古印加帝國就盛行的超級食物—瑪卡
印加蘿蔔是我們常見人稱的瑪卡(Maca),其對人體的功效也讓它獲得 ”秘魯人蔘” 的美名。其學名為:Lepidium meyenii,生長在秘魯安地斯山脈高原,是高冷十字花科植物,近年成為國際受歡迎的男性保健食品原料,為純天然的藥用植物。
“ 相傳古印加帝國的士兵勇士們會補充瑪卡來增強個人體能與精力續航力,尤其是戰爭前補充,讓戰士們在沙場上是各個驍勇,功效令人驚艷!!每當攻下一座城後,國王就會下令戰士們禁止食用瑪卡,擔心戰士們會因為源源不絕的精力波及城中的婦女,夜夜笙歌。 ”
究竟是什麼樣的功效讓瑪卡能擁有這麼傲人的傳說? 近年來,學者皆對馬卡做了許多相關研究與療效的驗證,證實瑪卡在內分泌系統的調整、改善男女性慾、提高生育力、舒緩焦慮、抗疲勞以及抗氧化等作用上有明顯的成效。瑪卡是天然的營養補充品,根據聯合國農糧組織(FAO)資料顯示,每100公克的瑪卡當中有14%為蛋白質、78%為碳水化合物,其含有288毫克的鈣、15.4毫克的鐵以及鉀與鋅等營養素,也成為當地人的澱粉主食來源。這樣豐富的營養特性,也讓它一舉成為時下男性保健的營養聖品!! 【30】【31】【32】
隨時都能興致勃勃,瑪卡對性功能的4大助益
1.改善男女對性的慾望產生、女性更年期綜合症
瑪卡營養價值很高,脂肪量低,是很好的蛋白質與碳水化合物的來源,含有各種植物化合物,以及19種胺基酸成分。於1999年,美國學者發現,瑪卡中含有兩中新的植物化合物成分,分別是瑪卡酰胺(Macamide)和瑪卡稀(Macaene),被認為是可以改善且促進性功能的物質。【33】
隨著年齡的增長老化,性功能會逐漸走下坡,性慾也會下降,為了改善成年人這種常見的性慾問題,研究指出瑪卡的應用攝取,是可以有效提升性慾的。2010年來自韓國研究指出,瑪卡中所含的植物化合物,利用131位受試者實測,使用六到八週後能有效改善提升性慾的需求。【34】【35】
女性45~55歲期間就會進入更年期的階段,生理週期將會開始不規則,卵巢功能逐漸衰退,直至永久停經,其過程引發內分泌失調,生理與心理皆會受到不同程度的症狀表現影響,導致俗稱的 ” 更年期綜合症狀 ” 。由於雌激素下降的關係,多半可能造成產生熱潮紅、情緒波動、盜汗、陰道乾燥、睡眠問題等等症狀,多項研究發現,每天定量服用,瑪卡中含有的生物鹼作用於下視丘和腦垂體,具有調節內分泌腺如腎上腺、甲狀腺、胰腺、卵巢等的功能,從而可以平衡荷爾蒙,進而來改善內分泌腺的功能緩解症狀。甚至可以用高劑量3300mg連續12週的補充,也可幫助減少焦慮和憂鬱甚至降低血壓。【36】【37】【38】【39】【40】
2.改善男性生殖力與勃起等性功能障礙
男性最擔心且困擾的勃起功能等性功能障礙,據研究指出,每天攝取瑪卡與攝取安慰劑的人做對照比較,使用瑪卡的人群在勃起功能以及生活滿意度有著顯著改善。另外的研究也利用了老鼠做實驗,發現無論是短期或長期的瑪卡餵養,都能有效提高老鼠的性能力(交配潛伏期、射精潛伏期、交配頻率、交配間隔期)。更有研究發現補充瑪卡能有效的改善精子活動力與增加精子數量,研究對象攝取12週後無論瑪卡劑量的多寡,精子的健康品質皆有增加,大約補充8週左右也可感受到對性的慾望改善,也因前面所提減少焦慮及憂鬱的特性,對於性的功能的影響皆有正向的意義。【41】【32】【43】【44】【45】
3.提升運動表現與能量利用
除了精胺酸以外,瑪卡也儼然成為近年運動員熱門的保健補充食品。不光是用來提升性慾天然興奮劑,也是可以有效提升力量與耐力的補充品,幫助增強運動體力以及運動表現,研究中利用8名訓練有素的男性騎自行車手,補充14天瑪卡,對耐力表現和性慾的影響作評估判斷,服用瑪卡的人相較使用安慰劑,顯著改善了40 km的自行車騎行時間性能,簡單的說就是有效且更快速地完成賽程,證實對運動表現的正向幫助。【46】
另外瑪卡的天然營養價值高,其中富含多種蛋白質與礦物質,祕魯的傳統藥用會以瑪卡的補充作為提升肌肉量及強化肌肉,其原因都來自馬卡含有高蛋白有關。【32】
4.對抗自由基等抗氧化與抗疲勞表現
對於性功能提升的照顧,光是改善精子品質與增加性慾是不夠的,假使身體耐力不足以及身體一直處於疲勞狀態,即便興致勃勃,做沒幾下也依然會軟掉,且下降體能表現,因此馬卡提振體能與抗氧化抗疲勞功效就顯得更格外重要了,任誰也不想做出虎頭蛇尾的床上表現。
許多研究檢驗了瑪卡內含的各項活性成分,發現瑪卡擁有非常好的抗氧化活性,是天然的抗氧化劑,能有效幫助人體抵抗由基。一項研究利用瑪卡對於遺傳性甘油三酸酯(HHTg),抗氧化和葡萄糖參數的影響應用在實驗大鼠身上。給予有高三酸甘油脂血症之實驗鼠 (俗稱的高血脂)服用瑪卡乾燥粉末,發現服用瑪卡之老鼠肝臟中的超氧化物歧化(SOD)活性及穀胱甘肽(GSH)濃度顯著提升,血漿中血脂與膽固醇濃度顯著下降,顯示了瑪卡補充具有降低血脂及提升抗氧化之能力。【47】
另有研究探討瑪卡多醣成分的保健作用,發現瑪卡多醣成分可顯著抑制四氯化碳(CCl4)引起肝臟脂質過度氧化反應的發生,推論瑪卡多醣抗氧化作用,可能與直接清除自由基,並抑制自由基導致的脂質過度氧化反應有關。【48】
有學者也採用動物試驗,驗證瑪卡的抗疲勞功效,發現瑪卡可顯著延長小鼠負重游泳試驗時間,降低小鼠運動時血清尿素氮濃度,其功效類似於精胺酸,並有助小鼠運動後血乳酸的消除,延長肌肉耐力及達到疲勞前的時間,發現瑪卡具有抗疲勞之成效。【49】
瑪卡的各項天然特性對於人體的應用多是正向的,其產地的印加人民皆把它當作生活主食,幾世紀以來的大量飲食習慣也皆未發現有任何危險性或毒性的報導,近年來也利用多項研究實驗指出,瑪卡應用於體內或體外均是安全的,無論是肝細胞毒性傷害或是每日高劑量服用,皆呈現無副作用及毒性。瑪卡的功效已經得到世界各主要發達國家的相關認證,也被聯合國糧農組織(FAO)列入目錄之中,是被推薦食用的安全食品,完全沒有任何副作用。【44】【50】【51】
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