Rhodiola

Rhodiola (Rhodiola rosea), also called Rose Root or Golden Root, is a hardy perennial of the Arctic and the mountains of Europe and Asia. Its thick, rose-scented root has been used for centuries in Scandinavia, Russia and Mongolia. Today Rhodiola is taken as a liquid extract, a tea or a powder, usually in the morning.

Rhodiola is long associated with stamina, mental endurance and resilience under stress. In Siberia and Scandinavia the root was taken by people working in hard conditions, and Western herbalists class it as an adaptogen and a nootropic. The US National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health says reliable evidence is still lacking, so we describe how it is used, not what it will do.

Rhodiola is best known as a herb people reach for when they are in a demanding stretch of work or study and want steady stamina and a clear head. Most people take it in the morning or at midday, for some weeks at a time. It is not usually taken in the evening.

Take Rhodiola as a liquid extract in a little water, following the directions on the label. To make a tea, steep 5 grams of dried root in a cup of just-boiled water, covered, for a few minutes, then strain. The brew is strong and bitter: take about a fifth of a cup at a time, diluted with water or juice.

No. Rhodiola is naturally caffeine free. Even so, it is thought of as one of the more stimulating adaptogens, and the European Medicines Agency lists nervousness and sleeplessness among its possible unwanted effects. Most people take Rhodiola in the morning or at midday, not at night.

The US National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health says Rhodiola is possibly safe when taken for up to 12 weeks. It lists dizziness, headache, sleeplessness and a dry mouth or extra saliva as possible side effects. Less is known about longer use, so most people take Rhodiola for some weeks at a time and not all year round.

Rhodiola is best avoided during pregnancy and breastfeeding, as there is not enough information on its safety. The European Medicines Agency does not recommend it for children or adolescents. The US NCCIH notes a reported interaction with losartan, a blood pressure medicine. If you take medication or have a health condition, check with your health professional first.

Depression is a medical condition, and the first conversation should be with your GP.

On the research: standardised St John's Wort extracts have been studied in many trials for mild to moderate depression, and some countries license them as medicines. That evidence is for those extracts at set doses, not for a cup of the tea, and St John's Wort interacts with many medicines, including antidepressants and the contraceptive pill.

Saffron, Rhodiola and Ashwagandha have smaller and shorter trials on mood and stress scores. Lemon Balm has a long tradition for low spirits and little trial evidence. We describe how these herbs are used, not what they will do.

Exhaustion that has lasted weeks is a matter for your GP first, who can check for causes such as low iron or thyroid trouble.

Within that, the herbs people reach for are the adaptogens, Ashwagandha, Schisandra and Rhodiola, taken daily for a few weeks, and Licorice Root in small amounts for short stretches of no more than four weeks. Rebuilding the adrenals is a traditional way of describing these herbs, not something trials have shown, so we describe how they are used, not what they will do.

Adaptogen is a term from Western herbalism for tonic herbs taken over time through stress. Researchers have proposed that they act on the body's stress-response systems, the HPA axis and the sympathetic nervous system, and some small trials have measured changes in stress scores and cortisol. That is a proposed mechanism, not a settled one, and the trials of Ashwagandha and Rhodiola have been short and small.

We describe how these herbs are used, not what they will do. If low mood lasts more than a couple of weeks, speak with your health professional.

It depends on the herb. The caffeine herbs, Guarana, Yerba Mate, Kola Nut and Guayusa, are felt within about an hour, much like coffee.

Adaptogens such as Rhodiola and Ashwagandha are traditionally taken daily for several weeks, and the trials that exist ran for weeks to months. People respond differently, and some notice nothing. Herbs are not interchangeable and there is no single timetable.

Rhodiola is best known as a herb people reach for when anxiety is tied to fatigue, low mood and mental fog, and they have to stay sharp through a demanding stretch. Herbalists class it as an adaptogen; in Russian and Scandinavian tradition it was taken for stamina through hard work and long winters.

Most people take it in the morning, as a tea or a liquid extract, for a few weeks at a time, and leave it out after midday so it does not get in the way of sleep. If you take antidepressants or medication for blood pressure or diabetes, or are pregnant, speak with your health professional first.

Use Rhodiola when you’re mentally or physically fatigued, especially from stress. It’s great in the morning or early afternoon, and best taken before mentally demanding tasks or workouts.