Apr. 29, 2024
Rhodiola rosea, also known as golden root, rose root, or arctic root, is a plant from Siberia that grows well in dry and cold arctic climates. It is frequently used in Chinese medicine. The medicinal compounds of rhodiola rosea come from the root of the plant and have been used to help treat occasional stress, anxiety, mental and physical fatigue, and depressed mood.
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Uses of Rhodiola
Rhodiola has been used for centuries as an herbal medicine to treat a variety of ailments. Research suggests it may aid the following:
Health Benefits of Rhodiola
Rhodiola rosea has been classified by some researchers as an adaptogen. Adaptogens are plants that help make the body less prone to physical and emotional stress.
Research has shown that rhodiola may stimulate serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine activity. The proper balance of these neurotransmitters is believed to be involved in healthy emotional and neurological functioning.
However, more research is needed to confirm the efficacy of rhodiola supplements.
Treats Depression Symptoms
Rhodiola has antidepressant properties. In a study that compared the effects of rhodiola and the effects of Zoloft (sertraline), researchers found that both medicines reduced symptoms of depression. However, rhodiola was better tolerated and produced fewer side effects.
Reduces Stress and Fatigue
Rhodiola is an adaptogen, which is a type of plant that helps guide the body's physiological reaction to stress. In other words, rhodiola contains properties that help the body manage stress more resourcefully.
Rhodiola may help improve your body's resilience when facing life stressors, fatigue, and burnout.
Boosts Physical Performance
Rhodiola improves antioxidant activity in the body, and it has been used for centuries to improve physical strength, endurance, and longevity.
Helps With Sexual Dysfunction
Studies have found that rhodiola may help reduce signs of sexual dysfunction in men (such as erectile dysfunction) and women.
May Help Treat Aging-Related Illnesses
Because of its anti-aging and neuroprotective properties, research suggests that rhodiola may be an effective treatment to slow the progression of illnesses such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, cerebrovascular disease, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.
Its anti-cancer properties may even make rhodiola an effective treatment for cancers that occur most often in older people such as cancer of the bladder, breast, colon, kidney, lung, and prostate.
However, more research is needed to understand its effectiveness as a treatment for these conditions.
Possible Side Effects of Rhodiola
Side effects of rhodiola rosea are generally rare and mild to moderate. They may include:
You may experience drowsiness if you combine rhodiola rosea with benzodiazepines, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), or serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs).
Do not take rhodiola rosea if you are taking prescription monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs).
There are no known risks associated with rhodiola rosea; however, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration does not regulate the production of herbs and supplements. Most herbs and supplements are not thoroughly tested, and there is no guarantee regarding the ingredients or safety of the products.
Interactions and Contraindications of Rhodiola
Rhodiola may cause a rapid heart rate if taken with prescription antidepressants. In people with diabetes who take insulin or other drugs, caution should be exercised as rhodiola may lower blood sugar levels.
People with low blood pressure who take rhodiola must be cautious that their blood pressure doesn't become too low (as rhodiola may lower blood pressure). Rhodiola may increase the effects of drugs such as warfarin and anti-inflammatory drugs.
Rhodiola may prevent immunosuppressants from working (such as those taken for multiple sclerosis). People with autoimmune disorders should not use rhodiola.
If you have any pre-existing health conditions, especially those stated above, talk to a doctor prior to taking rhodiola.
Rhodiola should not be used if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. It is also not recommended for children.
Dosage and Preparations of Rhodiola
Rhodiola is most commonly available in supplement form (capsules) and liquid form (tinctures or extracts). Some herbal teas contain rhodiola as well; rhodiola may also be dried, preserved, and brewed on its own as an herbal tea.
The recommended adult dosage for capsule form of rhodiola rosea is 100 to 300 mg daily. However, various strengths are available (from 100 to 600 mg). Rhodiola supplements have been used safely in studies lasting six to 12 weeks; however, rhodiola is not recommended for long-term use as its long-term effects aren't well known.
You should read the product label about the proper dosage and consult a healthcare provider to get personalized recommendations.
What to Look For in Rhodiola Supplements
If you choose to buy a rhodiola supplement (or any supplement), the National Institutes of Health (NIH) recommends that you look for a Supplement Facts label on the product that you buy. This label will contain vital information including the amount of active ingredients per serving, and other added ingredients like fillers, binders, and flavorings.
