maca on libido and mood have been identified, and neither are hormones:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maca
The maca flour I use is pink-reddish. Red maca has been shown to reduce prostate size in rats, which suggests an anti-androgen effect:
http://content.karger.com/ProdukteDB/pro.../000264618
but the anti-androgenic effect on prostate size occurs after the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone:
http://www.hindawi.com/journals/ecam/2012/193496/
so it is not likely that the maca could have increased my estrogen levels by increasing Luteinizing Hormone (LH). Besides, studies on maca as a menopause supplement are inconclusive so far.
When I decreased all doses except hops in December, my growth stopped. Hoping to find the essential herb in my program, I increased them one by one, and so far, only the increase of maca helped. Of course I hope my growth keeps up during the two week experiment I'm running now on a high maca dose. But if it does, I'll have a hard time explaining it.
Initially, I started maca to deal with the negative effects of hops on libido, and especially on mood. The chemicals responsible for the positive effects of maca on libido and mood have been identified, and neither are hormones:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maca
The maca flour I use is pink-reddish. Red maca has been shown to reduce prostate size in rats, which suggests an anti-androgen effect:
http://content.karger.com/ProdukteDB/pro.../000264618
but the anti-androgenic effect on prostate size occurs after the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone:
http://www.hindawi.com/journals/ecam/2012/193496/
so it is not likely that the maca could have increased my estrogen levels by increasing Luteinizing Hormone (LH). Besides, studies on maca as a menopause supplement are inconclusive so far.
When I decreased all doses except hops in December, my growth stopped. Hoping to find the essential herb in my program, I increased them one by one, and so far, only the increase of maca helped. Of course I hope my growth keeps up during the two week experiment I'm running now on a high maca dose. But if it does, I'll have a hard time explaining it.