Maca dosage: how much maca per day and when to take it?
Short answer: Stick to the label. Of our yellow maca powder you take 3 grams once or twice a day, of our black maca powder 2 to 5 grams a day, of our yellow maca capsules 3 to 4 a day and of our black maca capsules 3 to 6 a day. In studies in humans, participants usually took 1.5 to 3.5 grams a day, for a few weeks up to three months. There is no official recommended amount for maca.
Last updated: November 5, 2026 · Written by Florian Fermin
The question we get most often after "yellow or black?": how much maca should you take per day? Below you will find, per product, what is on our pack, which amounts were used in research and how to approach it in practice. What maca is is covered in our article on maca.
How much maca per day?
Take the amount stated on the label of your product. At GOYU it differs per colour and per form.
| Product | Daily dose (label) | Maca per day | Pack |
|---|---|---|---|
| Organic Maca Powder | 3 grams once or twice a day | 3 to 6 grams | 100 grams, 16 to 33 days |
| Organic Black Maca Powder | 2 to 5 scoops (about 2 to 5 grams) a day | 2 to 5 grams | 100 grams, 20 to 50 days |
| Organic Maca Capsules 500 mg | 3 to 4 capsules once a day | 1.5 to 2 grams | 100 capsules, 25 to 33 days |
| Black Maca Capsules 500 mg Organic | 3 to 6 capsules once a day | 1.5 to 3 grams | 100 capsules, 16 to 33 days |
Do not simply swap gram for gram between products: each label has its own daily dose. If you use two maca products, add up the amounts and stay within the daily dose. Which form suits you is covered in maca capsules or maca powder.
How many grams of maca have been used in research?
Usually 1.5 to 3.5 grams a day, for 6 to 12 weeks. These were small studies, often with a product other than ground powder.
| Study | Participants | Amount per day | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gonzales et al., 2002 | Healthy men aged 21 to 56 | 1.5 or 3 grams of processed (gelatinised) maca or placebo | 12 weeks |
| Brooks et al., 2008 | 14 postmenopausal women | 3.5 grams of maca powder or placebo | 2 periods of 6 weeks |
| Gonzales-Arimborgo et al., 2016 | 175 adults in Peru | 3 grams of black or red maca extract, or placebo | 12 weeks |
What the researchers measured differs per study. These studies say nothing about what our maca does for you: the products, the people and the duration are different. A 2024 review concludes that maca is generally well tolerated and that side effects are rare, but also that more research is needed (Ulloa del Carpio et al., 2024). No health claims for maca have yet been definitively approved in the EU.
For comparison: in the Peruvian Andes, people eat maca as ordinary food, dried and then cooked, in amounts of more than 20 grams a day (Gonzales, 2012). That is traditional use as food, not a supplement dosage.
How many grams is a scoop or teaspoon of maca?
The label of our black maca powder states that 1 scoop is about 1 gram. How much a teaspoon weighs differs per powder and per how full you scoop it. So weigh it once on a kitchen scale. Then you know how many spoons make your 3 grams.
When should you take maca?
Preferably take maca during or directly after a meal. That is what the label of our capsules and of our black maca powder says. Whether maca is better taken in the morning or the evening has not been studied.
- If you take yellow maca powder twice a day, split it over two meals, for example breakfast and lunch.
- Take capsules all at once, as the label says: once a day.
- Choose a fixed moment. Then you are less likely to forget.
How long can you take maca?
Our packs do not state a maximum period of use. Most studies in humans lasted 6 to 12 weeks. There is little research on years of daily use of maca as a supplement. In Peru, maca has been eaten as food for centuries, and no side effects have been reported with that use as food (Gonzales, 2012).
You sometimes read that you should take maca in cycles, with breaks. This has not been researched. If you want to take a break, that is of course fine, but according to the label it is not necessary.
Raw or heated maca?
In the Andes, the dried tuber is cooked before it is eaten, usually as a drink. Locals recommend cooking maca, and what fresh, uncooked maca does has not been scientifically studied (Gonzales, 2012). Our powder is dried, ground root. You can add it to cold dishes, such as yoghurt or a smoothie, and to warm ones, such as porridge, cocoa or coffee. Recipes are in how to use black maca powder.
