Deep Dive: What is Rhodiola?

Have you been feeling low-energy? Join the club!

I’ve got just the herb for you. It’s called Rhodiola, but also goes by arctic root, golden root, king’s crown, and rose root.

If you are looking for a natural supplement that will give you energy without the jitters, keep reading to find out more about this magical herb.

What is it?

This Ayuvedic herb is all the rage lately. It’s roots trace back to Russia, Scandinavia, and other parts of Europe. 

It’s historically been used in traditional medicine for hundreds of years, and grows in cold regions and at high altitudes in Europe and Asia.

Source: https://clutchcognition.com/awesome-biohacks-rhodiola-rosea/

It’s traditionally used to attempt to increase endurance, work performance, and for those who cannot tolerate high altitudes (or with symptoms such as fatigue, weakness, and nausea).

Today, many people use Rhodiola to increase their energy, stamina, boost strength gains or athletic performance, better handle the effects of stress, and to manage mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety. Sounds like a super drug, doesn’t it?!

How it works

You will want to look for a product that contains both 3% rosavins and 1% salidroside, which is fairly typical in many supplements. Rhodiola Rosea roots contain more than 140 active incredients, the two most potent of which are mentioned above (rosavins and salidroside). 

Let’s take a deeper dive and see if it’s right for you.

Who would benefit from Rhodiola?

This is a bit tough to answer because I’m not a medical professional. If you find yourself in this category, you should still do your due-diligence and speak to someone who can offer more insight.

• Those looking to improve brain function (think of it as a biohack!) – some say it can ease mental fatigue, but I have yet to see enough studies out on this, specifically.
• Those who want to increase their exercise performance (not necessarily muscle strength or power, in terms of gains, rather endurance!
• Animal research suggests rhodiola may help improve diabetes control, but there aren’t enough human studies for me to recommend it to everyone for lowering human blood sugar levels – It could also interfere with diabetic or thyroid medication, so check with your doctor first!

Avoid Rhodiola if: you are on monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), benzodiazepines, serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). You may also want to avoid Rhodiola if you are pregnant. Check with a doctor to see if you can add this to your routine.

How to incorporate it into your life

There isn’t anything quite like this in the food we consume, and eating it from the plant is not as tasty as one might think, so a supplement is your best bet. NutraChamps has a great option in their Rhodiola Rosea capsules. Two capsules a day, consumed at breakfast or lunch, provides 600 mg of Rhodiola Rosea Extract! If that feels like too much, take 1 capsule and see how you feel on 300 mg of Rhodiola.

Even though we don’t eat foods high in Rhodiola, doesn’t mean we can’t add it in ourselves! Feel free to open up the capsule or use a powdered or tincture form in your yogurt, smoothies, coffee, matcha, chia pudding, tea, or in adaptogenic energy balls! There are also some tasty options here!

If you are taking Rhodiola before your workouts for extra stamina and energy, take 200-300 mg an hour or two before exercise. Depending on your body, you may or may not need to take it with food, as it could upset your stomach if you have not consumed anything.

Conclusion

With all the good, there may also come some side effects for some users. Don’t be alarmed, most of the time this happens due to a contraindication with other medication or it simply means you’ve taken a dose that is too high for your body.

Source: veeva.ca

Some of these side effects include headache, stomach upset, drowsiness, dizziness, and difficulty sleeping. If you have trouble sleeping, it’s likely because you’ve taken it too close to bedtime. I treat Rhodiola the same way I treat coffee. I try not to consume either after 2pm so that I can fall asleep without any insomnia. 

Just like any other adaptogenic herb, it could take weeks to notice the changes in your body, so be patient! And like I always advocate, please see a doctor or naturopath if you are looking to start supplementing with Rhodiola Rosea. It may not be right for you, and it’s better that you ask a medical professional before adding it to your regimen, just in case.

Have you used Rhodiola before? Many of our customers say they’ve tried it and have been using it every day, while others say they take a break every once in a while to make sure their body gets back to baseline. Let me know how you have incorporated Rhodiola into your routine!

Resources:

• https://examine.com/supplements/rhodiola-rosea/
• https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/rhodiola
• https://mhanational.org/rhodiola-rosea
• https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/rhodiola-rosea-benefits-side-effects-of-this-adaptogen