A brief cautionary note about timing. I started taking 2g of maca capsules with dinner because that was my largest meal and I read that taking supplements with food improves absorption.
Within the first week, I noticed I was lying awake for an extra 30-45 minutes at bedtime. My mind felt active rather than tired, and I could not settle. By week two, I was averaging an hour less sleep per night because of difficulty falling asleep. I almost concluded that maca was not for me.
Then I read several accounts from other users who experienced the same issue and solved it by switching to morning dosing. I moved my maca to breakfast, taking it with oatmeal around 7:30 AM.
The insomnia resolved within two days. I now sleep normally and get all the daytime benefits — steady energy, better focus, improved mood. The mildly stimulating quality that disrupted my sleep when taken at dinner actually enhances my mornings and early afternoons.
Lesson: take maca in the morning or early afternoon. Avoid taking it within 6-8 hours of bedtime, especially when you are first starting out. This is not universally true — some people take it at any time without issues — but if maca is giving you sleep problems, timing may be the fix.