How we rate
“Strong” = several concordant meta-analyses or systematic reviews. “Moderate” = one synthesis, or several controlled trials. “Limited” = early trials only. The rating is about the quality of the studies, not about how useful the supplement is.
Rhodiola
A Scandinavian and Siberian root sold against fatigue and stress. Its best study compares it directly to an antidepressant, with far fewer side effects.
Benefits
- In young night-shift doctors and students during exam periods, it reduces mental fatigue and improves concentration, short-term memory, and calculation under repeated stress (double-blind placebo-controlled trials)
- In 161 young cadets, a single dose significantly improves mental work capacity in the face of fatigue, with no difference between the two tested dosages
- In 60 people with stress-related exhaustion, 576 mg per day for 28 days improves attention and burnout indicators, and modifies the cortisol awakening response
- Compared to sertraline (reference antidepressant) in 57 people suffering from mild to moderate depression over 12 weeks: comparable improvement in symptoms, but significantly fewer side effects (30% against 63%)
- A single intake improves endurance performance and oxygen consumption in healthy subjects — an effect that was not maintained after 4 weeks of daily intake
Precautions
Well tolerated across all available trials, with fewer side effects than sertraline in the study comparing them directly. Also worth noting: the most recent systematic review on physical and mental fatigue (11 trials) considers the results contradictory and points out significant methodological limitations in most studies, often conducted on small sample sizes (20 to 60 participants). The effect on endurance was only observed after a single intake, not after 4 weeks of daily intake — this is therefore not enough to support continuous intake for athletic performance.
Recommended dosage
SHR-5 standardized extract, 340 to 680 mg per day according to trials on fatigue and stress; trials on depression use the same doses for 6 to 12 weeks.
Did you know?
Surprising fact: in a study comparing Rhodiola to a conventional antidepressant (sertraline), the plant proved slightly less effective, but twice as well tolerated, with only 30% of side effects reported compared to 63% for the drug.
What the studies say
Cet essai clinique de phase III en double aveugle a évalué l'extrait SHR-5 de Rhodiola rosea chez des patients souffrant de dépression légère à modérée, à deux dosages (340 et 680 mg/jour) pendant 6 semaines. Les groupes traités ont montré une amélioration significative des symptômes dépressifs, de l'insomnie et de l'instabilité émotionnelle par rapport au placebo, sans effet secondaire grave. L'étude conclut que cet extrait possède un potentiel antidépresseur à ces doses.
Darbinyan V, Aslanyan G, Amroyan E, Gabrielyan E, Malmström C, Panossian A. — Nordic journal of psychiatry (2007) — View the source study
For information only: not a substitute for medical advice. Dietary supplements are not a replacement for a varied, balanced diet. Learn more