Rhodiola is not FDA approved, so it's important to be careful when purchasing to ensure a product's purity. Consult with a doctor to get recommended brand that's safe.
The NIH also recommends that you look for a product that contains a seal of approval from a third party organization that provides quality testing. These organizations include U.S. Pharmacopeia, ConsumerLab.com, and NSF International.
A seal of approval from one of these organizations does not guarantee the product's safety or effectiveness but it does provide assurance that the product was properly manufactured, contains the ingredients listed on the label, and does not contain harmful levels of contaminants.
Are there other natural products that people use to treat social anxiety?
There are other products that are sometimes used to manage stress and anxiety. Not all of them have been studied enough to know if they provide a benefit. The most common supplements include:
Is it OK to take rhodiola every day?
It depends. The effects of rhodiola supplements have been measured for time periods ranging from six to 12 weeks. While some take rhodiola one to two times daily during the period of use, rhodiola is not recommended for long-term use.
What does rhodiola do for your body?
Rhodiola is an adaptogen that may help your body resist physical and mental stress. It may help reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety, prevent stress, promote physical strength, and more.
Is rhodiola the same as ashwagandha?
No, but ashwagandha is an herbal medicine and adaptogen—like rhodiola. Ashwagandha may help with some of the same health issues that rhodiola does, such as stress and anxiety. Ashwagandha, like rhodiola, has anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties.
Rhodiola (Rhodiola rosea) is a plant widely distributed at high altitudes in mountainous regions of Europe and Asia. It belongs to the family Crassulaceae. It has been used in traditional medicine to alleviate the following:
This article discusses the potential uses of rhodiola. It also covers the side effects and precautions of taking such supplements.
What Is Rhodiola?
Rhodiola is considered to be an adaptogen as it increases the body’s reilience to the following stressors:
Laboratory studies indicate that the mood-enhancing effect of rhodiola appears to be due to the stimulation of norepinephrine, serotonin, dopamine, and acetylcholine receptors in the brain regions responsible for regulating mood and affect.
Furthermore, the ability of rhodiola to increase endogenous β-endorphin levels explains its antidepressant effect.
Rhodiola also blocks monoamine oxidase A and B enzyme activity. These enzymes break down neurotransmitters like serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine. Preventing the breakdown of these enzymes, in turn, increases the levels of neurotransmitters, which helps regulate mood.
Uses of Rhodiola
Supplement use should be individualized and vetted by a healthcare professional, such as a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN), pharmacist, or healthcare provider. No supplement is intended to treat, cure, or prevent disease.
Rhodiola has been studied in the setting of depression, stress-related fatigue, and exercise performance.
Depression
In a 12-week clinical trial consisting of 57 participants, rhodiola has been shown to produce less antidepressant effect compared to Zoloft (sertraline), a conventional antidepressant therapy. However, rhodiola has a more favorable side effect profile compared to Zoloft.
Because rhodiola has better tolerability than Zoloft, the researchers suggested that rhodiola can potentially serve as a treatment alternative for people who are intolerant to the side effects of conventional antidepressants.
However, the study was limited in that it looked at people with mild to moderate major depressive disorder (MDD). Thus, it is unclear if people with more severe MDD would benefit from rhodiola.
A 12-week study consisting of 100 participants aged 18 to 50 years with mild to moderate depression compared the antidepressant effect among the control group (one sertraline tablet + two placebo capsules), the high-dose rhodiola group (one sertraline tablet + two rhodiola capsules), and the low-dose rhodiola group (one sertraline tablet + one placebo + one rhodiola capsule).
Among the three groups, people with mild to moderate depression taking high-dose rhodiola daily showed the greatest reduction of symptoms of depression over 12 weeks.
Further studies investigating the efficacy and safety of rhodiola in people with severe MDD and people over 50 years old would be needed to determine if rhodiola is effective in such a population.
Stress-Related Fatigue
The effect of rhodiola on stress-related fatigue was evaluated in 60 people aged 20–55 years old over 28 days. Compared with the placebo group, the rhodiola group showed a significant positive change in fatigue symptoms in people with stress-related fatigue. Additionally, levels of cortisol (a stress hormone) reduced significantly following 28 days of treatment with rhodiola.
