Our black maca is sourced exclusively from Junín, Peru, a traditional region for maca cultivation with the only natural distribution of maca in the world. There, the maca plant grows at an altitude of 4,050-4,200m on a small slope near the mountain town of San Pedro de Cajas (population 15,300) in the province of Tarma. This traditional growing region is only a few kilometres away from Junín National Reserve and the mountain lake Junín, the second largest lake in Peru. Lake Junín and the surrounding area has a particularly rainy microclimate and a soil composition that differs from the rest of the Junín region (among other particularities, it has a 10-fold higher magnesium content).
The maca roots are harvested exclusively by hand and sun dried when conditions allow. The tubers are then disinfected with ozonated water and ground into a powder to prepare the valuable compounds contained within for extraction, a process which is conducted entirely with water and food grade ethanol derived from sugar cane. In Peru, extracts are only made in a concentration of 10:1. Extracts with higher concentrations such as 20:1 are made in China (from maca roots of unknown origin), but the composition of a 10:1 extract is closer to that of the raw root and completely sufficient.
Free-Form L-Arginine
This L-arginine consists of 100% L-arginine with a free base, no hydrogen chloride. L-arginine HCl has a concentration of only approximately 75% L-arginine, while free-form L-arginine consists entirely of pure L-arginine. Our L-arginine is non-GMO, vegan (not derived from animal products such as feathers or hair), manufactured in the EU according to the highest purity and quality standards and does not contain any additives.