Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

Update: Today (April 25, 2014) I spoke with Luis Figuroa, customer service rep for Navitas. He told me the chemical in Maca is LEAD, and that the State of CA mandates whenever the concentration of lead is 0.5 mcg/day or greater, the warning notice is required. When questioned, he stated that Maca's lead content is lower than this. But how could that be, if CA only requires a warning notice of birth defects, etc. if the concentration of lead is 0.5 mcg/day or greater? Just doesn't compute. He promised to send me an email explaining "everything." This turned out to be a form letter from Zach Adelman, CEO and Founder of Navitas Naturals, stating the CA requirement, and saying it was much greater than the FDA's threshold for lead-risk disclosure. Well, ok Zach, but what you don't say is exactly what the mcg/day concentration of Lead in Maca actually is. You'd think he'd deal with this, but he totally ignores it. So we know it's greater than 0.5 mcg/day, but how much greater? And, if you think the FDA, which has a well-deserved reputation for being the 'Government's Most Dysfunctional Agency,' is protecting our health risks about lead, I have a bridge to sell you. A follow-up email to Navitas asking this very question has, as of this writing, gone unanswered. As I often say in my line of work "big red flag." And, CA is a leading state, so I wouldn't discount their birth defect or other reproductive harm risk at greater than 0.5 mcg/day. Unless you're a company trying to sell a lot of (unhealthy) product. Then, to make a buck, you try to down-play it. Update: April 28, 2014. Just received an email from another Navitas customer service person who just quotes the company spin: lead is naturally occurring and that their level (which he doesn't disclose) is below the FDA threshold. If he believes the FDA, which has a well-deserved reputation for being the 'Government's Most Dysfunctional Agency,' is protecting our health risks about lead, I have another bridge to sell him. And "everything occurring naturally is harmless" is one of the most enduring myths of our times, A while later, I get an email from Luis Figuroa, customer service rep for Navitas, saying "Our product specialist is out and expected to return at the end of this week. I have emailed your inquiry and he will be touching base when gets back in the office. I will follow up with you as soon as I get more information." Update: May 1, 2014. Sent an email to Luis, asking: Is there only one product specialist in your company? Is he the only one in your company who knows the actual lead content in your Maca powder? As of today (May 3, 2014), no response from anyone at Navitas. Update: May 5, 2014 Received an email from Arthur Mullin, Product Specialist at Navitas who stated "Testing of our Raw Maca Powder showed a lead level of 0.42mcg per gram or 2mcg per serving." The serving size, per their package, is 1 teaspoon (an incredibly small amount for any health-oriented person who is likely using a LOT more in their health drink, etc.) But even at the miniscule 1 teaspoon, that works out to 300% more than California's threshold warning level of 0.5 mcg/day. Use a more realistic amount, just a tablespoon (15 grams), and you're up to 6.3 mcg, or about 1,200% more than California's threshold warning level for lead. Arthur also mentioned it's below the FDA's recommended maximum limit, but as I mentioned above, if you think the FDA, which has a well-deserved reputation for being the 'Government's Most Dysfunctional Agency,' is protecting our health risks about lead, I have a bridge to sell you.