Micah Stanley
The roseroot – also called Rhodiola Rosea – is a medicinal plant from the arctic high-altitude regions of Siberia. It is an anti-stress plant, a so-called adaptogen. It not only protects against stress, but also helps with anxiety disorders, depression, and burnout syndrome.
Rose root and its effects
The roseroot (Rhodiola Rosea) is a perennial plant that feels particularly at home in the cold zones of China, Russia, and northern Europe. The rosette-shaped succulent (succulent plant) got its name because its root smells of roses when you cut it.
In its native countries, the young leaves and shoots of the roseroot are eaten raw or cooked like spinach – but mixed with other vegetables because they taste slightly bitter. The stalks are eaten cooked like asparagus. In North America, Rhodiola was lactic acid fermented (similar to sauerkraut) by the natives before consumption.
As a medicinal plant with convincing and, above all, unusual effects, roseroot has been known and used in the regions mentioned for many thousands of years.
Rhodiola root – a medicinal product in Russian conventional medicine
In 1969 roseroot was given a permanent place in official Russian medicine. The Pharmacological and Pharmacopoeia Committee of the Soviet Ministry of Health recommended the medical use of liquid roseroot extract (with 40% alcohol) for chronic fatigue, infections, and psychiatric and neurological disorders.
In 1975, the extract received approval as a medicinal product and was immediately produced on a large scale.
The extract was also administered to healthy people, namely when they were tired, to improve attention, memory, and concentration, and to increase performance at work.
Rhodiola root – effects on stress
In traditional Siberian and Russian medicine, rose root preparations were used to ward off stressors (factors that trigger stress) and to treat stress-related complaints. Rhododendron is an adaptogen and therefore a plant that keeps you stress-free.
Of course, Rhodiola cannot do your household chores for you, do your job, raise your children, or quarrel with your partner. The plant does not relieve you of those situations that cause you stress.
However, it ensures that you do not feel stressed despite the stress, that you do not let stress get to you, and that stress cannot make you ill. The Rhodiola makes her more relaxed. It makes you stress-resistant and strengthens your nerves.
Stressors that roseroot protects against
However, the stressors not only include the described excessive demands in family and professional life. Competitive sports and competitions are also stressors.
Attacks from harmful bacteria are also stressors, as they stress the body until it defeats them. Oxidative stress and free radicals are other stressors. Likewise carcinogenic substances, allergens, or intolerable food components.
Rhodiola calms emotions and strengthens the intellect
Investigations into the adaptogenic properties of Rhodiola go back to the beginning of the Cold War. At that time, the Soviet Ministry of Defense was looking for funds to increase the productivity and efficiency of its own scientists and astronauts. The latter should be able to solve difficult problems when flying in space while staying fit and alert for long periods of time.
Soviet researchers found that Rhodiola could not only improve learning and memory. The plant also accelerated the speed and increased the accuracy with which tasks were solved. The error rate was always lower when the individual had previously taken a Rhodiola supplement.
Rhodiola also shines with an interesting effect: it calms the emotions, but at the same time stimulates the intellect – a very practical effect e.g. B. before exams, presentations, or other important appointments where you should be as relaxed as possible and at the same time highly concentrated and efficient.
Rhodiola for depression
The antidepressant effect of Rhodiola is particularly in demand these days. It comes about through the combination of the roseroot-typical active ingredients of rosavins, rosiridin, and salidroside.
These plant substances inhibit the breakdown of serotonin and other messenger substances in the brain (e.g. dopamine).
In this way, they ensure that the serotonin and dopamine levels do not drop too much, which would lead to low mood, listlessness, and even depression. Instead, they keep serotonin levels up, improving mood and mood.
Normally high serotonin levels can now be achieved in two ways:
- You can increase the synthesis (new formation) of serotonin or
- Inhibit the breakdown of serotonin by deactivating enzymes (the monoamine oxidases) that would otherwise break down serotonin and lower serotonin levels.
Rhodiola raises serotonin levels
Rhodiola can keep serotonin levels up in both ways.
On the one hand, Rhodiola improves the activity of serotonin (and also dopamine) in the brain by inhibiting the enzymatic breakdown of the two messenger substances – similar to antidepressants.
