Ingredient Spotlight: Rhodiola Rosea

The Arctic, Scandinavia, the Alps – wherever there are high mountains and a cold climate you’re likely to find the perennial herb Rhodiola rosea thriving. This ability to survive a demanding, stressful environment is not only Rhodiola’s distinguishing feature, it’s also its most noteworthy benefit to you and I.

Rhodiola rosea (pronounced: ro-dee-o-luh ro-zay-uh) has been successfully used for centuries in Eastern Europe to help people deal with the harsh, cold climate. Today, Rhodiola is well known as an adaptogenic herb – it literally helps you “adapt” to the stress of a changing environment – that has positive effects on energy, fatigue, brain function, and, most importantly, testosterone and sexual health. Its primary benefits are summarized below.

1. Rhodiola rosea makes you lean

Our environment is constantly bombarding us with various forms of stress – rush hour traffic, processed foods, a dimwit boss (or dimwit employees) – and as the stress accumulates, so does cortisol. More cortisol means less testosterone which means less muscle, more body fat, less energy, and a poor sex drive. Rhodiola rosea reduces the acute and chronic effects of stress by decreasing adrenal cortisol production and modulating the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. That means more testosterone, less fat, and more muscle.

2. Rhodiola rosea makes you happy

Chronic stress not only increases cortisol, it also causes fatigue which can eventually lead to burnout (unremitting physical weakness, depression, poor concentration, insomnia, irritability, etc.). Rhodiola rosea can fight fatigue, prevent burnout, and improve energy levels and mood by enhancing mitochondrial function, balancing your sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems, and influencing the action of neurotransmitters in the brain (especially the ones that make you feel good).

3. Rhodiola rosea makes you smart

Rhodiola positively influences levels of serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine, the chemicals chiefly responsible for brain function. The result is improved concentration, associative thinking, learning, attention, ability to recall random useless facts, and ability to remember where you parked and whether or not it’s your anniversary (essentially everything you use your brain for).

Bonus: In a study of men with erectile dysfunction and/or premature ejaculation, 26 out of 35 men (74%) experienced an improvement in sexual function after taking Rhodiola rosea for just 12 weeks.

Clearly, Rhodiola rosea is an incredible herb (that’s why we put it in RenewMale). In fact, anything that makes you leaner, happier, and smarter is something you want to keep around. It can also increase testosterone, improve your sex life, and help you survive and thrive in today’s demanding, stressful climate.

References
 

Abidov M, Crendal F, Grachev S, Seifulla RD, and TN Ziegenfuss. Effect of extracts from Rhodiola rosea and Rhodiola crenulata (Crassulaceae) roots on ATP content in mitochondria of skeletal muscles Bull. Exp. Biol. Med. 136(6):585-7, 2003.
 

Brown RP, Gerbarg PL, and Z Ramazanov. Rhodiola rosea: A Phytomedicinal Overview. HerbalGram. 56:40-52, 2002.
 

Darbinyan V, Aslanyan G, Amroyan E, Gabrielyan E, Malmström C, Panossian A. Clinical trial of Rhodiola rosea L. extract SHR-5 in the treatment of mild to moderate depression. Nord J Psychiatry. 2007;61(5):343-8. Erratum in: Nord J Psychiatry. 2007;61(6):503.
 

Darbinyan V, Kteyan A, Panossian A, Gabrielian E, Wikman G, Wagner H. 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 Oct;7(5):365-71.
 

De Bock K, Eijnde BO, Ramaekers M, Hespel P. Acute Rhodiola rosea intake can improve endurance exercise performance. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab 2004;14:298-307.
 

Kelly GS. Rhodiola rosea: a possible plant adaptogen. Altern. Med. Rev. 6(3):293-302, 2001.
 

Olsson EM, von Scheele B, Panossian AG. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study of the standardized extract SHR-5 of the roots of Rhodiola rosea in the treatment of subjects with stress-related fatigue. Planta Med 2009;75:105-112.
 

Saratikov AS, Krasnov EA. Chapter VIII: Clinical studies of Rhodiola. In: Saratikov AS, Krasnov EA, editors. Rhodiola rosea is a valuable medicinal plant (Golden Root). Tomsk, Russia: Tomsk State University Press; 1987. p. 216-27.
 

Shevtsov VA, Zholus BI, Shervarly VI, Vol’skij VB, Korovin YP, Khristich MP, Roslyakova NA, Wikman G. 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 Mar;10(2-3):95-105.
 

Spasov AA, Wikman GK, Mandrikov VB, Mironova IA, Neumoin VV. 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 Apr;7(2):85-9.
 

Walker TB, Robergs RA. Does Rhodiola rosea possess ergogenic properties? Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2006 Jun;16(3):305-15. Review.