Rhodiola for whatever ails you? The Book “Rhodiola Revolution” says that this one European herb is scientifically proven to: “maximize energy; fight the effects of stress and aging; sharpen memory and concentration; ease anxiety and depression; and enhance physical performance.” How in the world can one herb do all this you ask? Well, the good news is like many botanical ingredients today, there is a scientific explanation that shed’s a bright light on the benefits of this fascinating herb.
Rhodiola rosea (R. rosea or rhodiola) has been utilized medicinally for centuries in many European and Asian countries, where it grows in the unusually harsh environment of polar, Arctic, and high-altitude alpine regions.1 Between 1725 and 1960, various medicinal applications of rhodiola appeared in the scientific literature of many countries, including Sweden, Norway, France, Germany, the Soviet Union, and Iceland.2 Since 1960, more than 180 modern pharmacological, phytochemical, and clinical studies have been published.2
Although rhodiola has been extensively studied in other countries and shown to exhibit multiple health-promoting effects, its properties are largely unknown in the United States. In part, this is likely due to the fact that the bulk of research has been published in Slavic and Scandinavian languages.2 During the Cold War, a strict wall of separation – in communication, politics, and science – was maintained by the Soviet Union. Research regarding rhodiola was one of the casualties of this information roadblock, as much of the research occurred in Russia and appeared in Russian medical journals. The data from many of these studies have been under wraps until recently, when they began to appear in limited venues.3,4
As you are no-doubt aware, the past 10 to 20 years have witnessed an explosion in the scientific study of herbal and nutritional supplement formulations. You have also probably noticed that until very recently, much of this research took place in western Europe — particularly in Germany, where their unique medical system evaluates the safety and indications of herbs that are prescription items, sold or dispensed in pharmacies.3 Other countries involved in extensive herbal and nutritional research include Sweden, Italy, China, Japan, India, and Russia.3
Early on, Soviet researchers identified rhodiola as an adaptogen1 – an agent that increases one’s resistance to biological, chemical, and physical stressors. Rhodiola was studied extensively to evaluate its potential benefits for military personnel, cosmonauts, and athletes participating in international competition. Today, an impressive body of scientific literature supports the traditional and modern applications of this herb.
Rhodiola has demonstrated a remarkable ability to enhance cellular energy metabolism. The studies published thus far show the herb to be highly beneficial for both physical and mental performance under stress. The herb provides significant enhancement of mental energy and eliminates fatigue. It stimulates norepinephrine, dopamine, and serotonin, and has cholinergic effects in the central nervous system. Rhodiola also supports and enhances the effects of these neurotransmitters by increasing the delivery of precursors (building blocks) that can be utilized to produce dopamine and serotonin.2,5-9
Much like ginkgo biloba, rhodiola is supported by centuries of documented medicinal uses. Decades of accumulated scientific studies validate rhodiola’s usefulness for improving mental performance, energy, and stamina.
Rhodiola rosea:
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* Protects the nervous system against oxidative damage by free radicals through its antioxidant activity.2,10,11
* Enhances learning and memory in animal models and increases serotonin levels in the frontal cerebral cortex.2,7-9,12
* Promotes release of norepinephrine, dopamine, and serotonin in ascending pathways that activate the cerebral cortex and the limbic system. Consequently, the cognitive (thinking, analyzing, evaluating, calculating, and planning) functions of the cerebral cortex and the attention, memory, and learning functions of the prefrontal and frontal cortex are enhanced.2
* Optimizes the release of acetylcholine, the neurotransmitter associated with learning, attention and memory.2
* May prevent or ameliorate some age-related dysfunction in neurotransmitter systems that tend to deteriorate with aging.2,13
* Has been found, in animal studies, to improve long-term memory when administered in low doses over a period of 10 days.8
* Has been found to positively influence the central nervous system by increasing ability to concentrate and by improving cellular resistance to outside influences.14
Rhodiola Rosea, Stress, And Mental Performance
Stress interferes with memory functions. Over time, stress causes deterioration in memory systems. Rhodiola rosea (R. rosea or rhodiola) appears to exert positive effects on memory and cognition by improving resistance to physical and emotional stress.
This dual action of cognitive stimulation and emotional calming creates benefits for immediate cognitive and memory performance, as well as for the long-term preservation of brain function.2 Calm and alert – you can’t be in a better mental state than that!
