Ingredient profile: places 1, 5 and 6
Maca Root, Eleuthero Root and Astragalus: How Much Is in a Glyco Defender Dropper?
Maca root is an Andean root vegetable, and it is the first of 21 ingredients in the Glyco Defender blend. Eleuthero root sits 5th and astragalus 6th. The whole blend weighs 15.47 mg per 1 mL dropper, so eleuthero holds at most 3.1 mg and astragalus at most 2.6 mg. None of the three has a blood sugar trial behind it.
Written by the Glyco Defender label deskUpdated
The three roots01
What are maca root, eleuthero root and astragalus?
Maca root, eleuthero root and astragalus root are three plant extracts in the Glyco Defender blend. Shops often call them "adaptogens", a sales word for herbs said to help the body cope with stress.
Maca (Lepidium meyenii) is an Andean food root. Eleuthero (Eleutherococcus senticosus) is a shrub root also called Siberian ginseng. Astragalus (Astragalus membranaceus) comes from traditional Chinese herbal practice. "Adaptogen" has no official medical definition, and the Glyco Defender label never uses it.
They hold places 1, 5 and 6 of 21, each marked "^" for a 20:1 concentrate.
What the 20:1 mark does not mean
The ratio describes how much raw root went into the extract. It adds no milligrams: the blend still weighs 15.47 mg per dropper.
Maca root02
What does maca root do, and is it linked to blood sugar?
Maca root has been studied mainly for sexual function and menopause symptoms, not for blood sugar. Memorial Sloan Kettering lists only a few small human trials and describes no glucose benefit (MSKCC, Maca).
Systematic reviews rate that evidence as limited.
Its top spot means maca outweighs every other blend ingredient. It says nothing about glucose.
- Main research topics: sexual function and menopause symptoms
- Blood sugar trials in people: none described (MSKCC, Maca)
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding: may not be safe (the label already excludes both)
Label math03
How much Glyco Defender maca is in one dropper?
Glyco Defender maca is at most 15.47 mg per dropper, and in practice much less. Maca is listed first, so it is the largest share, but twenty other ingredients must fit in the same 15.47 mg.
A proprietary blend may show only its total weight and its order, heaviest first (21 CFR 101.36 (eCFR)). So the line in place k holds no more than 15.47 divided by k.
Worked example: eleuthero is 5th, so 15.47 / 5 = 3.1 mg at most. Astragalus is 6th, so 15.47 / 6 = 2.6 mg at most. If all 21 shared evenly, each would get about 0.74 mg.
| Ingredient | Place | Most per dropper | Even split | Amount used in research |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maca root | 1 of 21 | 15.47 mg (cannot all be maca) | 0.74 mg | Not studied for blood sugar (MSKCC, Maca) |
| Eleuthero root | 5 of 21 | 3.1 mg | 0.74 mg | 800 mg a day in one trial (NIH ODS, Exercise & Athletic Performance) |
| Astragalus root | 6 of 21 | 2.6 mg | 0.74 mg | No blood sugar dose set (NCCIH, Astragalus) |
At its 3.1 mg ceiling, eleuthero is under 0.4% of the 800 mg used in that trial. The full blend math for all 22 lines is on the Glyco Defender ingredients page.
Eleuthero root04
Does eleuthero root help with energy or blood sugar?
Eleuthero root showed little or no benefit in small exercise studies, and its blood sugar findings come only from animals (NIH ODS, Exercise & Athletic Performance) (MSKCC, Siberian Ginseng (Eleuthero)). Human research is limited, and researchers say more is needed.
Short-term use looked safe. The known risk: a case report found eleuthero raised blood levels of digoxin, a heart medicine, and it may make digoxin tests read falsely high (MSKCC, Siberian Ginseng (Eleuthero)).
Eleuthero is sold as "Siberian ginseng", but it is a different plant from Panax ginseng, 12th on the same label. See Panax ginseng in Glyco Defender.
Astragalus05
Does astragalus affect blood sugar?
Astragalus has no reliable evidence for any health condition, according to NCCIH. A 2024 review hinted at extra glucose lowering when astragalus was added to metformin, but most of those studies were low quality (NCCIH, Astragalus).
If an herb might add to a diabetes drug, the person taking both should know. At 2.6 mg or less per dropper the amount is small, but the question belongs with your care team.
NCCIH says people with autoimmune diseases should avoid astragalus. It may also interact with immune-suppressing medicines (NCCIH, Astragalus).
Evidence
Not enough reliable research for any condition.
With metformin
Low-quality hints of added glucose lowering.
Who should skip it
People with autoimmune disease or on immune-suppressing drugs.
Glyco Defender: from $49 a bottle30 mL · 1, 3 or 6 bottles · free US shipping on 6 · 60-day money-back guarantee
See packsSafety06
Who should check with a doctor about these three roots?
Ask a clinician first if you take digoxin, have an autoimmune disease, use immune-suppressing drugs or have a hormone-sensitive cancer. Those flags come from eleuthero, astragalus and maca.
Under-18s and pregnant or nursing women are ruled out by the label.
