Last Updated on September 5, 2026 by Giorgia Guazzarotti
Let me guess… You started taking maca root for more energy, better hormone balance, or maybe both. A few days later, your face starts breaking out. Coincidence, or is maca giving you acne? It’s possible, but probably not for the reason you think. There’s no good evidence that maca directly causes acne. But because it may affect hormones in some people, it could potentially trigger breakouts if your skin is already hormone-sensitive. It’d also explain why some people blame maca for sudden pimples while others take it with zero problems. So, can maca really cause acne, who’s most likely to break out from it, and should you stop taking it if your skin suddenly goes haywire? Let’s look at what the science says.
What Exactly Is Maca Root?
Maca, or Lepidium meyenii, is a plant that grows high in the Peruvian Andes. You’ll also see it called Peruvian ginseng, although it isn’t actually related to ginseng. It belongs to the same plant family as cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and cabbage and contains several bioactive compounds, including macamides and glucosinolates.
Why Maca Root Gets Blamed for Acne Breakouts
Maca gets blamed for acne because it has a reputation for “balancing hormones.” The problem? That makes it sound like maca swoops in, rearranges your estrogen and testosterone, and sends your skin into chaos. The research doesn’t really support that. In one 12-week clinical trial, men taking either 1.5g or 3g of maca a day had no significant changes in testosterone, estrogen, FSH, LH or prolactin. Another randomised trial found the same thing: maca increased sexual desire, but testosterone and estrogen didn’t budge.
So the popular explanation that maca causes a temporary “hormonal spike” while your body adjusts? There’s no good evidence for it. There’s also no established “detox period” where maca makes your acne worse before magically making it better. What IS well established is the connection between hormones and acne. Androgens stimulate the sebaceous glands to produce more sebum, and excess sebum often leads to clogged pores, inflammation and acne. But we can’t jump from “androgens cause acne” to “maca raises androgens and therefore causes acne.” The evidence for that just isn’t there.
So what if you started maca on Monday and had three new pimples by Friday? I wouldn’t ignore it. Your skin is telling you something changed. But I also wouldn’t buy the popular explanation that your hormones are “rebalancing,” your body is “detoxing,” or maca is dragging hidden hormonal problems to the surface before fixing them. There’s no good evidence for any of that.
Related: What Causes Adult Acne And How To Treat It
Hormonal Imbalances That Make Maca Root a Skin Problem
Some people are simply more likely to break out when their hormones shift. But that doesn’t mean maca is automatically the thing pushing them over the edge. Here’s what’s really to blame:
- High androgens: Oily skin, stubborn chin breakouts and PCOS often have one thing in common: androgens. These hormones can crank up sebum production, making clogged pores much more likely. A 2025 review links PCOS-related acne with hyperandrogenism and insulin resistance. Maca, though? So far, there’s no good evidence that it sends testosterone soaring.
- “Estrogen dominance”: This is one of those wellness phrases that gets blamed for everything from bloating to bad skin. The problem is that maca doesn’t seem to have one predictable effect on estrogen. In one clinical trial, women improved on maca even though their estrogen and androgen levels barely changed. So the idea that black maca “raises estrogen” and causes acne is mostly speculation.
- Stress and cortisol: If your skin goes haywire when you’re stressed, that makes a lot more sense. Stress can worsen acne through inflammation and changes in sebum production. What doesn’t have much backing is the claim that maca causes an initial cortisol surge before settling things down. One small study actually found lower cortisol after taking maca.
- “Sluggish liver detox”: This one sounds scientific until you look closer. Your liver does help process hormones, but acne isn’t your body dumping “toxins” through your skin. There’s no evidence that maca uncovers an overloaded liver or forces trapped hormones to suddenly show up as pimples.
So if your skin starts freaking out after maca, don’t automatically assume it’s “revealing” some deep hormonal imbalance. You may already be more prone to hormonal acne, but we don’t have good evidence that maca is making those hormones worse.
Is Red Maca Better for Acne-Prone Skin?
Red maca often gets recommended as the “gentler” choice, especially if hormones tend to send your skin into meltdown. But is it actually less likely to cause acne than black or yellow maca? We don’t know. The problem is, we don’t actually have studies comparing red, black and yellow maca for acne. We don’t even have good human evidence showing that one colour pushes androgens higher than another. So if red maca agrees with your skin better than another variety, by all means stick with it. Just know that, right now, “red maca is better for acne-prone skin” is a theory, not something science has actually proven.
Acne isn’t just about oil and clogged pores. Inflammation and oxidative stress play a part too. Maca contains antioxidants, vitamin C, amino acids and fatty acids that help fight free radicals and calm inflammation. That’s probably where some of the confusion starts. If maca is supposed to help with oxidative stress, and someone breaks out soon after taking it, it’s easy to assume their skin is going through some kind of temporary “detox” before things improve.