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* Several studies have shown that rhodiola (again specifically: R. rosea) can dramatically reduce stress and simultaneously increase mental performance. One study found that a 170 mg/day dose of rhodiola countered the fatigue and stress experienced by young, healthy physicians on night duty.15 In this randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled trial, researchers measured rhodiola’s effect on five different measures of mental acuity: associative thinking, short-term memory, calculation, concentration, and speed of audiovisual perception. They found statistically significant improvements in all five of these mental performance parameters in the physicians who took rhodiola for two weeks.15
* In a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial conducted at a medical academy, young, healthy students were supplemented with either rhodiola (100mg/day) or a placebo for 20 days. The group that consumed the rhodiola extract experienced significant improvements in physical work capacity, coordination, and general well-being, along with decreased mental fatigue and situational anxiety. The supplemented students also scored higher on final exams!16
* A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group clinical study was performed to measure the effect of a single dose of rhodiola extract on capacity for mental work against a background of fatigue and stress. Researchers administered a single dose of rhodiola to healthy young individuals (19 to 21 years of age) and measured the beneficial results using an anti-fatigue index. The study showed a pronounced anti-fatigue effect from that single dose that was statistically highly significant (p < 0.001).17
In summary: based on centuries of use – going back almost 2,000 years to its documented tradition as a remedy in classic Greek medicine, all the way to the many animal and human clinical studies mounted by modern scientists – we know that rhodiola has a wide array of documented health benefits. In fact, rhodiola is likely to become the next herbal superstar.
Rhodiola’s ability to increase mental energy points to tremendous potential for counteracting the mental fatigue so common with the aging process. And studies show that rhodiola can favorably support our minds and bodies as we deal with the stresses that seem omnipresent in our modern lives. Rhodiolais a valuable addition to any supplement program designed to boost mental performance and slow the aging process.
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Richard P. Brown and Patricia L. Gerbarg, astute researchers who have worked tirelessly in bringing the science behind this unique herb to Western medicine, had this to say:
In the course of evolution, R. rosea has adapted to the harsh conditions of high altitude (extreme cold, low oxygen, little rainfall, and intense irradiation from the sun) by producing a group of powerful protective compounds that have diverse beneficial effects in animals and humans. One is struck by the versatility of R. rosea, from its description in Greek medicine, 2000 years ago to its use by 20th century cosmonauts. It is time for modern research, using controlled clinical trials, to develop the potential medical applications of this unique phyto-adaptogen.3,4
In their exhaustive review of the medical and scientific literature exploring the benefits of this wonderful herb, the authors go on to say that
…[m]ore scientific research is needed to confirm the preventive and curative benefits of R. rosea. Controlled studies are warranted to explore its use in antidepressant augmentation, disorders of memory and cognition, attention deficit disorder, traumatic brain injury, Parkinson's disease, protection against arrhythmias, sports performance, aviation and space medicine (enhancing physical and mental performance while reducing stress reactions), endocrine disorders (infertility, premenstrual disorder, menopause), sexual dysfunction, disorders of the stress response system (fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, and post traumatic stress disorder), and enhancement of chemotherapy/radiation with amelioration of toxicity.2
How To Take Rhodiola
Rhodiola rosea root extract is commonly available as an individual supplement and in combination products. If you choose a combination product, take as directed on the label. For the individual herb, typical doses are 150 to 300 mg/day of extract, taken in two divided doses on an empty stomach. For example: 150 mg before breakfast and 150 mg before lunch, for a total of 300 mg/day.2
It’s most important to look for a Rhodiola rosea root extract standardized to contain a minimum of three percent rosavins and one percent salidroside. This matches the extract concentrations used in clinical trials.
Be sure to specifically look for Rosea. Products called just "Rhodiola,” “Tibetan Rhodiola,” or “Indian Rhodiola” are NOT equivalant to Rhodiola rosea root extract. In fact, because of significant species-dependent variations in phytochemistry, the use of "Rhodiola" alone as a general term may be inaccurate and could be misleading on product packaging. Of all the species tested, Rhodiola rosea has been the predominant subject of phytochemical, animal, and human studies.2
While clinical studies have shown a benefit in taking doses higher than 300 mg/day of Rhodiola rosea root extract, studies frequently demonstrated that lower doses performed better than higher doses.
