# Maca and Birth Defects?



## mamacatsbaby (Jul 27, 2005)

Greetings ladies! I would love to hear from any of you who took maca before and during your pregnancy. Just a bit about what I'm asking here: I have been taking maca for the past few weeks to work on straightening out some hormonal issues I've been having. I assumed it would take at least three months to see any effects but I noticed a difference right away. I've been trying to get pg my last six cycles after having a m/c in November w/o success and this month I finally fell







. Now, I was trying to decide on whether or not to continue with the maca and decided that my best course of action would be to do so as I don't want my hormones to start going nuts again in these early days before the placenta takes over by abruptly stopping. Ok, great. I've been taking 1,500 mg of maca and was going to go down to 500 mg of gelatinized maca. I was going to purchase this brand

http://shop.gaiaherbs.com/Maca-Powder-Gelatinized/p/GAIA-90C42016&[email protected]

but there's a warning for it that states
Quote:


> Warnings
> 
> This product contains a chemical known to the State of California to cause birth defects or other reproductive harm.
> 
> ...


In my research this is the only time I've come across anything at all about birth defects or reproductive harm when it comes to maca. The only thing I can think of is they're possibly talking about the selenium that's in it. I have to wait until the weekend is over to call Gaia to ask what exactly they're talking about here as the only ingredient on the label is organic maca root







. Who even knows if they'll tell me







.

Sorry to be so brief but I must go feed my children. I'd love some thoughts on this. Will probably x-post in TTC. BBL...


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## mamacatsbaby (Jul 27, 2005)

Pic of the back of the jar:

http://images.iherb.com/l/GAI-14632-2.jpg


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## Kamiro (Sep 3, 2011)

I have no idea. The only time I have personally seen that warning was on products that contain lead. Lead can be found 'naturally' in vitamins and baby food even, so maybe that is it?









Maybe look in to what gets that label warning in California? Update us when you know, I'm curious.


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## mamacatsbaby (Jul 27, 2005)

Thanks so much for your input Kamiro! Yeah, so I looked up this California warning and it's a part of this Proposition 65 that they have in Cali. I get what they're trying to do and all but the fact that manufacturers aren't required to put specifically what's making their product need that label is a bit ridiculous. I've decided that it is indeed a bit like the lead in vitamins scare that was happening. I'm pretty aggravated about the whole thing just b/c we're under a constant chemical nightmare and those who control what we put in our bodies really aren't required to disclose jack crap







. I think this has all gone to hell in handbasket as pretty much everything is supposed to kill you, ugh. Here's their May 24, 2013 update of the list of substances that have been proven to cause reproductive harm and cancer; so if you're selling in Cali and your product has even small amounts of this stuff you need the warning. *Then why not tell us which and how much of those are in your product?!* B/c it's going to affect that bottom line is my guess







.

Honestly, I think this is a small drop in the bucket as far as what we're up against and I refuse to get sucked in. I mean, quite literally, practically everything we eat, drink, touch, wear, sleep on, etc. and so on is horrible for us. There's really no practical way to do it all for most of us and I'm just going to keep living my life and providing for my children using the healthiest routes that are available for us to take advantage of. Not going to spend all of my time on this planet worried sick over this or that.

I've been having severe anxiety thus far being PAL and when I saw "birth defects" and "reproductive harm" on that bottle I took another nose-dive into one of many episodes of panic I've been having. Once I calmed down and started thinking logically again, looked up a few things about this Act, I was able to bring it back. What I decided on was to go with maca from Whole World Botanicals.

I'll still give Gaia a call tomorrow and ask them about it just because I'm curious WTF they're putting in that supplement that warrants this warning. Honestly, I'd rather just eat the actual veggie and not mess with supplements but unfortunately I can't find any







. Could have sworn the farmer's market I frequent had some at one time but maybe I'm mistaken







. I absolutely love maca and feel so blessed to have found it as it really has worked wonders for me. Working on bringing the anxiety level down







.


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## Kamiro (Sep 3, 2011)

Totally 100% agree with you!

Thanks for doing the foot work on that also. It is all so ridiculous.









There was a lady in my last DDC who took it fairly religiously - but I am not sure if she stopped at some point during preg or continued. Wish I could remember if she mentioned it or not.

I think we just have to do the best we can do during pregnancy and know that we are the safest home for our beautiful babes, no matter what the conditioning 'out there' tries to scare us with.

For anxiety and depression issues I take a Super B Complex on top of my other prenat and supps. It really has worked some great wonders for me. May want to try to add that in and see if it helps you also


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## mamacatsbaby (Jul 27, 2005)

So I called Gaia yesterday and asked them about the warning and the rep told me it has to do with naturally occurring levels of lead in the soil the maca was grown in. That makes sense and I can see why the product would then end up with that label under the Prop 65. Hopefully that's actually what's going down here







. Either way all of this is still just a big ball of crazy; humans need to sit in the back seat for a second and re-learn how this planet is supposed to work







. Thank you so much for the B Complex suggestion also Kamiro! Hubby has some in the cabinet that I might just toss into the mix







. Enjoy the rest of your pregnancy







.


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## Kamiro (Sep 3, 2011)

Thank you dear, and you as well.  Thanks for updating!


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## Meksmama (Jun 15, 2006)

I also believe that maca hasn't been tested on pregnant/nursing moms to determine safety as quite a few herbs haven't unfortunately. However Mountain Rose Herbs doesn't list it as avoid in pregnancy. SO...makes me rethink.

I used to take maca and rhodiola before getting pregnant. I also just read flax shouldn't be taken either... ARGH!


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## mamacatsbaby (Jul 27, 2005)

Thanks so much for your input Meksmama! All this information out there on, well everything lol, can certainly make it a bit difficult to come to one's own comfort space on what we should and shouldn't do now can't it?







I will say though that maca isn't an herb it's a food, a root vegetable grown at high elevation. Honestly, I believe there's enough anecdotal evidence out there with Peruvian women using maca throughout their lives to make me feel ok about it. I think we've kind of left way too much up to studies and such these days; nobody really takes into account the hard-won wisdom of tradition. I believe both are valid. If I could find the actual veggie I'd be all over it. I don't know what rhodiola is and will have to look that up. What did you read about flax?


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## Kamiro (Sep 3, 2011)

Yeah, I have taken flax for every pregnancy 10 years now...do tell!


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## naturalmama1002 (Aug 1, 2008)

After 2 years and 3 m/c we both started taking maca this cycle, and whaddya know. I read alot on taking it in pregnancy and I have opted to continue. I'm also going off the anecdotal evidence that Peruvian women take it during pregnancy to "maintain pregnancy"... and the fact that my 12 dpo progesterone level was 30... I feel like it's truly done something for me from a hormonal standpoint and given that it is a root... I cannot see any reason to stop taking it except the "err on the side of caution because we don't have any data" stance.

I am taking 1500 mg daily, I may cut back a little, but I have no guidelines to go by.

Anyone else?


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