Overview of Rhodiola Rosea
Rhodiola rosea is a species of the Rhodiola genus. It is this particular species of Rhodiola that is used in herbal medicine.
Rhodioloa rosea is also known as Golden Root, Roseroot and Aaron’s Rod.
It is a plant growing primarily in high altitude and cold regions of the world, including the Arctic, the mountain ranges of Central Asia, the Rocky Mountains, and mountainous parts of Europe including the Alps, Pyrenees, Carpathian Mountains, Scandinavia, Iceland, Great Britain and Ireland. Growing this plant outside of its native subarctic and alpine climates is difficult.
A distinguishing characteristic of the Rhodiola plant is its basal rosette of leaves, among other features. Shoots can reach 5 to 35 cm in height. The plant is a perennial and can grow in areas up to 2280 meters in elevation.
Rhodiola Herb Throughout History
Rhodiola rosea been used for centuries in Russia and Scandinavia to alleviate anxiety, depression, and insomnia. It has also been used in traditional Chinese medicine, where it is called hóng jǐng tiān (红景天).
Rhodiola Herb Health Benefits
Rhodiola rosea has been used to treat a variety of symptoms. Several studies have shown the ability of Rhodiola supplement to improve the following:
- fatigue
- weakness
- distractedness
- insomnia
- poor appetite
- irritability
- depression
- headache
Rhodiola rosea is also used to improve mood, energy and mental clarity. It has a powerful ability to increase mental and physical energy while simultaneously providing calming effects.
Use of Rhodiola herb increases the body’s resistance to stress, anxiety, trauma and fatigue as it is an adaptogenic herb.
The effects of Rhodiola supplement are thought to be related to the optimization of serotonin and dopamine levels.1
Rhodiola herb also has the ability to support cellular energy metabolism. In the mitochondria, which acts as the power plant of a cell, Rhodiola has been shown to promote increased levels of ATP (adenosine triphosphate) and CP (creatine phosphate). This provides more of the energy molecules needed to perform many daily activities.2
Clinical Studies of Rhodiola Supplement
Clinical studies have shown rhodiola supplement to improve physical and mental performance, as well as having the ability to reduce fatigue.3-5
A 2007 trial also with human subjects documented Rhodiola supplement as significantly improving physical and cognitive deficiencies.6
Rhodiola was also shown to have an anti-fatigue effect in healthy subjects that increased mental performance and specifically the ability to concentrate.7-8
Patients with stress-related fatigue syndrome were also shown to benefit from Rhodiola supplement courses.9
Rhodiola significantly reduced symptoms of fatigue and improved attention after four weeks of repeated administration.10
Safety of Rhodiola Supplement
The use of Rhodiola rosea has shown to have very low incidents of side effects. Clinical evidence suggests low toxicity of Rhodiola herb. Currently there exist no contraindications with prescription medications, but always check with a licensed medical practitioner prior to beginning any herbal treatment.
The benefits found in Rhodiola rosea are supported by other botanical supplements such as St. John’s Wort, Ashwagandha, and Valerian Root, and work well in combination with these herbs.
In a study whereby individuals were given either 340 mg daily or 680 mg daily for 42 days, no serious side-effects were reported (although overall depression, insomnia, and emotional instability improved significantly, but not self-esteem).11
In another study of Rhodiola rosea where participants were given a daily dose of 340 mg or Rodiola rosea for 10 weeks, it was noted that adverse effects were generally mild or moderate in severity, the most common being dizziness and dry mouth.12
Interestingly, a single dose of Rhodiola extract was shown clinically to improve learning and memory retention after just 24 hours. Exercise endurance was also shown to be aided by Rhodiola after a single dose. A 10 day treatment period was shown to effect significant improvements in long term memory.13
In a double-blind trial using human subjects, Rhodiola supplement increased various measures of mental performance that included associative thinking, short-term memory, concentration, calculation and speed of audiovisual perception. Statistically significant improvements were reported after just two weeks of supplementation.14
Dosage of Rhodiola Herb
At least 200 milligrams of Rhodiola rosea per day, is recommended for clinical effectiveness. For some, too high a dose of Rhodiola has been reported to induce nervousness. This would be in a dosage exceeding approximately 500 milligrams daily.
Each serving of HerbalMana, which is 5 capsules, contains 260 milligrams of Rhodiola rosea extract in the ratio of 3% Rosavins and 1% Salidrose. The 3:1 ratio is a proven ratio that matches concentrations used in clinical trials. Note that not all Rhodiola supplement brands contain this ratio. The 3:1 ratio is the naturally occurring ratio of the component compounds in the Rhodiola rosea root.
References:
1. Gregory S. Kelly, ND,. Alternative Medicine Review 6 (3): 293–302.
2. Proc Inst Cytol Russian Acad Sci. 1971; 89-92.
3. Shevtsov VA, Zholus BI, Shervarly VI, et al. (Mar 2003). “A randomized trial of two different doses of Rhodiola rosea extract versus placebo and control of capacity for mental work”. Phytomedicine 10 (2-3): 95–105. PMID 12725561.
4. Darbinyan V, Kteyan A, Panossian A, Gabrielian E, Wikman G, Wagner H (Oct 2000). “Rhodiola rosea in stress induced fatigue—a double blind cross-over study of a standardized extract with a repeated low-dose regimen on the mental performance of healthy physicians during night duty”. Phytomedicine 7 (5): 365–71. PMID 11081987.
5. Ha Z, Zhu Y, Zhang X, et al. (Sep 2002). “[The effect of rhodiola and acetazolamide on the sleep architecture and blood oxygen saturation in men living at high altitude]” (in Chinese). Zhonghua Jie He He Hu Xi Za Zhi 25 (9): 527–30. PMID 12423559.
In a double-blind trial using human subjects, correct dosages of Rhodiola supplement increased various measures of mental performance that included associative thinking, short-term memory, concentration, calculation and speed of audiovisual perception.
51. Phytomedicine. 2000 Oct;7(5):365-71.
6. Adv Ther. 2007 Jul-Aug;24(4):929-39.
7. Darbinyan et al., 2000, supra.
8. ; Shevtsov et al., 2003, supra.
9. Olsson, E.M.G., von Schéele, B., Panossian, A.G., 2009. A randomized double-blind placebo controlled parallel group study of SHR-5 extract of Rhodiola rosea roots as treatment for patients with stress related fatigue. Planta medica 75,105-112.
10. Olsson et al., 2009, supra.
11. Darbinyan, V.; Aslanyan, G.; Amroyan, E.; Gabrielyan, E.; Malmstroumlm, C.; Panossian, A. Clinical trial of Rhodiola rosea L. extract SHR-5 in the treatment of mild to moderate depression Nordic Journal of Psychiatry, Volume 61, Issue 5 2007 , pages 343–348.
12. Bystritsky A, Kerwin L, Feusner JD., A pilot study of Rhodiola rosea (Rhodax) for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)., J Altern Complement Med. 2008 Mar;14(2):175-80., Department of Psychiatry, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
13. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2004 Jun ; 14(3):298-307.
14. Phytomedicine. 2000 Oct;7(5):365-71.