Maca Root, Ashwagnadha and adaptogens

[desi]

I have been looking for a complete meal replacement to take once a day with breakfast etc.

Most products have Maca Root, Ashwagandha as ingredients. I have read that these products can cause hormonal balances (not imbalances), but the fact that these can affect hormones makes me worried. Any thoughts? I am in two minds whether this shud be taken or not?

thanks!!!!!!

[Paa_Paw]

I'm not a Doctor, but since they have not weighed in on this I will try to help.

The subject of various herbs comes up with some regularity. My opinion is that you need something else to worry about.

Yes, It is true that many natural food products contain chemicals which mimic various hormones. Those of most common concern are those plant compounds called Phyto- Estrogens. These are vegetable compound that mimic the hormone Estrogen. The comparison ends there though since the normal hormones in your body are many hundreds of times stronger than the plant products.

If you tried to live on only one kind of vegetable product you would probably suffer severe malnutrition before the plant sterols became an issue.

Eat a varied diet and find something else to worry about.

[Litlriki]

Desi,

Paa_Paw provides a very good reply to your question.  For many years, the dilemma of soy protein use in men has peppered the forums and boards of the bodybuilding community due to the potential estrogenic effects.  And I have recently seen a patient who was using a soy protein supplement, in addition to a pro-hormone product, and he switched to a whey protein supplement with resultant improvement in his gynecomastia (though it didn't resolve--far from it!)  I would speculate that the pro-hormone supplement is the more likely culprit in the stimulation of his gynecomastia.  But when there are other options, it makes sense to utilize a product that doesn't have the potential to contribute to the problem. By the same token, you should also figure out what purpose your meal replacement is meant to fulfill, and you should tailor the supplement accordingly.  If you're just looking for a protein supplement, there are good products available that don't have all of the added extras. 

Good luck,

Rick Silverman