Rhodiola Rosea extract supplement health benefit, side effects, safety, and risks - Rhodiola is also known as Golden Root, Roseroot, and Aaron's Rod

Rhodiola rosea is traditionally used in Eastern Europe and Asia to stimulate the nervous system, enhance physical and mental performance, treat fatigue, psychological stress and depression. This herb became popular in the late 1990s in the United States following an article in Newsweek magazine promoting its various health benefits.

Where does it grow?
Rhodiola rosea  is a plant that grows in high altitude cold regions of the world such as the Arctic, the mountains of Central Asia, the Rocky Mountains, and mountainous parts of Europe, such as the Alps, Pyrenees, Carpathian Mountains, Scandinavia, Iceland, Great Britain and Ireland. In India, this plant is found in the Himalayan region.

Benefits of rhodiola herbal supplements
Rhodiola rosea supplements are often used to enhance physical and mental performance, increase energy levels, and reduce symptoms of psychological stress and depression. Several compounds in this herb have potent antioxidant abilities.

Supplements over the counter
You will find dozens of rhodiola rosea supplements available over the counter. Some of these products are just plain powder, others are standardized to some of the active components of the herb such as rosavins. Not enough research is available to determine which product or standardized extract is the best option to use. Here is an example of some of these products.

Rhodiola extract 90 mg, standardized to contain at least 4% rosavins
3% Rosavins - 500mg 60 Capsules
Siberian Golden Root 5% Rosavins - 300mg 60 Capsules
3% Rosavins - Bulk Powder - 200 grams

Purchase Rhodiola Rosea extract, full spectrum, 327 mg, 60 Tablets - Planetary Herbals
Rhodiola rosea root combines an extract standardized to 0.8% rosavin with whole rhodiola root extract.

This is a legendary adaptogenic tonifier that comes from the polar arctic regions of eastern Siberia. Among traditional people it is highly valued as a strengthening tonic to increase physical and mental stamina.


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Safety, risks, side effects
No major rhodiola side effects have been reported in medical journals. High dosages of this herb may cause increased heart rate and insomnia.

Benefits of Rhodiola Rosea herb and results of studies

Rhodiola and depression
Rhodiola rosea roots have potent anti-depressant activity by inhibiting MAO A. Rhodiola rosea may enhance the level of serotonin in the brain. If a person has depression, they have many natural options to choose from. Some of these natural herbs or nutrients include 5-HTP, SAM-e, and St. John's wort.

Which is more potent and effective for depression, rhodiola herb or St. John's wort?
   St. John's wort has been studied much more and in our opinion work better for depression than rhodiola in most people.

Dementia
This herb may be helpful in certain cases of dementia since it inhibits MAO B. Other supplements used for dementia include acetyl l carnitine, DMAE, cdp-choline, and vinpocetine.

Rhodiola and fatigue due to stress
Rhodiola herb is a good choice for those with fatigue and stress. Ginseng herb is small dosages works well, too. We suggest not taking high dosages of rhodiola since it may interfere with sleep. Lack of sleep can cause fatigue and reduce your ability to fight stress.

A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study of the standardised extract shr-5 of the roots of Rhodiola rosea in the treatment of subjects with stress-related fatigue.
Planta Med. 2009: Panossian AG. Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
The aim of the study was to assess the efficacy of the standardised extract SHR-5 of roots of Rhodiola Rosea L. in the treatment of individuals suffering from stress-related fatigue. A total of 60 individuals were randomised into two groups, one of which received four tablets daily of SHR-5 extract (576 mg extract/day), while a second received four placebo tablets daily. We found that repeated administration of Rhodiola rosea extract SHR-5 exerts an anti-fatigue effect that increases mental performance, particularly the ability to concentrate, and decreases cortisol response to awakening stress in burnout patients with fatigue syndrome.

