Rhodiola Rosea

Authors:

Andrew R Jagim, Grant M Tinsley

Findings:

Acute Rhodiola rosea (RR) supplementation (~200mg) may improve time-to-exhaustion and time trial performance in recreationally active individuals. Higher doses (~1500-2400mg/d) have shown ergogenic effects during sprints and resistance training in trained/untrained adults. However, effects on muscle damage, inflammation, energy systems, antioxidant activity, and perceived exertion are currently equivocal, and the literature does not unanimously show RR is ergogenic.

Participants:

Studies reviewed included rodents, recreationally active males and females, and trained and untrained adults.

Dosage:

Acute: ~200 mg RR (containing ~1% salidroside and ~3% rosavin) provided 60 min before exercise. Chronic/Higher doses: ~1500 to 2400 mg RR/d for 4–30 days.

Study Quality Assessment:

This is a review of literature, summarizing at least sixteen human investigations. It notes variability in findings potentially due to differences in supplementation dose and duration, concentration of bioactive compounds, participant characteristics, exercise tests, and statistical considerations. Specific methods mentioned include acute supplementation (60 min before exercise) and chronic supplementation (4-30 days).

All Effects:

Authors:

Emilija Ivanova Stojcheva

Findings:

This review summarizes evidence for Rhodiola rosea's traditional and clinical use. Literature suggests efficacy in improving cognitive functions, mental performance (including life-stress symptoms, fatigue, burnout), and physical performance. Some clinical and pre-clinical evidence also points to benefits for cardiovascular and reproductive health by mitigating stress damage, providing an encouraging basis for its use in stress-induced conditions.

Participants:

The review covers studies involving professional athletes and non-trained individuals, and mentions humans and males in MeSH terms, reflecting the populations studied in the reviewed literature.

Study Quality Assessment:

The document is identified as a Review. It summarizes findings from a 'significant number of publications', including 'clinical studies' and 'pre-clinical trials'. A conflict of interest statement is included: 'The authors declare no conflict of interest.'

All Effects:

Findings:

This review summarizes evidence for Rhodiola rosea extracts' traditional use against stress, fatigue, and depression, and recent findings on its anti-aging, anti-inflammatory, immunostimulating, DNA repair, and anti-cancer properties in various models. Its compound salidroside shows context-dependent effects, inhibiting the mTOR pathway and angiogenesis in cancer models, while activating mTOR, promoting neovascularization, and stimulating paracrine function in normal physiological contexts. Rhodiola rosea extracts and salidroside are proposed as unique chemopreventive agents, potentially for bladder cancer due to salidroside's bioavailability and high urinary excretion.

Participants:

Review summarizing studies on various models: cell lines (cancer, normal human/animal), animal models (rats, mice, fruit flies, worms, yeast, snails, silkworms, dogs), and human clinical trials (healthy adults like athletes, students, physicians; patients with fatigue, depression, anxiety, superficial bladder cancer).

Dosage:

Review mentions typical human use of Rhodiola rosea extract as 200–600 mg per day. Clinical trials used standardized SHR-5 extract (one mentioned a 'repeated low-dose regimen'). Animal/cell studies used various doses: 10–25 microg/ml Rhodiola rosea extracts (C. elegans), 250 mg/kg body weight Rhodiola rosea extracts (rat anti-inflammation), single doses of 12 mg/kg to 75 mg/kg Rhodiola extracts or salidroside (animal PK studies), 0.3 mg/ml salidroside in drinking water daily (mice), 0.625% Rhodiola rosea extract SHR-5 in drinking water (mice).

Study Quality Assessment:

Review article summarizing findings from various study types including in vitro, in vivo animal models, and human clinical trials (some described as randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over, pilot). Mentions use of standardized extract (SHR-5) manufactured under Good Manufacturing Practice and tested toxicologically ('certified safe'). Notes limitations such as limited in vivo anti-tumor data, unclear anti-aging mechanisms, need for further animal testing before human translation for anti-aging, lack of established link between anti-cancer and anti-aging effects, and unclear role of specific compounds/ratios in anti-cancer activity. Pharmacokinetic methods (LC-MS, HPLC-MS) mentioned. States 'No side effects or interactions have been reported' based on cited clinical studies.

All Effects:

Authors:

Edzard Ernst, Rachel Perry, Shao Kang Hung

Findings:

The objective was to critically assess the current evidence from randomized clinical trials regarding the effectiveness and efficacy of Rhodiola rosea L.

Study Quality Assessment:

Systematic review of randomized clinical trials (RCTs). From Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects (DARE): Quality-assessed Reviews.

Findings:

Over the 42-day trial, the mean change in fatigue scores (Vitality-subscale and VAS-F) significantly favored the placebo group compared to the Rhodiola rosea group (p=0.011 and p=0.015 respectively). The study concluded that R. rosea worsened fatigue compared to placebo among nursing students on shift work, although results should be interpreted with caution. Adverse events did not differ between groups.

Participants:

18-55 year old students from the Faculty of Nursing from the University of Alberta (N=48), participating in clinical rotations.

Dosage:

364 mg of R. rosea (or placebo) taken daily at the start of the wakeful period, with the option of one additional capsule within the following four hours, over a 42-day period.

Study Quality Assessment:

Randomized controlled trial (RCT), parallel-group, double-blinded, placebo-controlled. N=48 participants (n=24 R. rosea, n=24 placebo). Duration: 42-day period. Primary outcomes measured using Vitality-subscale of the RAND-36 and visual analogue scale for fatigue (VAS-F). Secondary outcomes included health-related quality of life, individualized outcomes assessment, and adverse events. Trial registration: Clinicaltrials.gov NCT01278992. Funding source mentioned: Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development, Government of Alberta through AVAC Ltd. Conclusion includes a caution about interpretation.

All Effects: