Maca root
Maca root in Sugar Defender: the biggest share of a small blend
Maca root in Sugar Defender is an extract of an Andean root vegetable, listed first of the 22 ingredients in the 200 mg blend. First place makes it the largest share, but it splits that 200 mg with 21 others, so it holds well under 200 mg per mL. Maca has only a few small trials, none on blood sugar.
Written by the Sugar Defender label teamUpdated
The root01
What is maca root in Sugar Defender?
Maca root in Sugar Defender is a dried root extract of Lepidium meyenii, a plant grown high in the Andes of Peru. The label prints it as "Maca (Lepidium meyenii) Root Extract".
Maca belongs to the same plant family as radish and cabbage. In Peru the round root is eaten as a food, often dried and ground into flour or cooked into porridge.
In supplements, maca is sold as a general tonic. Memorial Sloan Kettering counts only a few small human trials, mostly on sexual function and menopause symptoms, and rates the evidence as limited (MSKCC, Maca).
| Name on the label | Maca (Lepidium meyenii) Root Extract |
|---|---|
| What it is | Lepidium meyenii, Andean root |
| Place on the label | 1 of 22 in the 200 mg proprietary blend |
| Amount per mL (1 dropper) | Not listed; #1 of 22 in the 200 mg blend, so at most 200 mg per mL |
| Amount used in research | Studied for other uses, not blood sugar |
| Strength of evidence | No blood sugar trials |
| Marketed or traditional use | Traditional Andean food and tonic |
| Main caution | May not be safe in pregnancy or breastfeeding. |
Dose math02
How much maca root is in Sugar Defender?
Sugar Defender holds an unknown amount of maca root, somewhere above about 9 mg and below 200 mg per mL. The label prints only the 200 mg blend total.
First place in a blend means maca weighs at least as much as any other line (21 CFR 101.36 (eCFR)). That sets a floor of about 9 mg, the even split of 200 mg by 22.
The ceiling is lower than it looks. The other 21 lines must weigh something too. If each held just 1 mg, maca could be 179 mg at most.
| Scenario | Maca per mL | What it would mean |
|---|---|---|
| Even split (the floor) | About 9 mg | All 22 lines equal |
| Maca takes half the blend | 100 mg | 21 lines share the other 100 mg, under 5 mg each |
| Other 21 lines at 1 mg each | 179 mg | Unlikely; guarana and grape seed would weigh almost nothing |
| Printed amount | Not published | Not published |
Even the top scenario is a fraction of the gram amounts used in maca research. Read the full panel on the Sugar Defender supplement facts page.
Label order03
Why is maca listed first in the Sugar Defender blend?
Maca is listed first in the Sugar Defender blend because it weighs the most of the 22 ingredients. Federal label rules require blend lines in order of weight (21 CFR 101.36 (eCFR)).
First place tells you rank, not size. A blend can lead with an ingredient at 30 mg if every other line is smaller.
The maker has not said why maca leads. The order reports the recipe; it does not explain it.
Read the total
Proprietary Herbal Blend 200 mg, in each 1 mL serving.
Read the order
Maca root first, grape seed second, guarana third, down to L-carnitine at 22.
Set the range
Maca is at least the even split, about 9 mg, and always less than 200 mg.
Sales claim04
Does maca root in Sugar Defender live up to "Boosts Your Energy"?
No study shows that maca root in Sugar Defender raises energy. The sales page gives maca the line "Boosts Your Energy" but names no trial behind it (Sugar Defender sales and order pages).
MSK's review of maca describes small trials on mood, sexual function and menopause. It does not describe a proven energy effect (MSKCC, Maca).
Maca trials have usually given people grams of maca powder a day. The whole Sugar Defender blend weighs 200 mg, so even a generous share of it is a small fraction of that.
"Boosts Your Energy"
A short benefit line next to the maca photo, with no dose and no source.
Limited, other topics
A few small trials, mostly on sexual function and menopause; systematic reviews call the evidence limited.
Every sales line is set against its evidence on the Sugar Defender benefits page.
Blood sugar05
Does maca root help blood sugar?
