I've experimented extensively with Maca, and so have members of my family. While we all found it had positive effects on energy levels and libido, it also caused a rather unsightly outbreak of acne, on both me, my dad and my sister, so I just avoid it now.
Did you ever suffer from acne before you took Maca? If that was a random flare up from nowhere I would certainly tread carefully with it if I were to try it... Acne is not welcome on my face!
Also with regards to libido how dramatic were the effects in your opinion? I have also heard great things about Tongkat Ali. I don't have problems with libido but am interested in having agents in my possesion that can be used on an 'as needed basis'.
Well for me, I had previously suffered with acne and still do in a very mild way if I let slip with my cleansing regime. So for me it wasn't too unusual, but certainly unwelcome and made me feel like I was back in my teens! My sister and father have never had acne, and have perfectly clear skin, I've never known my dad to have a spot in his life. But the
maca completely changed his complexion, so he was blotchy and had small cysts appearing all over his lower face. When I told him it was probably the
Maca he was relieved, as he had been examining his lifestyle for possible triggers. The outbreak completely subsided a week after stopping the
Maca, and he was mostly clear within two weeks. Although of course the lesions take time to heal.
I stopped the
Maca before it had a significant effect on my libido, since it caused an acne breakout after only a few days for me, it took substantially longer in my father. For me, all I noticed was that I became sexually aroused far more easily, this could be inconvenient at times. My father reported that he became preoccupied with sex, and would think about it all the time to the point of distraction, it actually began affecting his job performance because of this. He also reported that when he did engage in intercourse, he lasted substantially longer then usual and his erection was more consistent, which he occasionally has problems with. He was tempted to cheat on his girlfriend multiple times during his usage of
Maca, which is not normally something that he would even consider.