Rhodiola for stress
Effects of Rhodiola rosea L. extract on behavioural and physiological alterations induced by chronic mild stress in female rats.
J Psychopharmacol. 2009. Faculty of Pharmacy, Experimental Medicine and Public Health, University of Camerino, Camerino, Italy.
Rhodiola rosea L. is one of the most popular adaptogen and an antistress plant in European and Asiatic traditional medicine. Our previous studies have confirmed the adaptogenic and antistress properties of a single administration of Rhodiola rosea extract in rats exposed to acute stress. There is increasing evidence that prolonged exposure to stressful life events and depression are both related to significant behavioral, endocrinological and neurobiological changes in human and animal subjects. The aim of this study was to determine whether chronic treatment with a hydroalcoholic Rhodiola rosea extract standardized in 3% rosavin and 1% salidroside can prevent alterations induced in female rats following 6 weeks of a chronic mild stress procedure. Our findings strongly showed that chronic administration of Rhodiola rosea extract results in potent inhibition of the behavioral and physiological changes induced by chronic exposure to mild stressors.

Anti-oxidative effect of Rhodiola imbricata root extract in rats during cold, hypoxia and restraint (C-H-R) exposure and post-stress recovery.
Food Chem Toxicol. 2010. Department of Biochemical Pharmacology, Defence Institute of Physiology and Allied Sciences (DIPAS), Lucknow Road, Timarpur, Delhi , India; Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Allied Sciences, S.K.Majumdar Road, Timarpur, Delhi, India.

Physical performance
Effect of cryopowder Rhodiola rosae L. on cardiorespiratory parameters and physical performance of humans
Aviakosm Ekolog Med. 2009;
Seven-hour continuous physical loading test (bicycle ergometry) was used to assess effects of Rhodiola rosae (cryopowder) on the human cardiorespiratory system. Comparing with the control, the preparation facilitated activation of the energy-supplying mechanisms in human organism during physical work. In addition, it increased efficiency of the cardiovascular and respiration systems and prevented fatigue growth. The medical herb powder demonstrated explicitly the protective action and can be recommended for use in extreme conditions.

Rhodiola side effects, caution, risks, danger, and drug interactions
Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic study of interaction of Rhodiola rosea SHR-5 extract with warfarin and theophylline in rats.
Phytother Res. 2009. Panossian A, Hovhannisyan A, Abrahamyan H, Gabrielyan E. Swedish Herbal Institute Research and Development, Askloster, Sweden.
Significant pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic interactions between various herbal products and drugs being substrates of cytochrome P450 have recently been reported. The aim of this study was to determine whether Rhodiola rosea SHR-5 extract interacts with warfarin and theophylline when administered concomitantly. Thus, concomitant treatment of rats with theophylline and SHR-5 did not give rise to significant effects on the pharmacokinetics of theophylline. Simultaneous administration of SHR-5 and warfarin did not alter significantly the pharmacokinetics or the anticoagulant activity of warfarin. It is concluded that SHR-5 might be of value in the treatment of patients with mild or moderate depression, and that its interaction with co-administered drugs is likely to be negligible.

Biochemical effects of rhodiola extracts
Neurological, brain effect of rhodiola
In rodents, rhodiola rosea promotea the proliferation and differentiation of neural stem cells in the hippocampus of depressive rats, and may play a role in saving injured neurons of the hippocampus.

Rhodiola herbal extract as anti inflammatory agent
In vitro inhibitory effects was evaluated against the enzymes relating to inflammation. The enzymes include cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and Phospholipase A(2) (PLA(2)). The extract showed varying inhibitory activities against these enzymes depending on the concentrations. A potent inhibition was observed against Cox-2 and PLA(2).

Composition
Rhodiola rosea herb contains a variety of compounds including rosavins which include rosavin, rosarin, and rosin. Additional chemicals include salidroside, rhodioloside and tyrosol. There are hundreds of different rhodiola products on the market with different extract potencies. It is difficult to predict which product you will respond to best unless you try it.

What are the active ingredients in rhodiola rosea? Is the term rosavins the same as rosavin?
   The active ingredients in this herb are rosavin, rosin and rosarin (collectively called rosavins); rosiridin and salidroside. The term rosavins includes three active compounds rosavin, rosin and rosarin.