What Is Rhodiola Extract?
Rhodiola extract is made from the root of rhodiola rosea, a plant in the Crassulaceae family native to Siberia and other arctic and sub- arctic regions of the world. Rhodiola is considered and adaptogenic herb that helps the body deal with stress and increases physical and mental endurance. Rhodiola has been used by Russian and Korean athletes and has been used by native arctic people to increase their endurance during traveling and during harsh winter months.
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Rhodiola and Anxiety
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In a study conducted at the UCLA Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, rhodiola extract was given to 10 patients diagnosed with general anxiety disorder (GAD). Participants were given rhodiola extract daily for 10 weeks and then given 3 different psychological evaluation tests. Researchers found that rhodiola significantly reduced mean anxiety scores, prompting them to recommend rhodiola for further study as a potential anxiety treatment.
Rhodiola and Endurance
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In a study conducted in Belgium and published in the "International Journal of Sports Nutrition Exercise Metabolism," rhodiola was found to improve exercise endurance capacity in young healthy volunteers. The researchers studied both the acute effects and long term effects of rhodiola on the participants and found that rhodiola is more effective as a short term or acute stimulant to athletic endurance, taken just an hour before exercise. The long term participants, those who ingested rhodiola for 4 weeks or more, did not show increased performance in this study.
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Rhodiola and Depression
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An extract of rhodiola was given to a group of male and female participants suffering from mild to moderate depression in a study in Armenia at the Armenian State Medical University. Compared to the placebo group, the participants given the rhodiola extract were found to have improved insomnia, emotional stability and depression. The researchers concluded that the standardized extract of rhodiola root shows anti-depressive potency for patients with mild to moderate depression.
Rhodiola and Stress
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In another study at the Armenian State Medical University in Armenia, rhodiola was given to physicians who worked the night shift and were subject to stress and fatigue on the job. The physicians were tested before and after a 2-week period in which they were given a low dose of rhodiola extract on a daily basis. The researchers found that the physicians tested higher for perceptive and cognitive cerebral functioning after the 2-week period of taking the rhodiola extract leading them to conclude that rhodiola extract "can reduce fatigue under certain stressful conditions."
History
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Rhodiola has a history of use in Russia and Scandinavia, where it is called "golden root." Traditional Chinese medicine also includes rhodiola root in its pharmacopeia as a treatment for certain nervous and fatigue syndromes. Rhodiola was mentioned by the ancient Greek physician Dioscorides in his work "Materia Medica" and it appears that rhodiola was actively traded on the ancient trade routes between east and west. According to Richard P. Brown, in his book "The Rhodiola Revolution," rhodiola was taken by the Vikings to increase strength and stamina and used by ancient Mongolians for tuberculosis and cancer.
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