Efficacy and Safety of Maca ( Lepidium meyenii ) in Patients with Symptoms of Late-Onset Hypogonadism: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial

To evaluated the efficacy and safety of gelatinized Maca ( ) for eugonadal patients with late onset hypogonadism symptoms (LOH). Participants were instructed to receive 1,000 mg of Maca or placebo, two pills at a time, three times per day for 12 weeks before food intake. To evaluate the efficacy of the drug, Aging Males' Symptoms scale (AMS), Androgen Deficiency in the Aging Males (ADAM), International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), and International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) questionnaires, serologic tests (total testosterone and free testosterone, total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglyceride), body weight, and waist circumference were assessed at 4 and 12 weeks after treatment. A total of 80 participants were enrolled and randomly assigned to Maca treated group (n=41) or the placebo group (n=39). AMS, IIEF, and IPSS were significantly (p