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Rhodiola Rosea

Rhodiola Rosea reported to reduce stress-related fatigue

In a placebo-controlled, double-blind, crossover trial, low-dose treatment with a standardized extract of Rhodiola rosea reduced symptoms of fatigue in 56 young, healthy male and female physicians on night duty. 

Results were measured via a fatigue index that took into account various aspects of total mental performance, including associative thinking, short-term memory, calculation and ability of concentration, and speed of audio-visual perception. Although significant effects were seen during only one two-week study phase (an increase in performance of 20%), the investigators concluded that the extract "possesses a clear anti-fatigue effect without any reported adverse reactions or side-effects, at the dosage used in our study in a situation of moderate level of fatigue and stress." 

According to the authors, theirs is one of the first Rhodiola rosea anti-fatigue studies to investigate the effects of repeated low daily doses of the herb over time in a "nearly realistic work situation." Dosage used in the verum groups during each two-week study phase was one 170 mg Rhodiola tablet daily. Each tablet was reported to contain approximately 4.5 mg salidroside.

Darbinyan V, Kteyan A, Panossian A. 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; 7(5): 365-371.

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Rhodiola Rosea enhances fitness and well-being under stressful conditions

A placebo-controlled, Russian clinical study showed that an extract of Rhodiola rosea exhibited adaptogenic effects of enhanced physical fitness, Rhodiola rosea improved neuro-motor test responses, Rhodiola rosea reduced mental fatigue, and Rhodiola improved general well being in a group of healthy foreign medical students undergoing a stressful exam period. 

The 40 study participants, all Indian men between the ages of 17 and 19, were randomly assigned to take either placebo or Rhodiola rosea extract at a dose of 50 mg Rhodiola extract twice daily. The most significant differences between groups were seen in physical fitness, mental fatigue, neuro-motor tests, and well being; no significant differences were observed in results of correction tests or tapping speed tests. No adverse events from the Rhodiola rosea were reported. 

As the dose of Rhodiola rosea employed in this study was lower than that used in previous Rhodiola rosea studies, the researchers concluded, ". . . the Rhodiola rosea gave significant results compared to the placebo group but the Rhodiola rosea dose level probably was suboptimal." According to the authors, the majority of earlier studies on the anti-fatigue and performance-enhancing effects of Rhodiola rosea utilized single doses more than three times higher than the Rhodiola rosea dose used in their study. When Rhodiola rosea is used in psychiatric practice for the treatment of asthenic syndromes (weakness and debility), Rhodiola rosea doses 15 times as high are used for periods of one to two months.

Spasov AA, Wikman GK, Mandrikov VB, et al. 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; 7(2): 85-89.

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