Why Maca Is Key For Hair Growth During Menopause

We’re all striving to achieve balance in our lives — and menopause can throw off the equilibrium of even the most centered, zen, and even-keeled among us.  

Happening, on average, at approximately 51 years old, this rite of passage sends shockwaves throughout the entire body system, thanks to a hormonal shift. Women experiencing menopause may exhibit hot flashes, fluctuations in mood, sleep disturbances, night sweats, changes in libido, dry skin, weight gain, and hair loss, to name a few. 

These symptoms can not only disrupt our work and social lives, but they can also take a toll on mental health. This is why supplementive support is so important during menopause, and one natural hero is maca — which is a key ingredient of Nutrafol Women’s Balance, our unique hair wellness formulation designed for women experiencing menopause. 

Maca (Lepidium meyenii) is traditionally found in the Andes of Peru and has been utilized for centuries by the native Peruvians for medicinal and culinary use. A member of the brassica (mustard) family, maca is related to cabbage, mustard, rapeseed, and turnip. The people of the Andes mountains have been using maca for everything from PMS to hormone balancing to libido, and of course, menopause, since before the Incan Empire.

Maca shows a lot of promise in a variety of areas, many of which relate to our hair. The powerful root contains active components such as sterols, amides, and alkaloids to provide health-boosting benefits. In a study done on early menopausal women, maca was shown to help tonify the brain’s hypothalamic pituitary ovarian axis, making the decline of estrogen less erratic and smoother. This resulted in resolution of common menopausal symptoms experienced by women. 

Studies also suggest that maca may assist with the body’s stress response, suggesting it holds an adaptogenic component. Adaptogens help support the stress response system in the body, which is crucial during menopause, when stress hormones increase. Research has shown us time and again that while stress hormones are helpful for reacting to an urgent situation, chronically elevated cortisol shortens the normal hair growth cycle. 

Interestingly, preliminary findings of a small trial showed that post-menopausal women who used maca for six weeks experienced a reduction in psychological symptoms like anxiety and depression. That same trial also demonstrated lower measures of sexual dysfunction independent of estrogenic and androgenic activity in post-menopausal women.

 It has been proposed that the reason for maca’s biological activity concerns its antioxidant activity, as well as its polyphenol content. All in all, for women experiencing menopause, this Peruvian root is the diamond of the plant kingdom. It’s no wonder it’s a part of Nutrafol Women’s Balance!

As women approaching and enduring menopause experience fluctuating hormones, changes in hair become more of a concern. While everyone’s menopausal journey is a bit different, hair thinning complaints are common in over two-thirds of women after age 50. 

To support healthy hair during this time of life, maca combines with saw palmetto to be your botanical hair heroes in Nutrafol Women’s Balance. There’s also a few added “side benefits” to taking Nutrafol Women’s Balance, as the star player, maca, may lead to reduced hot flashes, better sleep, and improved libido. 

To learn more about Nutrafol Women’s Balance, click here.