Maca (Lepidium meyenii) is grown at high elevations in the Andes region of central Peru. It has been traditionally used for centuries as a food source and as a general energy tonic. More recent scientific data suggest that "gelatinized" maca may help to support healthy sexual activity and fertility for men. Clinical data indicate that maca does not exert a direct effect on endocrine function. Gelatinization is a completely vegetarian process that removes starch from maca to yield a more concentrated product. Gelatinization does not refer to "gelatin, and no animal-derived ingredients are incorporated into this process.