Never stop or change a prescription because you started a supplement. Bring the bottle to your next visit so your doctor or pharmacist can read the full list. More cautions for the whole formula are on Glyco Defender side effects.
Weighing it07
Are maca, eleuthero and astragalus a reason to buy Glyco Defender?
No, not on their own. Together they hold the biggest share of a 15.47 mg blend. Yet none has human blood sugar evidence, and two sit far below studied amounts.
Glyco Defender is better judged as a whole formula, with its 7 mcg of chromium and its 60-day refund window, than as a maca source.
In favor
- All three roots are named on the label
- Maca leads the list, so it has the biggest share
Against
- No blood sugar trials in people for any of them
- Exact milligrams are hidden
Label profiles08
What does the label show for each root, line by line?
Each profile repeats one label line beside the research. Amounts are ceilings from label order, not measured values. See how Glyco Defender works.
| Name on the label | Maca (Lepidium meyenii) Root Extract |
|---|---|
| What it is | Lepidium meyenii, Andean root |
| Place on the label | 1 of 21 in the 15.47 mg proprietary blend |
| Amount per mL (1 dropper) | Not listed; #1 of 21 in the 15.47 mg blend, so at most 15.47 mg per mL |
| Amount used in research | Studied for other uses, not blood sugar |
| Strength of evidence | No blood sugar trials |
| Marketed or traditional use | Traditional Andean food and tonic |
| Main caution | Not for pregnancy or breastfeeding (the label already rules those out). |
| Name on the label | Eleuthero (Eleutherococcus senticosus) Root Extract |
|---|---|
| What it is | Siberian ginseng root |
| Place on the label | 5 of 21 in the 15.47 mg proprietary blend |
| Amount per mL (1 dropper) | Not listed; #5 of 21 in the 15.47 mg blend, so at most 3.09 mg per mL |
| Amount used in research | 800 mg a day in one trial |
| Strength of evidence | No effect in rigorous studies |
| Marketed or traditional use | Traditional tonic |
| Main caution | Can raise digoxin levels. |
| Name on the label | Astragalus Membranaceous Root Extract |
|---|---|
| What it is | Astragalus membranaceus root |
| Place on the label | 6 of 21 in the 15.47 mg proprietary blend |
| Amount per mL (1 dropper) | Not listed; #6 of 21 in the 15.47 mg blend, so at most 2.58 mg per mL |
| Amount used in research | No blood sugar dose established |
| Strength of evidence | Not established |
| Marketed or traditional use | Traditional Chinese herb |
| Main caution | Avoid with autoimmune disease or immune-suppressing drugs. |
FAQ09
Maca and adaptogen questions
Is the maca in Glyco Defender the same as maca powder?
No. Glyco Defender uses a maca root extract from a 20:1 concentrate, and it shares a 15.47 mg blend with 20 other ingredients. Maca powder is the whole dried root, eaten by the spoonful, a far larger amount.
Why is maca listed first in Glyco Defender?
Maca is listed first because it weighs the most of the 21 blend ingredients. Labels list a proprietary blend from heaviest to lightest (21 CFR 101.36 (eCFR)). The label does not say why the maker chose maca, and no maca study looked at blood sugar.
Is eleuthero root the same as Panax ginseng?
No. Eleuthero is sold as Siberian ginseng, but it is a different plant from Panax ginseng. Glyco Defender contains both: eleuthero in 5th place and Panax ginseng in 12th place, each with its own research and cautions.
Can eleuthero root interact with heart medicine?
Yes, it may. A case report found eleuthero raised blood levels of digoxin and it may also skew digoxin test results (MSKCC, Siberian Ginseng (Eleuthero)). Anyone on digoxin should show the Glyco Defender label to the prescriber before starting.
Is astragalus safe with an autoimmune disease?
NCCIH advises people with autoimmune diseases to avoid astragalus, and it may interact with immune-suppressing drugs (NCCIH, Astragalus). Glyco Defender holds 2.6 mg or less, but anyone in that group should ask a doctor first.
Does Glyco Defender maca help with energy?
No study of the drops measured energy. Maca trials looked mainly at sexual function and menopause, with limited evidence (MSKCC, Maca). Any lift is more likely from the caffeine in guarana and green tea.
Are adaptogens in Glyco Defender stimulants?
No. Maca, eleuthero and astragalus are not stimulants. The stimulant ingredients in Glyco Defender are guarana and green tea, which add caffeine with no amount printed (MSKCC, Guarana).
Who wrote this10
Written and reviewed by
Pages built from the label, the sales page and linked NIH, FDA, CDC, FTC and peer-reviewed sources.
Last updated . See our editorial standards and the way we check reviews. This website is run by a USA Authorized Glyco Defender Retailer, not by the manufacturer or the distributor. We earn money when you buy through our order links.
Keep reading
Related Glyco Defender pages
USA Authorized Glyco Defender Retailer
Ready to try Glyco Defender?
Review your medicines first, then choose a pack. Six bottles cost the least per bottle and ship free in the US, and every pack carries the 60-day money-back guarantee.
- Secure checkout on the sales page
- 60-day money-back guarantee
- Ships from the U.S.
