The Rhodiola Rosea plant goes by common names that you may have heard of including: arctic root, golden root, roseroot, and king’s root. This plant grows in cold regions across Europe and Asia- and often in harsh, unfavorable conditions like high altitudes, on mountain tops and sea cliffs in Europe and Asia, often under rocks and snow. The root is a well-known adaptogen, which simply means it helps your body to adapt to stress when consumed. Many people today use Rhodiola as a dietary supplement and are taking advantage of these many health benefits:
- Can Help Alleviate Anxiety: In a study of 10 people, researchers found evidence to suggest that taking 340 mg of Rhodiola rosea daily over 10 week showed reduced symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder. It works so well at helping manage anxiety that it has been studied for years by Russia as a supplement to give to soldiers as a tool for adapting to the stress on their bodies and minds caused by war and training.
- May Improve Exercise Performance and Endurance: It is said that Vikings used Rhodiola in the 8th century, to fight off fatigue and increase stamina, and consumed by indigenous Sherpa’s in the Himalayas to adapt to living at high altitude. So what does modern science say? A 2004 study demonstrated that acute doses of 200mg of rhodiola taken one hour before training increased pulmonary ventilation and could improve endurance exercise performance. Another study on 15 active collegiate aged-women investigated the effects of a 3mg/kg dose of rhodiola on 6-mile ergometer time-trial bike ride and found that the rhodiola group saw endurance improvements and decreased heart rate during maximal training.
- May Improve Brain Function: Based on various studies, it is presumed that Rhodiola may increase brain function specifically during mentally stressful times and rigorous physical activity. Rhodiola Rosea seems to operate by stimulating the release of various neurotransmitters within the brain, specifically serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine- all of which contribute to better brain function, health and balance. A study involving 56 night duty physicians taking 170 mg of Rhodiola a day for two weeks showed that those on the adaptogen saw a 20% improvement in the performance of work related tasks and significantly reduced mental fatigue.
- May Help Manage Diabetes: Diabetes occurs when your body is no longer able to produce or respond to insulin regularly which results in a high blood sugar level. Research in rats suggests rhodiola may help manage diabetes due to it’s salidroside compound, which was shown to help protect against diabetes and diabetic nephropathy (kidney disease).
- May Have Anticancer Properties: A potent component of rhodiola has been shown to possibly have anticancer properties. The component within the plant is called salidroside, which is a glucoside of tyrosol and is responsible for the putative antidepressants and anxiolytic actions of rhodiola. Several test-tube and animal studies have shown that it may inhibit the growth of bladder, lung, gastric, and colon cancer cells. While more human studies are needed, this is a promising start.
- May Help Decrease Stress: Burnout is something that can adversely affect an individual’s health by causing them to feel exhausted. People tend to overwork themselves in school, work, and even daily responsibilities. Rhodiola is a well known adaptogen which is a natural substance that allows your body to fight off stress. It has been proven that consuming adaptogens may increase your ability to handle stressful situations effectively. One study involved 118 people with stress-related burnout who took 400 mg of rhodiola daily for 12 weeks. Study participants showed clear improvement in various symptoms such as stress and depression commonly associated with burnout.
- May Help with Fatigue: There are many different factors that cause fatigue: physical exertion, lack of sleep, and emotional stress are a few factors that may result in an individual feeling tired. Due to the adaptogenic properties contained in the root of rhodiola it has been shown to help alleviate fatigue in individuals. The strong adaptogenic property makes rhodiola a strong medicine that may help with fighting other symptoms of stress, fatigue being one of them.
- May Help Improve Memory: A growing body of evidence indicates that Rhodiola is effective at improving short term memory- so much so that Harvard Magazine published an article about it’s efficacy. A specific study published in the journal Science Advances proves the memory-enhancing effect of a plant ester as an active ingredient from the medicinal plant Rhodiola rosea.
- May Help with Weight Loss: When it comes to weight loss, rhodiola is one of many supplements that people use to aid in their weight loss journey. This plant root has shown that it may aid in weight loss by providing different health benefits. It has been shown that it can reduce fatigue, thereby boosting an individual’s energy and ability to improve their mood and crush their weight loss goals. It may also aid in burning belly fat. One study found that rhodiola’s most active compound, rosavin, boosts lipase creation, this boost of lipase helps get rid of stubborn fat that is hard to break down. In addition, because it helps normalize cortisol (stress hormone) levels, rhodiola may also reduce cravings for unhealthy “comfort foods” and delay fat-accumulation that is tied to high cortisol levels (particularly around the abdomen/belly).
- Shows Promise with Helping Quit Cigarettes: In a study done on animals, Rhodiola was shown to lessen the anxiety symptoms of nicotine withdrawal compared with control. Evidence from animal models and human studies show that nicotine reduces symptoms of depression and that quitting nicotine induces depressive-like symptoms. After getting rats nicotine dependent, researchers then measured their behavior after being Rhodiola Rosea, and noticed a significant uptick in their serotonin levels- proving that this may be an effective supplement to avoiding the blues when quitting smoking.
