Rhodiola thrives in extreme cold and mountainous regions of Europe and Asia.
Their roots are classified as adaptogens, which means that it is a type of stress-reliever and can effectively decrease anxiety. With its scientific name being Rhodiola Rosea, its root has more than 140 powerful ingredients; of which the two most useful components are called rosavin and salidroside.
Many have used this herb since centuries ago to lower anxiety, fatigue, and depression. Till today, it is still commonly used as a treatment option for many conditions.
7 Benefits for Taking Rhodiola Rosea
1. Reduce stress levels
Commonly categorized as an adaptogen, it can be extremely useful in lowering stress levels when the body gets too anxious. One study revealed that participants who consumed Rhodiola as a treatment noticed remarkable improvements in their stress, fatigue and anxiety levels in just three days; with these levels continuing to decrease throughout the study.
The herb has also been proven to reduce burnout, due to the decline in depression and stress. Hence, Rhodiola can be extremely helpful in helping your body increase its susceptibility to incredible amounts of stress.
2. Lower fatigue levels
Some factors contributing to high fatigue levels are stress, anxiety and insufficient rest, which may lead to people feeling both physically and mentally drained. Because it is considered an adaptogen, Rhodiola can help combat fatigue.
A four-week study was done and it consisted of 60 fatigued people who suffered from symptoms like depression and low attention span. They were given either Rhodiola or a placebo to treat these symptoms. Results had shown that Rhodiola was more effective in countering fatigue and short attention spans, compared to the placebo.
In another study, 100 participants who suffered from chronic fatigue also indicated a noteworthy fall in stress levels, fatigue, quality of life, focus levels and concentration, after just one week. This hence confirms the anti-fatigue properties of this plant.
3. Alleviate depression
Even though depression is a condition that occurs in many people, it should not be taken lightly as it can be very serious in certain cases, and adversely influence your outlook on life. It happens when the neurotransmitters in your brain are not balanced, and medication can be taken to revert these imbalances. Rhodiola Rosea seems to have certain antidepressant elements to help cope with depression.
In a recent study, depressed patients who took Rhodiola as a supplement reported elevated moods, a decrease in insomnia and an improvement in their emotional stability, as compared to their placebo counterparts who did not experience any reduction in their symptoms. However, only the group that received a stronger dosage of Rhodiola had increased self-esteem.
In another study, Rhodiola was being compared with common antidepressant sertraline. While both medications showed signs of improvements in their patients, Rhodiola indicated lesser side effects.
4. Enhance cognitive abilities
There are many vitamins and supplements that you can take to improve your brain functions, including Rhodiola. During a study that tested on fatigued individuals who worked night duties, placebo and Rhodiola were given to each group.
Results concluded that Rhodiola was more effective in decreasing mental fatigue and even improved participants’ energy levels as there was an increase in work productivity, compared to the participants on placebo. Another study further proved this phenomenon, as Rhodiola managed to increase the participants’ brain capacity, as compared to placebo.
Other studies also revealed the same effect of Rhodiola; bettering students’ sleep patterns and making them more motivated to study after taking this herb as a health supplement. They also fared better in their exams than the placebo group. This hence indicates the benefits of brain activity when Rhodiola is given as a supplement.
5. Enhance physical performance
When exercising, Rhodiola may be an effective supplement to take as it can improve and boost exercise performance. In a study where participants were given 200 mg of Rhodiola or placebo before they participated in a cycling test, the participants on Rhodiola had a 24 second longer stamina while cycling than the participants who were on placebo.
Though it seems like a short period of time, it is actually a highly significant difference. Another study that tested on participants’ endurance as well revealed more positive results as the participants on Rhodiola were able to complete the time-trialed race a lot faster and earlier than the placebo group.
Rhodiola hence indicates an improvement in physical performance due to the effective fall in fatigue and exertion.
6. Combat diabetes
Diabetes is quite a common illness that happens when your body becomes immune to or loses its ability to produce insulin, which is responsible for regulating blood sugar levels.
Diabetic patients normally use insulin injections or consume insulin pills to increase the level of insulin in their bloodstream. Animal research studies have shown the effectiveness of Rhodiola in diabetes control.
In a study on diabetic mice, Rhodiola successfully managed to lower blood sugar levels in their bloodstreams by causing a rise in the number of glucose transporters. Even though little has been done to test on humans, results seem very encouraging.
7. Fight cancer
Rhodiola contains salidroside, a powerful substance that contains anti-cancer properties. Test-tube studies have proven that it prevents the growth of bladder, colon, breast, and liver cancer cells, hence suggesting the effectiveness of Rhodiola in fighting cancer cells. However, this has not been confirmed yet due to the lack of human studies available, even though the results in test-tube studies appear very promising.
General Tips on Taking Rhodiola Rosea
Rhodiola extract is easily accessible in the form of capsules and tablets. It is also available in tea form, even though the effects are not as strong as pills which are more concentrated.
Rhodiola has been found to function best when it is taken before food and on an empty stomach. However, try to avoid taking it right before you go to bed as it may cause insomnia. The optimal dose of Rhodiola when your body is undergoing a lot of stress and anxiety is 400 to 600 mg daily. However, if you’re turning to Rhodiola for enhancements in performance, take about 200 to 300 mg before exercising.
Even though Rhodiola is known to be generally safe, it is important to always consult your doctor to make sure that it will not harm your body and negatively impact your health when you consume it.
The amazing proven health benefits of taking Rhodiola Rosea is the reason why we include this powerful adaptogen in our SuperGreen TONIK formula. Each serving contains a clinical dosage of 500mg, which compares with the amounts seen in the studies above.