No. Maca root has no human trials on blood sugar, and MSK does not describe any glucose benefit for it (MSKCC, Maca).
So the largest ingredient in a "Blood Sugar Support Formula" is one with no blood sugar research. The lines with some glucose data, such as gymnema and ginseng, sit lower in the list.
That is worth knowing before you judge the drops by the name on the front. NCCIH warns never to replace diabetes care with an unproven product (NCCIH, Diabetes and Dietary Supplements).
Sugar Defender: from $49 a bottle60 mL · 1 mL a day · free US shipping on 3 or 6 · 60-day money-back guarantee
See packsCautions06
Who should avoid maca root in Sugar Defender?
Pregnant or breastfeeding women should skip maca root in Sugar Defender unless a doctor says yes. MSK says maca may not be safe in pregnancy or while nursing (MSKCC, Maca).
People with a hormone-sensitive cancer, such as some breast or prostate cancers, should talk to their oncologist first. MSK flags that group too.
The label already asks anyone pregnant, nursing or on other medication to consult a physician. It also says the drops are not for anyone under 18.
A supplement never replaces a prescription. If you take medicine for diabetes, blood pressure or anything else, keep every dose and tell your doctor before you add the drops.
Not sure the drops fit you? Go through the five quick questions on who Sugar Defender is for.
The photo07
What does the Sugar Defender maca root photo show?
The Sugar Defender maca photo shows a pile of whole, pale yellow maca roots. The drops contain a root extract, not whole roots.
Maca roots come in yellow, red and black types. The label names none, so the color in the photo tells you nothing about the extract.
Where maca shows on the label
Maca is the first name inside the Proprietary Herbal Blend, right under the chromium line. The crop beside this text is cut from the top half of the real panel. It shows the serving size, the 200 mg total and where the list begins.
Other lines08
Which Sugar Defender ingredient comes after maca root?
Grape seed extract comes right after maca root in Sugar Defender, in second place, followed by guarana seed in third.
Every line after maca may weigh less than it, all the way down to L-carnitine in 22nd place. Compare all 23 lines in the Sugar Defender ingredients list, or pick another profile below.
FAQ09
Maca root in Sugar Defender: questions people ask
Is there 200 mg of maca in Sugar Defender?
No. The 200 mg is the whole blend of 22 ingredients, and maca is just one of them. It is the largest share, so it holds at least about 9 mg per mL, but always less than 200 mg. The exact amount is not printed.
Which type of maca is in Sugar Defender, yellow, red or black?
The label does not say. It lists only "Maca (Lepidium meyenii) Root Extract". The brand photo shows yellow roots, but photos are not part of the label. If the type matters to you, ask the brand at [email protected].
Can I take Sugar Defender with maca while pregnant?
Ask your doctor first, and expect to be told to wait. MSK says maca may not be safe in pregnancy or breastfeeding (MSKCC, Maca). The label asks pregnant and nursing women to consult a physician, and the blend also contains caffeine from guarana and green tea.
Does the maca in Sugar Defender affect hormones?
The evidence is thin either way. Small maca trials looked at sexual function and menopause symptoms, with limited results (MSKCC, Maca). Because of that hormone interest, MSK advises people with hormone-sensitive cancers to check with a provider. The amount in one serving is small.
Should I take a maca supplement on top of Sugar Defender?
Talk it over with your doctor or pharmacist first. Stacking products adds unknowns, since the drops already hold maca plus caffeine sources. Maca has no blood sugar evidence, so a second product adds cost without a known benefit for glucose.
Does Sugar Defender taste like maca?
Not much, by design. The drops list natural flavors, organic citrus extract, stevia and xylitol as other ingredients. Maca has an earthy, malty taste, but at a share of a 200 mg blend in 1 mL of liquid it is mostly masked by the sweeteners.
Who wrote this10
Written and reviewed by
Pages built from the label, the sales page and linked NIH, FDA, CDC, FTC and peer-reviewed sources.
Last updated . Read our editorial standards and the way we check reviews. This website is run by an authorized American Sugar Defender outlet, not by the manufacturer or the distributor. Purchases made through our order links earn us money.
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