Can you take too much maca?
Do not take more than the label says. It has not been shown that more maca is better. If you are just starting, choose the low end of the daily dose, for example 3 grams of powder or 3 capsules, and see how that suits you.
Who is this dosage not for?
Are you pregnant, breastfeeding, taking medication or do you have a medical condition? Then talk to your doctor or pharmacist before using maca. That is also stated on all our packs. More about the difference between the colours in black maca vs yellow maca.
You will find all colours and forms with their daily dose on buy maca.
Summary in 3 points
- Stick to the label: yellow maca powder 3 to 6 grams, black maca powder 2 to 5 grams, yellow capsules 3 to 4 and black capsules 3 to 6 a day.
- In studies in humans, participants usually took 1.5 to 3.5 grams a day for 6 to 12 weeks; these studies were small.
- Take maca during or directly after a meal and talk to your doctor first if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, take medication or have a medical condition.
Frequently asked questions
How much maca powder per day?
Of our yellow maca powder 3 grams once or twice a day, so 3 to 6 grams. Of our black maca powder 2 to 5 grams a day. Do not exceed the daily dose on the label.
How many maca capsules per day?
Of our yellow maca capsules 3 to 4 capsules once a day, of our black maca capsules 3 to 6. One capsule contains 500 mg of maca.
Can you take too much maca?
Do not take more than the label says. In a 2024 review, maca was generally well tolerated and side effects were rare, but little is known about high doses and long-term use as a supplement.
Should you take maca in the morning or the evening?
That has not been studied. Our label says to take maca preferably during or directly after a meal. Choose a moment that fits your day.
Do you need to take breaks from maca?
This has not been researched and it is not on the label. A break is fine, but according to the pack it is not necessary.
Sources
- Gonzales GF, Córdova A, Vega K, et al. Randomised, placebo-controlled study with 1.5 or 3 g maca per day in healthy men, 12 weeks. Andrologia. 2002;34(6):367-372. doi:10.1046/j.1439-0272.2002.00519.x. PubMed 12472620
- Brooks NA, Wilcox G, Walker KZ, et al. Randomised crossover study with 3.5 g maca powder per day in 14 postmenopausal women, 2 periods of 6 weeks. Menopause. 2008;15(6):1157-1162. doi:10.1097/gme.0b013e3181732953. PubMed 18784609
- Gonzales-Arimborgo C, Yupanqui I, Montero E, et al. Randomised, placebo-controlled study with 3 g black or red maca extract per day in 175 adults, 12 weeks. Pharmaceuticals (Basel). 2016;9(3):49. doi:10.3390/ph9030049. PubMed 27548190
- Ulloa del Carpio N, Alvarado-Corella D, Quiñones-Laveriano DM, et al. Review of the variation in composition and research on maca. Front Pharmacol. 2024;15:1360422. doi:10.3389/fphar.2024.1360422. PubMed 38440178
- Gonzales GF. Review of the ethnobiology and ethnopharmacology of maca, including traditional use in Peru. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2012;2012:193496. doi:10.1155/2012/193496. PubMed 21977053
- European Commission. Novel Food Catalogue, entry Lepidium meyenii Walp. (POL-NF-09281): tubers "not novel in food". Accessed November 5, 2026. ec.europa.eu
- Compl'Alim (French government). Lepidium meyenii Walp.: permitted in food supplements (root and tuber). Accessed November 5, 2026. compl-alim.beta.gouv.fr
- GOYU, labels and product pages of Organic Maca Powder, Organic Maca Capsules 500 mg, Organic Black Maca Powder and Black Maca Capsules 500 mg Organic (use, contents and warnings), accessed November 5, 2026.
This article is for informational purposes and is not medical advice. Dietary supplements are not a substitute for a varied and balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle. If in doubt, during pregnancy, or when taking medication, consult your doctor or pharmacist.
GOYU Maca
Organic, from Peru. Yellow and black, as powder and as capsules (without fillers), each with the daily dose on the label.