At the same time, Rhodiola promotes the transport of dopamine and serotonin precursors into the brain, since the plant increases the permeability of the blood-brain barrier for these precursors (e.g. for L-tryptophan).
No wonder many studies have shown that roseroot root extract can increase serotonin levels and relieve depressive moods.
Roseroot – Multiple effects against depression
For example, in 2007, researchers in the Nordic Journal of Psychiatry described a Rhodiola study on people with mild to moderate depression. The almost 90 participants were between 18 and 70 years old and were divided into three groups:
- The first group took 680 mg of roseroot extract daily for six weeks.
- The second group took 340 mg of roseroot extract.
- The third group took a placebo preparation.
Compared to the placebo group, the two Rhodiola groups experienced significant improvements, became more emotionally stable, and suffered less from insomnia than before.
In 2015, the journal Phytomedicine published the results of a placebo-controlled phase II study with 57 depressed people who took either a roseroot extract or sertraline, a common antidepressant from the group of serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI), for 12 weeks.
Rhodiola led to a similar improvement in depressive states as the antidepressant but had far fewer side effects than the synthetic drug.
In addition, roseroot extract has the ability to protect the nerve cells in the brain from attacks by hydrogen peroxide radicals and glutamate. Salidroside is held responsible for this protective effect.
The combination of antidepressive, neuroprotective (protecting nerve cells), stimulating, anti-fatigue and, of course, stress-fighting effects makes Rhodiola such an effective remedy for depressive moods.
The rose root for exam stress
In one study, students suffering from exam-related fatigue took Rhodiola for 20 days during their exam preparation period.
Significant improvements were observed in the areas of physical fitness, mental performance, and neuromotor tests. (Neuromotor function describes the coordination of brain function and body movement).
Not only did the students fare significantly better than they did before Rhodiola therapy, but they also fared a lot better than the placebo group.
The rose root in shift work
In the same year, a double-blind study with 56 young and healthy doctors took place. One group received the Rhodiola for two weeks during the night shift, the other a placebo. Then the groups swapped. It was clearly shown that the respective Rhodiola group was always able to concentrate better, was not as tired, and was more emotionally resilient than the control group.
Five years later, researchers in Phytotherapy Research wrote that a single dose of roseroot extract often had an effect within 30 minutes and increased mental and physical performance. The effects last at least 4 to 6 hours.
The rose root of burnout
In Planta Medica, researchers showed in 2009 in a randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled phase III study that roseroot can wonderfully stimulate stress-related fatigue (burnout) – and without any side effects.
60 people between 20 and 55 with burnout syndrome made themselves available for this study. Half took 576 mg of Rhodiola extract daily, the other half received the mandatory placebo.
After four weeks, the test persons were examined and it was found that the symptoms of tiredness had improved in the roseroot group and that depressive mood also occurred less frequently. The ability to concentrate had increased.
It was also observed that the release of cortisol in stressful situations was no longer so high that the researchers recommended Rhodiola for burnout syndrome.
In another study from August 2012, the stressed subjects took 200 mg roseroot extract twice a day for four weeks and experienced a significant improvement in their stress symptoms – after just three days of use.
Rhodiola for anxiety disorders
In March 2008, the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine reported that Rhodiola may also help with a generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). The 10 study participants had an official diagnosis of GAD and took 340 mg of Rhodiola extract daily for 10 weeks. The GAD improved significantly in all areas.
Rhodiola for athletes
A sports study from June 2004 showed that Rhodiola could also improve physical performance in sports since the athletes were only exhausted later than the placebo group.
Lung ventilation improved as did oxygen uptake (VO2) and carbon output (CO2). The athletes had taken 200 mg roseroot extract one hour before training.
The effect of Rhodiola: case studies and field reports
You can read many other studies and in particular case studies on the effect of roseroot in Dr. Richard P. Brown’s book The Rhodiola Revolution. These included reports of the effects of Rhodiola on people with bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders, burnout, chronic fatigue, general weakness, sleep disorders, and more – most were able to benefit from the effects of Rhodiola.
A small selection from Dr. Read Brown’s practical experience with Rhodiola, information on the correct dosage of Rhodiola, and the criteria that high-quality Rhodiola supplements should meet in our second article on Rhodiola. You will find this linked in the text above – right in the first section.
