## 4 Discussion
IL-6 is the first cytokine to increase in amount in response to exercise, with the magnitude of this increase being influenced by the type of exercise and the intensity of the effort. The underlying cause for this increase is that muscle damage from exercise serves as a potent trigger for an IL-6 response [23]. Light-intensity and regular exercise have been shown to positively influence the inflammatory response, whereas slow, prolonged exercise may impair T-lymphocyte cell function and natural killer cell activation, potentially disrupting cytokine balance and adversely affecting the inflammatory response [24,25]. High-intensity and long-duration exercise routines, typical of athletes who train regularly, can lead to increased immune and inflammatory responses that may negatively impact performance. This study demonstrated that 12 weeks of black maca supplementation significantly reduced IL-6 and TNF-\(\alpha\) levels in the ST and TT groups, with no notable changes in the NA group. IL-6 typically binds to a cell surface receptor in classical signaling, the main pathway during exercise, whereas in trans signaling, IL-6 binds to a soluble version of the receptor, forming a complex with a longer half-life capable of signaling in all cell types. Trans signaling primarily drives the inflammatory actions of IL-6 and is a significant mechanism in disease pathology [26]. In this context, athletes' BMI percentiles showed an inverse correlation with increases in IL-6 and TNF-\(\alpha\), reflecting a shift toward a more inflammatory cytokine profile [27]. Overexertion and insufficient recovery can lead to musculoskeletal injuries, characterized by enhanced production and the release of inflammatory cytokines such as IL-6 and TNF-\(\alpha\), which in turn may diminish performance and negatively affect health [28]. Black maca extract, which is rich in saponins, phenols, and flavonoids and has antioxidant activity [29], may provide benefits. Oxidative stress from imbalanced metabolism in cells and tissues induced by high-intensity exercise can contribute to chronic inflammatory diseases [30]. Antioxidants are considered valuable adjunctive therapies for their role in mitigating inflammatory responses [31]. The study's findings indicate that reductions in inflammatory markers IL-6 and TNF-\(\alpha\) were observed only in elite athletes who consistently engaged in regular exercise, suggesting that the antioxidant properties of black maca extract may play a key role in its efficacy. To the best of our knowledge, previous research has validated the benefits of black maca in a crossover study in athletes [19]. In this study, we followed up by adding non-athletes to the experiment to confirm if black maca was effective in athletes who were training and/or exercise regularly. We discussed the results, but the only significant differences were found in athletes who were training and/or exercise regularly. This suggests that the effects of black maca alone are minimal but can be increased with regular training and/or exercise. There is also an age difference between the athletes and non-athletes groups in this study. However, age-related changes in black maca intake have not been studied, and this study focused on athletes who engage in regular training and/or exercise versus non-athletes who do not. This study had several limitations. The small sample size limited our ability to determine the significance of the results. Future studies with larger sample sizes and control groups are needed to determine the effects of black maca supplementation on plasma composition changes and physical fitness in athletes and non-athletes. There was no control group in this study that did not take black maca, so we should be cautious about extrapolating from this study. Another limitation is the lack of analysis on the specific components of the black maca extract used, which was purchased from pharmacies. The composition was only known to the extent provided by the retailer and identified in the literature.