Tip Beat Stress with Rhodiola Rosea Search Skip to content Menu Menu follow us Store Articles Community Loyal-T Club Loyal-T Points Rewards Subscribe to Save Search Search The World s Trusted Source & Community for Elite Fitness EatingSupplements Tip Beat Stress with Rhodiola Rosea Stress can rob you of your gains Enhance your body' s ability to adapt naturally Here' s how by Mike Roussell, PhD December 13, 2015August 24, 2022 Tags Nutrition & Supplements, Rhodiola Rosea, Super Health, Tips Rhodiola rosea is from a class of herbs known as "adaptogens" due to their ability to help the human body increase resistance to a variety of chemical, biological, and physical stressors. Rhodiola rosea helps you adapt to both stress and fatigue. Much of the initial research regarding rhodiola rosea was carried out in Russia, as it was readily used medicinally to fight fatigue starting in 1969. And in 2001 Denmark officially classified the SHR-5 extract from rhodiola rosea as an herbal medicinal product. Rhodiola rosea can help you function better while under stressful conditions. This is different from most other strategies. It doesn't directly help you fight stress; it helps you to be better when stressed. This is very important because stress leads to a decrease in performance. Because you're stressed you have a limited capacity for dealing with your poor performance. The end result is that you get more stressed. It's a vicious cycle. Rhodiola rosea will help stop that cycle and even help prevent overtraining. Let's look at a clinical trial from Russia involving rhodiola rosea. In this study, two different dosages were given to 121 Russian cadets. Two different dosages of rhodiola rosea (the SHR-5 extract) were given to the men prior to them undergoing a series of mentally challenging stress tests. Regardless of the dose given (375mg vs. 555mg SHR-5), taking the rhodiola rosea supplement significantly increased the cadet's Anti-Fatigue Index score compared to those that took the placebo. An added benefit to rhodiola rosea supplementation is that its effects can sometimes be seen within 30 minutes of taking it. This is a very practical benefit as it can be used at a moment's notice. Be careful when choosing a rhodiola supplement. Potency and purity can really vary, with some extracts containing only 1% to 3% total rosavins. The better ones, if you're lucky, might contain 9% or 10%. Kelly GS. Rhodiola rosea: a possible plant adaptogen. Alternative medicine review 2001;6:293-302. Shevtsov VA, Zholus BI, Shervarly VI, et al. A randomized trial of two different doses of a SHR-5 Rhodiola rosea extract versus placebo and control of capacity for mental work. Phytomedicine 2003;10:95-105. Panossian A, Wagner H. Stimulating effect of adaptogens: an overview with particular reference to their efficacy following single dose administration. Phytotherapy Research 2005;19:819-838. Get The T Nation Newsletters Don' t Miss Out Expert Insights To Get Stronger, Gain Muscle Faster, And Take Your Lifting To The Next Level related posts Eating 10 Things You Don t Know About Eggs Few foods have been as scrutinized by science as eggs. Read this list of eclectic egg facts and you'll never look at one the same way again. Feeding the Ideal Body, Nutrition & Supplements, Protein TC Luoma March 9 Eating Do Your Supplements Work It happened just the other day. A fellow gym rat cornered me at the drinking fountain and started complaining about a supplement he just bought at GNC that hadn't done squat. Nutrition & Supplements, Super Health TC Luoma September 4 Supplements The Legal Performance-Enhancing Drug In Your House This over-the-counter pill is actually a performance-enhancing drug, improving athletic performance and keeping muscles stronger for longer. Athletic Performance, Pharma TC Luoma February 17 Eating Tip Two Vegetables That Grow Muscle Research shows these veggies deactivate the muscle growth inhibitor, myostatin. Check out the science. Building Muscle, Nutrition & Supplements, Tips TC Luoma December 31