Melnikovova Ingrid, Fait Tomas, Kolarova Michaela, Fernandez Eloy C, Milella Luigi
Department of Crop Sciences and Agroforestry, Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamycka 129, 165 21 Prague 6, Czech Republic.
Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, 1st Medical Faculty, Charles University, Apolinarska 18, 128 51 Prague 2, Czech Republic.
Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2015;2015:324369. doi: 10.1155/2015/324369. Epub 2015 Sep 1.
Background/Aims. Products of Lepidium meyenii Walp. (maca) are touted worldwide as an alimentary supplement to enhance fertility and restore hormonal balance. Enhancing properties of maca on semen parameters in animals were previously reported by various authors, but we present to the best of our knowledge the first double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled pilot trial in men. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of maca on semen parameters and serum hormone levels in healthy adult men. Methods. A group of 20 volunteers aged 20-40 years was supplied by milled hypocotyl of maca or placebo (1.75 g/day) for 12 weeks. Negative controls of semen were compared to the samples after 6 and 12 weeks of maca administration; negative blood controls were compared to the samples after 12 weeks of treatment. Results. Sperm concentration and motility showed rising trends compared to placebo even though levels of hormones did not change significantly after 12 weeks of trial. Conclusion. Our results indicate that maca possesses fertility enhancing properties in men. As long as men prefer to use alimentary supplement to enhance fertility rather than prescribed medication or any medical intervention, it is worth continuing to assess its possible benefits.
背景/目的。玛咖(Lepidium meyenii Walp.)产品在全球被吹捧为一种可提高生育能力和恢复激素平衡的膳食补充剂。此前已有多位作者报道了玛咖对动物精液参数的增强作用,但据我们所知,我们开展了针对男性的首个双盲、随机、安慰剂对照的试点试验。本研究的目的是评估玛咖对健康成年男性精液参数和血清激素水平的影响。方法。一组20名年龄在20至40岁之间的志愿者,服用玛咖磨碎的下胚轴或安慰剂(1.75克/天),为期12周。将精液的阴性对照与服用玛咖6周和12周后的样本进行比较;将血液阴性对照与治疗12周后的样本进行比较。结果。与安慰剂相比,精子浓度和活力呈上升趋势,尽管在试验12周后激素水平没有显著变化。结论。我们的结果表明,玛咖对男性具有提高生育能力的特性。只要男性更愿意使用膳食补充剂来提高生育能力,而不是使用处方药或任何医疗干预措施,就值得继续评估其可能的益处。