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Featured content:More rigorous studies examining the efficacy of rhodiola in reducing stress-related fatigue are needed to confirm such a finding.
Exercise Performance
Short-term supplementation of rhodiola in 10 resistance-trained male participants increased the average barbell speed during bench press exercise compared to placebo.
Despite the enhancement of resistance exercise performance, it is essential to note that the sample size is small, and it is unclear if the results will translate to untrained people or females.
Another study examined the effects of rhodiola supplementation on anaerobic exercise performance in eleven female participants aged 18 to 24 years.
The study found that supplementing rhodiola over three days and 30 minutes before the exercise trial increased anaerobic capacity. This enhanced anaerobic exercise performance.
However, further studies with larger sample sizes and more diverse populations are needed to clarify the role of rhodiola in enhancing anaerobic exercise performance.
Rhodiola plant.
Carol Cinca / Getty Images
What Are the Side Effects of Rhodiola?
Your provider may recommend you take rhodiola for stress, mood, or stamina support. However, consuming a supplement like rhodiola may have potential side effects. These side effects may be common or severe.
Common Side Effects
Minimal to no side effects were reported in clinical trials.
Common side effects of rhodiola reported in some studies include the following:
Severe Side Effects
No serious side effects were reported in clinical trials.
If you're having a severe allergic reaction or if any of your symptoms feel life-threatening, call 911 and get medical help right away.
Precautions
Keep the following precautions in mind when using an rhodiola supplement:
The following were excluded in some clinical trials, and, therefore, the efficacy and safety of rhodiola in such a context are unclear:
Dosage: How Much Rhodiola Should I Take?
Always speak with a healthcare provider before taking a supplement to ensure that the supplement and dosage are appropriate for your individual needs.
As most of the human clinical studies use standardized extracts of rhodiola that include the entire spectrum of chemical constituents, look for products with 3% rosavin and 1% salidroside.
For depression: A dose escalation was used in a clinical study with the following schedule:
Another study looked at sertraline in combination with high-dose or low-dose rhodiola. The high-dose group consisted of one sertraline tablet (unclear dose) with two rhodiola capsules of 0.6 grams (g) per day given by mouth daily for 12 weeks.
The low-dose group consisted of one sertraline tablet (the dose is unclear) with one rhodiola capsule (0.3 g per day) given by mouth daily for 12 weeks.
For stress-related fatigue: The dose used in the clinical study was two tablets of rhodiola extract given by mouth in the morning and two tablets given by mouth at lunchtime (for a total of 576 mg extract daily) over 28 days.
For exercise performance: The dose used in clinical trials was a 500 mg capsule of rhodiola extract given by mouth three times daily (a total of 1,500 mg per day) for three days before each trial; an additional 500 mg dose was taken by mouth thirty minutes before each exercise trial.
What Happens If I Take Too Much Rhodiola?
The daily dose used in clinical trials ranges from 364 to 1,500 mg.
Previous studies of rhodiola have reported long-term supplementation of up to 680 mg is safe and tolerable.
However, it is important to note that nitrile compounds in rhodiola may pose a safety risk when rhodiola is used long-term.
Interactions
Rhodiola rosea may interact with the following:
Serotonergic medications: Theoretically, taking rhodiola concurrently with drugs, such as Paxil (paroxetine), may increase the risk of a rare but serious condition called serotonin syndrome. While the clinical significance of such drug-herb interaction remains unclear, Zoloft (a serotonergic drug) has been used concurrently with rhodiola in a clinical study.
However, the concurrent use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) has been purported to decrease common antidepressant side effects such as poor memory, sexual dysfunction, and weight gain.
When rhodiola extract is given with tricyclic antidepressants, such as Elavil (amitriptyline), there is a reduction in the side effects of the drugs and a positive effect on mood symptoms.
Drugs metabolized by the CYP2C9 enzyme: Rhodiola rosea has been shown to block the activity of the CYP2C9 enzyme in humans, thereby increasing the levels of drugs metabolized by such an enzyme. Some of the drugs metabolized by the CYP2C9 enzyme include Cozaar (losartan), Dilantin (phenytoin), and Jantoven (warfarin). Although the clinical significance is unclear, caution should be taken for high-risk drugs, such as Dilantin and Jantoven.
