Maca does not appear to raise blood pressure in most people. The majority of clinical evidence points in the opposite direction: maca is more consistently linked to modest reductions in systolic blood pressure, the top number in a reading. However, one study did find a slight increase in diastolic blood pressure (the bottom number) at high doses over 90 days, so the picture isn’t completely one-sided.
What the Clinical Trials Show
Several human trials have measured blood pressure changes in people taking maca, and the results lean toward a mild lowering effect. A population-level study of regular maca consumers in the Peruvian highlands found that habitual use was associated with lower systolic blood pressure. A separate randomized trial in healthy menstruating women aged 41 to 50 found that taking 2,000 mg of maca daily for two months produced a significant drop in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure compared to placebo.
On the other hand, one study reported a moderate increase in diastolic blood pressure when participants took a much higher dose (roughly 0.6 grams per kilogram of body weight per day, which for a 150-pound person would be about 41 grams daily) for 90 days. That dose is far above what most supplements provide. When the same study added a liver-protective herb (silymarin) alongside the maca, the diastolic increase disappeared. This suggests the effect may be dose-dependent and not something you’d encounter at typical supplement levels of 1.5 to 5 grams per day.
How Maca May Lower Blood Pressure
Researchers have identified a plausible mechanism for maca’s blood-pressure-lowering tendency. Maca protein contains peptides that inhibit an enzyme called ACE, the same enzyme targeted by common prescription blood pressure medications like lisinopril and enalapril. By partially blocking ACE, maca may help blood vessels relax and widen, reducing the force needed to pump blood through them.
Animal studies also show that maca activates nitric oxide production in the heart. Nitric oxide is a molecule your body uses to signal blood vessels to dilate. This is the same pathway that medications for chest pain and erectile dysfunction rely on. The effect appears modest compared to pharmaceutical drugs, but it offers a second route through which maca could nudge blood pressure downward rather than upward.
Black Maca vs. Other Colors
Maca comes in several colors, and they don’t all behave the same way. Black maca has the strongest evidence for blood pressure reduction. In one trial, participants taking black maca saw a significant drop in systolic blood pressure by weeks 8 and 12. No isolated blood pressure data exists for red or yellow maca on their own.
A blended formulation containing black, yellow, purple, and red maca also lowered both systolic and diastolic readings in a two-month trial. If blood pressure is a concern for you, black maca or a multi-color blend is the best-studied option. Yellow maca, which is the most commonly sold variety, simply hasn’t been tested for this specific outcome.
Dosage and What to Watch For
Most clinical studies showing favorable or neutral blood pressure effects used doses between 1,500 and 5,000 mg (1.5 to 5 grams) of gelatinized maca powder daily. The one study that found a diastolic increase used a dramatically higher dose, roughly eight times what a typical supplement provides. At standard doses taken for up to 12 weeks, blood pressure changes have been either beneficial or negligible in published research.
That said, the total number of human trials is still small, and individual responses can vary. If you already take blood pressure medication, the ACE-inhibiting activity of maca could theoretically amplify the drug’s effect, potentially dropping your blood pressure lower than expected. This is more of a theoretical concern than a documented one, but it’s worth being aware of if you’re on antihypertensive drugs and considering adding maca to your routine.
The most commonly reported side effect of maca at normal doses is mild digestive discomfort, not cardiovascular symptoms. No published case reports document maca causing a hypertensive episode or dangerous blood pressure spike in otherwise healthy people.