You’ll often see this explained as maca “balancing hormones,” supporting the immune system or helping the body release stored toxins. The breakout then gets treated as part of the clean-up process. The problem is that there’s no scientific evidence showing that maca works this way. Studies haven’t shown that maca releases stored toxins through the skin or temporarily increases oxidative stress before bringing it back down.
The same goes for advice to drink more water, eat extra fibre, use fermented maca or take it with MCT oil to “support detox.” Those suggestions may sound sesible, but there’s no evidence that they prevent maca-related breakouts by helping your body clear toxins faster. And if acne shows up alongside bloating, tiredness or brain fog, that still doesn’t prove you’re detoxing. Those symptoms may simply mean maca isn’t agreeing with you. So while the detox explanation is popular online, it’s still a theory, not something research has actually shown happens.
Side Effects of Maca That Can Indirectly Worsen Acne
Maca is generally well tolerated, but that doesn’t mean everyone gets along with it. A recent review found that side effects are rare, although we still don’t have loads of long-term safety data. If your skin starts freaking out after you add maca, these are the side effects that could be making things worse.
- Digestive problems: Maca can upset your stomach, but bloating or gas doesn’t automatically mean your gut is causing your acne. There’s no evidence that digestive side effects from maca lead to breakouts.
- Trouble sleeping: Maca hasn’t been proven to cause insomnia, so there’s no scientific reason you have to take it first thing in the morning. But if you notice that it keeps you awake, that could matter for your skin. Poor sleep has been linked with worse acne.
- Medication concerns: There’s no good evidence that maca messes with birth control pills or sends your hormones haywire when you’re taking prescription medication. But research on maca-drug interactions is pretty thin, so if you take regular medication, it’s worth checking with your doctor or pharmacist before adding it.
- Allergic reactions: An allergy to maca is possible, just like it is with other foods and supplements. Cross-contamination can also happen depending on how a particular product is made. But an allergic reaction and acne are two different things, so a rash or itchy skin after taking maca shouldn’t automatically be dismissed as a breakout.
So yes, maca can cause side effects. What we don’t have is evidence that most of those side effects secretly trigger acne. If your skin consistently gets worse when you take maca and settles down when you stop, that pattern is much more useful than trying to blame your gut, cortisol or some mysterious hormone swing.
How to Test if Maca Root Powder Is Really Causing Your Breakouts
Before you blame maca, try to rule out the obvious stuff first. Stop taking maca for a while and keep the rest of your routine as steady as you can. Don’t suddenly change your cleanser, start three new serums, overhaul your diet, and then try to work out what fixed your skin. If your breakouts start calming down after you stop maca, that makes it a more likely trigger. You can try maca again later if the reaction was mild and you feel comfortable doing so. If the breakouts come back after you restart it, that makes the connection stronger.
What you can’t assume is that a lower dose will automatically solve the problem. We don’t have evidence showing that maca causes more acne at higher doses, so there’s no magic “safe” amount for your skin. The same goes for switching colours. If black maca broke you out, trying red maca might tell you how your skin reacts, but there’s no good evidence that red maca is less likely to cause acne.
Keep a simple note of the date, dose, type of maca, and what your skin is doing. If the same pattern keeps showing up, that’ll tell you what to do.
FAQs
Is raw maca powder better than maca extracts?
Not that we know of. Maca comes as raw maca powder, gelatinised powder, capsules and different kinds of extracts, but there isn’t good evidence showing that one form gives you better results across the board. The same goes for fermented maca root extracts. They may be marketed as easier to absorb or more effective, but that doesn’t automatically mean they’ve been proven better in people.
Can maca improve fine lines, skin elasticity or premature aging?
I wouldn’t buy maca for your wrinkles. It contains compounds with an antioxidant effect, but that’s a long way from proving it improves skin elasticity, fades fine lines or prevents premature aging. If your goal is healthier-looking skin, sunscreen and proven skincare ingredients are a much safer bet than hoping a maca supplement will give you better skin.
The Bottom Line: Can Maca Root Cause Acne?
So, can maca root cause acne? Maybe for some people, but science hasn’t proved it. Studies haven’t shown that maca reliably raises testosterone or estrogen, and there’s no evidence that breakouts are a sign your hormones are “balancing” or your body is “detoxing. That doesn’t mean you should ignore your own skin. If you start maca, break out, stop it and your skin clears, maca obviously doesn’t agere with you You don’t need to keep taking it because someone online says the pimples mean it’s “working,” and switching to red maca isn’t guaranteed to fix the problem either.