Additionally, extracts of rhodiola have been found to block the activity of CYP3A4, CYP2D6, and P-glycoprotein (P-gp) based on a test-tube study. Therefore, caution should be taken when combining rhodiola supplement with drugs (especially central nervous system drugs) associated with CYP3A4, CYP2D6, and P-gp.
Stimulant medications: Rhodiola rosea may have an additive effect with other stimulants.
It is essential to carefully read a supplement's ingredients list and nutrition facts panel to know which ingredients and how much of each ingredient is included. Please review the supplement label with your healthcare provider to discuss potential interactions with foods, other supplements, and medications.
Similar Supplements
Other supplements with similar properties to rhodiola include the following:
Like rhodiola, ashwagandha, Asian ginseng, Siberian ginseng, maral root, and schisandra are considered plant adaptogens (substances that help the body cope with mental and physical stress).
Some stress support supplements use a combination of adaptogenic herbs.
While green tea, magnesium, and B vitamins are not considered adaptogens, they are similar to rhodiola because they possess stress-relieving effects.
Unlike rhodiola, green tea, and magnesium, evidence from an analysis of a collection of studies suggests that B vitamins do not benefit anxiety.
Sources of Rhodiola & What to Look For
Rhodiola is available through supplements. Concern exists about the risk of overexploitation (overuse) of wild rhodiola, as well as overharvesting and illegal harvesting of the plant in protected areas.
Rhodiola Supplements
Rhodiola supplements are available in tablets, capsules, and liquid extracts.
Animal studies have shown that piperine, a compound found in black pepper, increases the absorption of rosavin and salidroside, both active compounds found in rhodiola. You may see some rhodiola supplements with black pepper extract added in for enhanced absorption.
Because rhodiola can cause sleep disturbances or vivid dreams, it should be taken early in the day during the first few weeks.
Rhodiola rosea is best taken on an empty stomach at least 30 minutes before breakfast and lunch.
Dietary supplements are not regulated like drugs in the United States. They can cause interactions with medications or have other safety concerns. For this reason, it’s important to be aware of what to look for when choosing a supplement, such as third-party testing, potential drug interactions, and more.
Summary
Research on rhodiola, an adaptogenic herb, has shown promising results in depression, stress, fatigue, and exercise endurance. While rhodiola is generally tolerable, it should be avoided if you have certain medical conditions, such as bipolar disorder, or take certain prescription drugs. Consult with your healthcare provider to determine if a rhodiola supplement is appropriate.
What are the health benefits of Rhodiola rosea?
Evidence from research studies has shown that rhodiola improves mood in people with mild to moderate depression.
Considered an adaptogen, rhodiola has also been shown to play a role in reducing stress and fatigue.
Rhodiola is medically established as a safe and effective anti-fatigue drug in Russia. Moreover, the Pharmacological and Pharmacopoeia Committee of the Soviet Ministry of Health recommended the medicinal use of rhodiola.
While more research is needed, some studies have shown that rhodiola improves exercise endurance.
Who should not use rhodiola?
Consult with your healthcare provider before starting rhodiola supplements, especially if you have certain health conditions, including bipolar disorder, psychotic disorders, anxiety, a substance use disorder or dependence disorder, or dementia.
Also speak to a medical professional first if you have had a severe allergic reaction to R. rosea, are pregnant or breastfeeding, are of childbearing potential and not using an acceptable form of contraception, and are younger than 18 years old.
Does rhodiola interact with prescription drugs?
Since rhodiola increases serotonin and norepinephrine levels, it can theoretically produce an additive effect when used concurrently with serotonergic and stimulant medication, respectively.
Rhodiola rosea has been shown to decrease the activity of the CYP2C9 enzyme, which may increase the levels of drugs metabolized by such an enzyme.
Please consult with your healthcare provider before starting rhodiola if you take medications such as Cozaar (losartan), Dilantin (phenytoin), or Jantoven (warfarin); stimulants; chemotherapy; MAOIs (within 14 days); and antidepressants, mood stabilizers, or antipsychotics.
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