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Daily Nutritional Support with Rhodiola Rosea
Use/Indication
Age
Daily Dosage
Improve cellular energy and mental performance
18-30
150-300 mg
Improve cellular energy and mental performance
31-40
150-300 mg
Improve cellular energy and mental performance
50+
150-300 mg
Contraindications
First and foremost, Rhodiola rosea is extremely safe, and has very few side effects. Most users find that it improves their mood, energy level, and mental clarity. Some individuals, particularly those who tend to be anxious, may feel overly activated, jittery, or agitated. If this occurs, try a smaller dose with very gradual increases.2
Rhodiola rosea should be taken early in the day. If taken late in the day or evening, it can interfere with sleep or cause vivid dreams (not nightmares) during the first few weeks of use. It is contraindicated in excited states.2
Because Rhodiola rosea has an activating, antidepressant effect, it should not be used in individuals with bipolar disorder who are vulnerable to becoming manic when given antidepressants or stimulants.2
* Oliff H. Optimum Dosage of Rhodiola rosea Extract for Antifatigue Effects and Improved Mental Performance HerbalGram. 2004;63:20-21. American Botanical Council.
* Brown R, Gerbarg P, Ramazanov Z. Rhodiola rosea: A Phytomedicinal Overview View HerbalGram. 2002;56:40-52. American Botanical Council.
* Blumenthal M. The Rhodiola Revolution by Richard P. Brown and Patricia L. Gerbarg with Barbara Graham HerbalGram. 2005;66:70-71. American Botanical Council.
* The Rhodiola Revolution by Richard P. Brown and Patricia L. Gerbarg with Barbara Graham. New York, NY: Rodale; 2004. 260 pp. ISBN# 1-57954-924-1.
* Kurkin V, Zapesochnaya G. Chemical composition and pharmacological properties of Rhodiola rosea. Chemical and Pharmaceutical Journal (Moscow) 1986;20(10):1231-44.
* Petkov V, Stancheva S, et al. Changes in brain biogenic monoamines induced by the nootropic drugs adafenoxate and meclofenoxate and by citicholine (experiments on rats). Gen Pharmacol 1990;21(1):71-5.
* Lazarova M, Petkov V, et al. Effects of meclofenoxate and extr. Rhodiolae rosea L. on electroconvulsive shock-impaired learning and memory in rats. Methods Find Exp Clin Pharmacol 1986;8(9):547-52.
* Petkov V, Yonkov D, et al. Effects of alcohol aqueous extract from Rhodiola rosea L. roots on learning and memory. Acta Physiol Pharmacol Bulg 1986;12(1):3-16.
* Saratikov A, Marina T, Fisanova L. Effect of golden root extract on processes of serotonin synthesis in CNS. Journal of Biological Sciences 1978;6:142.
* Furmanowa M, Skopinska-Rozewska E, Rogala E, Malgorzata H. Rhodiola rosea in vitro culture: phytochemical analysis and antioxidant action. Acta Societis Botanicorum Poloniae 1998;76(1):69-73.
* Durany N, Munch G, Michel T, Riederer P. Investigations on oxidative stress and therapeutical implications in dementia. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 1999;249 Suppl 3:68-73.
* Marina TF, Alekseeva LP. Effect of Rhodiola rosea extract on electroencephalograms in rabbit. In. Saratikov AS, editor. Stimulants of the Central Nervous System. Tomsk, Russia: Tomsk State University Press; 1968. p. 22-6.
* Lupien S, De Leon M, et al. Cortisol levels during human aging predict hippocampal atrophy and memory deficits. Nat Neurosci 1998;1(1):69-73.
* Kucinskaite A, Briedis V, Savickas A. Experimental analysis of therapeutic properties of Rhodiola rosea L. and its possible application in medicine. Medicina (Kaunas.). 2004;40(7):614-9.
* Darbinyan V, Kteyan A, Panossian A, et al. Rhodiola rosea in stress induced fatigue—a double blind cross-over study of a standardized extract SHR-5 with a repeated low-dose regimen on the mental performance of healthy physicians during night duty. Phytomedicine. 2000 Oct;7(5):365-71.
* Spasov AA, Wikman GK, Mandrikov VB, Mironova IA, Neumoin VV. A double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study of the stimulating and adaptogenic effect of Rhodiola rosea SHR-5 extract on the fatigue of students caused by stress during an examination period with a repeated low-dose regimen. Phytomedicine. 2000 Apr;7(2):85-9.
* Shevtsov VA, Zholus BI, Shervarly VI, et al. A randomized trial of two different doses of a SHR-5 Rhodiola rosea extract versus placebo and control of capacity for mental work. Phytomedicine. 2003 Mar;10(2-3):95-105.
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